The film was shot in about two or three weeks on-location in Kansas City sometime in the latter part of 1957. Locations included a Kansas City high school, where most of the students appeared as cameos, a run-down Aberdeen Hotel in downtown Kansas City, a greasy spoon called Pat's Pig, Penn Valley Park and the Indian Scout Statue overlooking the city, the Blue Note Club, the Kansas City Jazz hall, and several real homes and neighborhoods. Rhoden Jr. had cooperation from many local businesses and also from the Kansas City Police Department, who were contacted for several reasons.