In the main titles of the previous entry in the Bomba series (Safari Drums) the billing for star Sheffield was changed from "Johnny Sheffield" to "John," a tacit admission that the former child star was getting a bit long-in-the-tooth to continue to be billed with a juvenile name. In this film's titles, his billing reverts to "Johnny Sheffield."
As an interesting indicator of how opportunities for African American actors expanded in the decades after this film was made, Roy Glenn (who plays "jungle guide" Gomo here) was later cast as Sidney Poitier's father, who disapproved of his son's desire to marry the daughter of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in 1967's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
At the time of its original release in 1954, The Golden Idol (the 10th title in the 12 film Bomba franchise) was widely criticized for having even more "recycled" footage (stock shots of "wild animals" and entire action sequences lifted from previous Bomba movies) than the usual "Poverty Row" release. The general consensus was that the Bomba series was growing tired and lazy.