While they struggled to sell their script for Billy Jack, Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor ran a Montessori school in Santa Monica.

Independently financed by Laughlin and Taylor for $150,000, The Born Losers ran out of money mid-production and was rescued by Samuel Arkoff and American International Pictures, who put up $300,000 to finish the film.

The fictitious town of Big Rock was actually the California coastal community of Seal Beach.

The San Fernando motorcycle club The Devil's Disciples filled out the ranks of the film's make-believe gang.

Extra motorcycles were loaned out by Sears, which Laughlin hid behind the Harleys.

Laughlin's wife, producer Delores Taylor, and their children appear as witnesses to the street assault at the beginning of the film.

The sorority house exteriors in The Born Losers were shot on the UCLA campus, while interiors were filmed in Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor's rented Pacific Palisades home.

The Born Losers' beach house was actually located in Venice, California, and was once owned by Rudolph Valentino.

Cinematographer Haskell Wexler happened upon the production and advised Director of Photography Gregory Sandor about shooting the airport scene.

The white sunglasses Slate wears in The Born Losers belonged to his wife Tammy.

Although Jane Russell was contracted to work for one day only, Laughlin was forced to shut down production for ten days when he suffered a burst appendix.

In order to get the proper emotion out of Russell for one scene, Laughlin called for a meal break just before shooting it, hoping the delay would drive the actress into a rage. The ploy worked and Russell thanked Laughlin, calling him a "clever son of a bitch."

Gregory Sandor went on to shoot footage for Monte Hellman's Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) and Brian De Palma's Sisters (1973).

Cast as Gangrene, Jeff Cooper later starred in Circle of Iron (1978), in a role written for the late Bruce Lee.

Composer Mike Curb later served as California's Lieutenant Governor from 1978-1982.

Jack Starrett directed such drive-in classics as The Losers (1970), Slaughter (1972), Cleopatra Jones (1973) and Race with the Devil (1975).

The Born Losers grossed $36 million and became the highest-grossing independent feature ever made.

The success of Billy Jack prompted Samuel Arkoff and AIP partner James Nicholson to reissue The Born Losers under the tag line "The Original Billy Jack is back!" Tom Laughlin sued.

In 1976, Saturday Night Live guest star Paul Simon spoofed Billy Jack as "Billy Paul...but not the Billy Paul that recorded Me and Mrs. Jones."

Sources:

Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor audio commentary, The Born Losers DVD.

Tom Laughlin radio interview by Doug Basham, May 11, 2005

Jeremy Slate interview by Nelson Basden, Psychotronic Video No. 36, 2002

Flying Through Hollywood by the Seat of My Pants by Sam Arkoff with Richard Trubo

Jonathan Haze interview Psychotronic Video No. 27, 1998

Gary Kent interview by Robert Plante, Psychotronic Video No. 31, 1999

Billy Jack, Delores Taylor, Tom Laughlin: The Official Website, www.billyjack.com

by Richard Harland Smith