The scenario was derived from J. Storer Clouston’s 1899 novel, The Lunatic at Large, and its two sequels, The Lunatic at Large Again (1922) and The Lunatic Still at Large, (1923), according to the 2 Sep 1925 Film Daily and the 24 Apr 1926 Exhibitors Herald. The 13 Aug 1925 Film Daily noted that C. L. Yearsley was assigned to write an adaptation for First National Pictures, Inc., named after the second novel. An article in the 10 Oct 1925 Exhibitors Trade Review indicated that this was likely the working title.
       Australian comedian Leon Errol was announced for the starring role in the 12 Sep 1925 Motion Picture News. The 7 Oct 1925 and 11 Oct 1925 editions of Film Daily reported that director Fred Newmeyer was loaned to First National by the Harold Lloyd Corp. Newmeyer arrived in New York City on 10 Oct 1925, with plans to start production five days later. Jack Mulhall was listed as a cast member. Also joining the cast were Eugene Keith, James F. Cullen, and Rolland Flanders, as stated in the 7 Dec 1925 Film Daily. Additional crew members included photographic effects specialist Ralph Hammeras (16 Oct 1925 Film Daily), and gag writer Nick Barrows (13 Dec 1925 Film Daily). The 31 Oct 1925 start of principal photography was reported in the 1 Nov 1925 issue.
       On 25 Dec 1925, Exhibitors Herald noted that Errol was concurrently starring in a Broadway musical, Louis the 14th, which began a nationwide tour on 7 Dec 1925. Newmeyer was said to have worked “days, nights and Sundays” in a failed attempt to complete all of Errol’s scenes.
       Nearly six months later, the 15 May 1926 Moving Picture World stated that Newmeyer had returned to his home studio in Los Angeles, CA, as Errol was unable to resume filming until early summer. It was later revealed in the 2 Jul 1926 Film Daily that the comedian suffered a broken ankle. Newmeyer’s replacement, Al Rockett, was announced in the 23 Jun 1926 Variety. Rockett also assumed the duties of supervisor Earl Hudson and made several changes to the scenario. Production resumed in early Jul 1926 and was expected to close by the end of the month, as noted in the 28 Jul 1926 Variety. That same item also indicated that Errol had finished his scenes weeks earlier, as he had just returned from Europe. The 28 Aug 1926 Exhibitors Herald claimed that a completed print had arrived at First National’s New York City offices, although it was later reported in the 18 Dec 1926 Moving Picture World that Rockett was still in the process of editing the film.
       The Lunatic at Large was released on 2 Jan 1927 and opened at the Hippodrome Theatre in New York City during the week of 30 Jan 1927.
       A British screen version, also titled The Lunatic at Large, was released in 1921, and a 19 Dec 1925 Motion Picture News indicated that rights to that film had been acquired by First National.
       The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of October 2020.