At one point in the film, Professor Sutwell takes Dolores up in the air for a flight in a small plane. She asks him where he learned to fly, to which he says he was a pilot instructor during World War Two. In real life, Robert Cummings was an accomplished pilot and had in fact served as a WWII military flight instructor.
Although "old fogey" Professor Sutwell knew nothing about beach life, actor Robert Cummings was a competent surfer himself, as documented in personal home movies shot in Hawaii by Hollywood's television host and author Ken Murray.
Disney star Annette Funicello signed with American International Pictures to do this film, apparently not realizing that Walt Disney had planned to use her as the star of their film Summer Magic (1963). Disney would cast their other popular star, Hayley Mills, in their film. This film would lead to starring roles for Funicello in a series of "Beach Party" and other films for AIP. She would also return to Disney to do several more movies.
When Marianne is waiting for Professor Sutwell to return from the beach, she listens to a record album. The label on the record is from 'American International Records', a reference to the production company that made the movie.
Three quarters into the film, before Marianne listens in on Robert and Dolores' conversation, she switches on a vinyl record. The audio is from the album, "Annette's Beach Party" on Walt Disney's Buena Vista label (an offshoot of Disneyland Records created in 1959 for teens, adults, shows and soundtracks), but the record shown is on American-International Pictures' short-lived label. The record has only one track and may be a test pressing. Singer Tony Casanova is credited on the prop record's label. He was a singer who recorded for American-International Records and was the cousin of pop artist Ritchie Valens.