The 21 Aug 1927 Film Daily announced the recent purchase by Universal Film Mfg. Co. of motion picture rights for Rex Beach’s 1927 novel, The Mating Call. The 1 Dec 1927 Film Daily credited writer Stuart Anthony with adapting the story. An article in the 28 Apr 1928 Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World noted that the novel had been serialized in Cosmopolitan magazine before being published in book form.
       On 29 Feb 1928, Var announced that Universal was seeking a buyer for the property, adding that the studio planned to limit costs on its high-budget “Jewel” productions to $60,000. Months later, the 13 Jun 1928 Var revealed that the project had been taken over by The Caddo Co. for release through Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. Production was currently underway at Metropolitan Studios in Hollywood, CA, known at the time of this writing as Sunset Las Palmas Studios. Initial costs for the picture totaled $275,000, of which $50,000 was allocated for screen rights, $125,000 for star Thomas Meighan, and $100,000 for director James Cruze. Nena Quartero was included among the cast, as was Lucien Prival, according to the 4 Aug 1928 Motion Picture News. The 7 Jul 1928 edition noted that the company was currently on location in San Diego, CA, with another shoot planned for nearby Fallbrook, CA. Filming was completed on 26 Jun 1928, as stated in the 30 Jun 1928 Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World. Days later, the 16 Jul 1928 Exhibitors Daily Review reported that Meighan had returned to the studio for retakes, along with co-stars Evelyn Brent and Renée Adorée. An item in the 29 Aug 1928 Var revealed that Meighan’s wife, Frances Ring, supplied lyrics for the film’s theme song.
       The Mating Call was released on 21 Jul 1928, followed by a Los Angeles, CA, debut at the Metropolitan Theatre on 28 Sep 1928, and a New York City debut at the Paramount Theatre in Oct 1928. Reviews were lukewarm to negative. However, an article in the 31 Dec 1929 Hollywood Daily Screen World later revealed that producer Howard Hughes earned profits of fifty to 100 percent on three recent pictures, including The Mating Call.