The film concludes with the following statement: “There are over 1,200,700 active firefighters in the U.S. today.”
       End credits contain the following cast discrepancies: Kurt Russell plays the role of Stephen and Brian’s father, “Dennis McCaffrey,” in the film’s opening sequence. However, the character is not credited onscreen. The character “Chief John Fitzgerald” is referred to onscreen as “Chief Jack Fitzgerald.” The character “Martin Swayzak” is referred to as “Alderman” by various characters in the film. The term is commonly used in Chicago to denote its city council members.
       According to a 24 May 1991 HR article, screenwriter Gregory Widen pitched the concept for Backdraft to Trilogy Entertainment Group producer Richard B. Lewis sometime in 1987. They sold the idea to De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, but the production company went bankrupt before the project could be developed. Widen and Lewis were able to retain the property, and when director Ron Howard expressed interest in it, Trilogy agreed to produce the film for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures, as noted in a 25 Oct 1988 HR article. The “action-thriller,” budgeted at $15 million and scheduled to begin production in summer 1989, was described by HR as the story of “a rookie fireman who becomes involved in a complex arson investigation.” However, Widen stated in a 17 May 1991 WSJ article that Ron Howard wanted to re-shape the story to focus on the relationship between two brothers. The screenwriter claimed he was “banished for a year as three new writers were assigned to the script.” A 12 Jan 1989 DV news brief indicated that writer Michael Bortman was collaborating with Widen on the script. Ten months later, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported that production on Backdraft was delayed due to script re-writes. On 17 Jan 1990, DV noted that screenwriter Steven De Souza had been tasked with writing the story of “two firefighting brothers in Chicago … [who] try to sort out their sense of duty and their own relationship to the fire department.” Throughout 1988 and 1989, various contemporary sources gave contradictory statements regarding Howard’s commitment to the film, with some indicating he was “certain” to direct, and others describing his involvement as “likely” or “possible.” Gregory Widen confirmed that, after the other writers “failed” to integrate the numerous plot points, Howard wanted “to move on to something else.” At the last moment, with support from Trilogy producers, Widen spent three intense days “salvaging” the script. Howard was satisfied, and filming was scheduled for summer 1990.
       Principal photography was set to begin 25 Jul 1990 in Chicago, IL, according to an 11 Jul 1990 Var article. The director indicated that the sixteen-week production schedule would entail shooting on “practical locations” throughout Chicago. The lead actors participated in fire training exercises at the Chicago Fire Academy to prepare for the “dangerous fire sequences.” A 20 Jan 1991 NYT article noted that filmmakers closed Michigan Avenue, a major Chicago thoroughfare, to film the funeral procession. Nearly 600 off-duty firefighters volunteered to march in the cortège.
       Backdraft received tremendous praise for its visual and special effects. Various contemporary sources, including 29 May 1991 LAT and 9 Jun 1991 NYT articles, described how the special effects and design teams overcame the challenges of filming fire, which would produce so much smoke and ash that actors would be obscured from view. Filmmakers used a “white, haze-like effect” to give scenes the appearance of being filled with smoke. Falling bits of ash were created from cardboard and carefully controlled with an air mover, a technique that allowed filmmakers to capture the ash in specific, dancelike ways. To dramatize the fires viewed from a distance, diesel fuel was added to the propane typically used by Hollywood pyrotechnicians, generating a rich black smoke. Additionally, flames were colored by various chemical compounds. Throughout Backdraft, the fire presents itself as a personality with motive and intent, moving across ceilings and down walls in ways that defy the laws of physics. Filmmakers achieved this by building a set upside down and filming the fire in slow motion as it traveled its natural course along the floor and up the wall. A similar “upside-down effect” was used to film smoke that appears to retreat of its own accord. In a 29 May 1991 full-page DV advertisement, cinematographer Mikael Salomon praised the specially designed Clairmont Camera Fireboxes used in production. With the camera safely protected in the box, trails of glue and flammable substances were laid so that flames raced straight into the camera lens. The LAT indicated that $1.25 million was spent on fire effects. Backdraft received Academy Award nominations for Visual Effects, as well as for Sound and Sound Effects Editing. However, it did not garner any awards.
       Although the LAT listed a $35 million budget, the WSJ journal indicated that the film likely cost $40 million. The picture opened 24 May 1991, and grossed $15.7 million over its Memorial Day weekend opening, an industry record for a “non-sequel” film at that time, according to a 29 May 1991 LAT box-office report. A year after the film’s opening, a 5 May 1992 HR news brief noted that Backdraft had earned $147 million worldwide. Critics were generally impressed with the fire sequences, and lauded the film’s technical execution. However, reviews faulted the meandering script.
       On 5 May 1992, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported that two New York fireman had filed a federal lawsuit against Imagine Entertainment, claiming copyright infringement of a script they had written in 1988 and 1989. Four years later, on 10 Jun 1996, DV indicated the court ruled in favor of the two men, because attorneys for Ron Howard and Imagine Entertainment had failed to comply with a request for documents. Judge William M. Skretny asserted that Imagine had acted in “willful and bad faith non-compliance” with court orders. The New York firefighters won by default. The judge did not address issues related to copyright infringement, including the alleged “100 similarities” between the claimants’ script and the finished film. Filmmakers planned to appeal the ruling, and the final outcome of the lawsuit is not known.
       The LAT announced, on 24 Jun 1992, that a $10 million Backdraft attraction was due to open at Universal Studios Hollywood that summer. On 21 Jul 1992, DV reported that the attraction, which was part of the Studio Tour, included a short introductory film featuring Ron Howard, Scott Glenn, and Kurt Russell. Universal Studios marketed the show as an introduction to “the art of pyrotechnic special effects,” with a “terrifying,” two-minute, warehouse-inferno finale. Temperatures inside the soundstage reached 2000 degrees. The Backdraft attraction closed in Sep 2009.
       End credits include: “LIFE magazine logo and trademark used with permission of the Time Inc. Magazine Company," and, "Special thanks to Tic Tac Dough and Barry & Enright Productions."
       End credits include the following acknowledgments: “The cooperation of The City of Chicago Fire Department is gratefully acknowledged, specifically the following persons: Commissioner Raymond Orozco; First Deputy Edward Altman; Chief Patrick Kehoe; Chief William Alletto; Chief Charles Burns; Roy E. Dean, Sr.; Lt. Jack Connors; Lt. Steve Chikerotis; Bill Cosgrove, O.F.I. Inspector; Donald Rimgale, O.F.I. Inspector; and Chief Stanley Span.” “Grateful appreciation to: Suzy Kellet, Illinois Film Office; Charles Geocaris, City of Chicago Office of Film and Entertainment; Mayor Richard M. Daley; Kathy Osterman, Mayor’s Office of Special Events; Marge Frantz, The Chicago Park District; Lt. Peter Schurla [and] Officer Tom Flanagan, City of Chicago Police Department; Suzanne Vestuto, Village of Oak Park; Park District of Oak Park; Village of Hinsdale; Baldoni Entertainment; Helene Curtis, Inc.”