George Lucas and 20th Century-Fox sued the producers over alleged similarities with Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). The show was reworked from its original concept to capitalize on the film's popularity, employing the same special effects team and the same concept designer. The lawsuit was originally dismissed in 1980, but Fox appealed. The case was eventually settled out of court in 1983.
The Cylon sound was later incorporated into K.I.T.T. on Knight Rider (1982). Both Cylons and K.I.T.T. have one red eye that moves side to side. The sound of a Viper, when it was launched from the Galactica, was the same sound K.I.T.T. made when David Hasselhoff activated the Turbo Boost to make the car jump.
The Cylons had to be over six feet tall, so Glen A. Larson hired a team of out-of-work basketball players.
Props from this series were recycled for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979), which Glen A. Larson also produced.
John Colicos became so well-known for his role of Baltar that his performance won him the role of Mikkos Cassadine on General Hospital (1963), for its "Ice Princess" story arc in summer 1981. In 1991, he appeared in a theater in his native Toronto. After performances, audience members would applaud him and chant "Baltar Lives!" He also appeared as Kor in Errand of Mercy (1967), which introduced the Klingons, and he reprised the role in several episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).