In an interview in 2012 Flipper writer and associate producer Ricou Browning said in 1961 he used his last $100 to write a book telling the boy and dolphin story and persuaded movie producer Ivan Tors to read the book. Tors liked it so much he made the Flipper movie.
Luke Halpin was 15, playing a 12-year-old. 6'5" Chuck Connors was deliberately cast as his father because Halpin would appear younger than his actual age next to him.
In a 2012 interview, associate producer and writer of "Flipper" Ricou Browning told how he helped teach Luke Halpin to ride the dolphin Mitzie like a horse providing compelling footage for the movie. At the movie premiere in 1963 in New York the LIFE magazine photographer sent to cover the event didn't believe the dolphin riding actually happened and actually questioned Browning, producer Ivan Tors and Luke Halpin separately about the technique before he would believe them.
Some articles during the 1960s stated that Luke Halpin was 13 when this film was made. However, Halpin himself said he was 15.
Ivan Tors was the famous producer of numerous popular family friendly TV shows and movies in the 1950's and 60's including both Flipper movies and the TV series. He had 3 sons Steven, Peter and David. In the scene in the Flipper movie where Sandy has Flipper perform tricks in front of a crowd of neighborhood kids (who pay to get in by donating a fish), Ivan had his oldest son Steven (then aged 8) be one of the extras. He is the third seated boy to the right of Luke Halpin who is standing directing Flipper.