Kennedy's father, Joseph Kennedy, had been a Hollywood producer and head of the RKO studio at one point, and he used his influence to negotiate the film rights to Donovan's biography of his son. The film was made under the "personal supervision" of Warner's head of production, Jack L. Warner. The White House sent Alvin Cluster, a wartime buddy of President Kennedy, who was also his former commanding officer, as well as a PT boat commander, to act as a liaison between Warner Bros. and the White House.