Universal Pictures’ plans to produce Come September, an original screenplay by Stanley Shapiro and Maurice Richlin, were announced in the 4 Nov 1959 Var. Shapiro and Richlin’s collaborations included recent comedies Pillow Talk and Operation Petticoat (1959, see entries).
       Pillow Talk star Rock Hudson was cast in the lead role of “Robert Lawrence Talbot.” Although an 18 May 1960 DV item suggested Tony Curtis might take his place, Hudson remained with the picture, which he also produced through his newly formed company, 7 Pictures Corp. As stated in a 19 Aug 1960 DV brief, the project was Hudson’s first “independent venture,” set to be released by Universal-International.
       As noted in an 8 Jun 1960 LAT item, director Robert Mulligan offered Laurence Olivier a co-starring role. Comedian Shelley Berman was also considered for a role, although his concert touring dates posed a potential scheduling conflict. On 15 Jul 1960, DV announced that Mulligan would travel to Rome, Italy, for a location scout the following day.
       Principal photography began 7 Sep 1960, as noted in a 9 Sep 1960 DV production chart. Location filming took place in the coastal town of Portofino, Italy, where cloudy weather caused production delays, according to a 27 Nov 1960 NYT article. Soundstage work was scheduled to follow at Cinecitta Studios in Rome.
       The 27 Nov 1960 NYT noted that Leo Coleman worked as a choreographer on the picture.
       In mid-Jul 1961, Trans World Airlines (TWA) launched its new program of in-flight film screenings with the “world premiere” of Come September, as stated in the 23 Jul 1961 LAT. The film was shown twice on a five-hour flight from Los Angeles, CA, to Seattle, WA, and back. Guests were fed dinner and returned to Los Angeles at the end of the evening.
       The 27 Jun 1961 DV review lamented that the picture failed to fulfill its potential but predicted it would be a commercial success regardless. The 24 Oct 1961 DV listed Come September as the ninth highest-grossing picture in Los Angeles, CA, in 1961, taking in “a sizzling $608,956.”
       Items in the 20 Jul 1960 NYT and 27 Jun 1961 DV incorrectly identified the film as singer Bobby Darin’s cinematic debut. Darin had previously appeared in Pepe (1961, see entry). On set, he met and fell in love with co-star Sandra Dee, and the two quickly married in early Dec 1960. Their experience on Come September was depicted in the Bobby Darin biography Beyond the Sea (2004, see entry).