Director James William Guercio was a successful music producer, specifically for the band Chicago. Many of the band members make appearances in Electra Glide in Blue.

Harley-Davidson's Electra Glide motorcycle was introduced in 1965 and was the first big Harley bike to feature electric push-button starting.

After starring in Electra Glide in Blue, Robert Blake was offered his hit television series Baretta.

Although he has acted in dozens of films, including Five Easy Pieces (1970) and Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), Blake's costar Billy "Green" Bush is most famous for fathering twins Sidney and Lindsay Greenbush, who traded off on playing Carrie Ingalls on the long-running television series Little House on the Prairie.

Born Michael Gubitosi in 1933, Robert Blake made his first film, Wilhelm Thiele's Bridal Suite (1939), in an uncredited bit role, for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. That same year, he began appearing as "Mickey" in MGM's "Our Gang" shorts.

The role of "Bob Zemko" is played by Peter Cetera, bass player and tenor vocalist for the band Chicago. Cetera's bandmates, lead singer Terry Kath, trumpeter Lee Loughnane and saxophonist Walter Parazaider appear in various small roles throughout the film.

The recording of Stephen Foster's "Gentle Annie" heard in the film's opening scene was borrowed from the soundtrack of John Ford's Stagecoach (1939).

Up and coming actor Nick Nolte appears as an extra in the hippie commune scene.

The painting seen on the screen door of Zipper's trailer is a self-portrait by actor Billy "Green" Bush.

Robert Blake once expressed his unhappiness with the title Electra Glide in Blue and wished the movie could have been called Chopper Copper.

James William Guercio was hired to direct Tom Horn (1980), starring Steve McQueen, but was fired a week into principal photography.

Sources:
NYT review
www.sensesofcinema.com
www.dvdtown.com/review
www.destgulch.com
www.dvdtimes.co.uk
einsiders.com
Psychotronic Magazine

Compiled by Richard Harland Smith