Reiner never directed any of the four principals again, although he did direct Kiefer Sutherland in A Few Good Men (1992). Wil Wheaton said he always wanted to work with the director again, but felt that Reiner probably only saw him as Gordie Lachance and not any other character.

Rob Reiner and Corey Feldman both appeared in cameos as themselves in the comedy Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003).

In addition to his Directors Guild of America nomination for this picture, Rob Reiner has also been nominated by that group for When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and A Few Good Men. The latter film also garnered him an Academy Award Best Picture nomination as producer (with two others). Reiner's other awards and nominations include several Emmys and Golden Globes for his role on All in the Family. He also has three Golden Globe directing nominations and won the Hugo (science fiction) Award for The Princess Bride (1987) for Best Dramatic Presentation, shared with screenwriter William Goldman.

Wil Wheaton started acting when he was only about nine years old. He has appeared in small roles in a number of television shows and occasional features, and also does voiceover work. His most famous role after this movie was a recurring one as Wesley Crusher on the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Corey Feldman also started acting early, at only seven in 1978. Just prior to this film, he appeared in such hit movies as Gremlins (1984) and The Goonies (1985). He continues to do television, voiceover, and occasional film work.

River Phoenix, who started his career in television in 1982 at the age of 12, was believed to have the brightest future of any of the four leads. He got a number of important roles after this, including The Mosquito Coast (1986), Running on Empty (1988), and My Own Private Idaho (1991). His life and career were cut short when he died of a drug overdose on the sidewalk outside the Los Angeles music club, the Viper Room. He received Best Supporting Actor Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Running on Empty, a performance which also garnered him a National Board of Review award. He won several awards for his work in My Own Private Idaho (including National Society of Film Critics and Independent Spirit awards for best actor) and for other projects.

Although the youngest and least experienced of the four leads, Jerry O'Connell has had arguably the most successfully sustained career, appearing in many television series and such films as Jerry Maguire (1996), Scream 2 (1997), and Piranha (2010). Ironically, as Rob Reiner noted, the little fat nerdy kid grew up to be a "hunk" who is now married to actress and former supermodel Rebecca Romijn.

Reportedly, the song "Stand by Me" was always intended to be used in the picture, even before it was renamed that.

Corey Feldman and director Rob Reiner tested 30 different laughs before deciding upon the one for Teddy Duchamp. The laugh happens to be similar to that described in King's story.

The boys aren't smoking real cigarettes in the movie. Reiner, a non-smoker who campaigned for anti-smoking laws in California, had the fake cigarettes made from cabbage or lettuce leaves.

In an interview by Stephen King in the special features of the DVD, he reveals that the scene with the leeches actually did happen to him when he was a child.

Stephen King often makes references to his other stories and has characters appear in more than one, and "The Body," on which this is movie is based, is no exception. Ace Merrill, the head of the older gang of bullies, also appears in the novel Needful Things. Teddy Duchamp's first mention in King's work was in his first novel, Carrie, in which Carrie destroys a gas station where he once worked.

Kiefer Sutherland claimed in a later interview that at one of the Oregon location shoots, a Renaissance Fair was taking place, and the cast and crew attended. They bought some cookies there that they found out later were baked with marijuana. Two hours later, the crew found Jerry O'Connell crying from being so high on the cookies.

When Ace and Eyeball meet up with Gordie and Chris, the plate glass window identifies the place they have just exited as Irby's Billiards, named after first assistant director Irby Smith.

River Phoenix and Bradley Gregg (Eyeball Chambers) were both in Explorers (1985) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).

Kent Luttrell, who plays the dead boy found in the woods, has only had one other acting credit, for a 1997 television appearance, but he remains very active as a stunt performer and coordinator.

by Rob Nixon

Memorable Quotes from STAND BY ME

THE WRITER (Richard Dreyfuss): I was 12 going on 13 the first time I saw a dead human being. It happened in the summer of 1959, a long time ago, but only if you measure in terms of years. I was living in a small town in Oregon called Castle Rock. There were only twelve hundred and eighty-one people. But to me, it was the whole world.

CHRIS (River Phoenix): How do you know if a Frenchman has been in your backyard?
TEDDY (Corey Feldman): Hey, I'm French, okay?
CHRIS: Your garbage cans are empty and your dog's pregnant.
TEDDY: Didn't I just say I was French?

VERN (Jerry O'Connell): You guys wanna go see a dead body?

TEDDY: I'm sorry if I'm spoiling everybody's good time.
CHRIS: It's okay, man.
GORDIE (Wil Wheaton): I'm not sure it should be a good time.
CHRIS: You saying you wanna go back?
GORDIE: No. We're going to see a dead kid. Maybe it shouldn't be a party.

GORDIE: Do you think I'm weird?
CHRIS: Definitely.
GORDIE: No man, seriously. Am I weird?
CHRIS: Yeah, but so what? Everybody's weird.

CHRIS: Wish the hell I was your dad. You wouldn't be goin' around talkin' about takin' these stupid shop courses if I was. It's like God gave you something, man, all those stories you can make up. And He said, "This is what we got for ya, kid. Try not to lose it." Kids lose everything unless there's someone there to look out for them. And if your parents are too fucked up to do it, then maybe I should.

VERN: Come on you guys. Let's get moving.
TEDDY: Yeah, by the time we get there, the kid won't even be dead anymore.

TEDDY: That was the all-time train dodge! Too cool! Vern, you were so scared you looked like that fat guy, Abbott Costello, when he saw the mummy.

GORDIE: Alright, alright, Mickey's a mouse, Donald's a duck, Pluto's a dog. What's Goofy?

VERN: Geez, Gordie. Why couldn't you have gotten breakfast stuff? Like Twinkies and Pez and root beer?
GORDIE: Sorry, Vern. I guess a more experienced shopper could have gotten more for your seven cents.

TEDDY: This is my age! I'm in the prime of my youth, and I'll only be young once!
CHRIS: Yeah, but you're gonna be stupid for the rest of your life.

CHRIS: You're gonna be a great writer someday, Gordie. You might even write about us guys if you ever get hard up for material.

GORDIE: Suck my fat one, you cheap dime store hood.

Compiled by Rob Nixon