The 18 Oct 1962 DV announced that director-producer William Castle was holding a contest to select teenaged girls from England, France, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, and the Philippine Islands, for his upcoming film, provisionally titled The Candy Web. Foreign versions would feature a ten-minute opening segment in the language of each girl’s home country, with the native actress receiving star billing. Nearly two weeks later, the 31 Oct 1962 DV stated that the winning actresses would begin arriving in Los Angeles, CA, on 21 Nov 1962.
       The 29 Nov 1962 DV included Olga Sutcliffe among the cast. The film marked the screen debut of stage actress Kathy Dunn.
       The 12 Nov 1962 DV reported that Mrs. Irving Rubine was hired by Columbia Pictures to chaperone the young women. Mrs. Rubine’s late husband had been the vice-president of Highroad Productions. The next day, the 13 Nov 1962 DV announced the return of assistant director Sam Nelson from Lake Arrowhead, CA, where he was scouting locations. Shortly before the start of production, the 27 Nov 1962 DV noted that William Castle housed the actresses on the tenth floor of a building known as the “Montecito,” and transported them to and from the set in a bus emblazoned with the title of the film. Principal photography began 28 Nov 1962.
       The company moved to Lake Arrowhead on 6 Dec 1962, as revealed in that day’s DV. Location filming was expected to last three days. According to the 12 Dec 1962 DV, lead actors Kathy Dunn and Murray Hamilton had difficulty remembering their lines during a scene set inside a meat locker. Castle ordered property man Charlie Granucci to remove all hams from the set “for psychological reasons.” Later, the girls were treated to a party at the Castle Club in Santa Monica, CA, as reported in the 13 Dec 1962 DV. A news item in the 21 Dec 1962 DV stated that eight of the girls would be returning to their countries the following day. Castle hosted a Christmas party for the cast at his home, with Granucci as Santa Claus. On 31 Dec 1962, LAT announced that actor Hugh Marlowe had completed his role, indicating the impending close of production.
       According to the 22 Feb 1963 LAT, Castle planned to attend openings of the film in twelve countries. On 7 Mar 1963, DV announced that Castle was on his way to the world premiere in Australia. No city or theater was specified. Weeks later, he attended a screening in Germany, as noted in the 16 Apr 1963 DV. Officially titled 13 Frightened Girls, the picture opened 23 Aug 1963 in Los Angeles, double-billed with Gidget Goes to Rome (1963, see entry). Despite lackluster reviews, the 4 Sep 1963 DV reported earnings of $164,000 from twenty-six Los Angeles locations. Box office reports in the 19 Jun 1963 Var implied that the picture opened earlier that month in Indianapolis, IN.