A 15 Jan 1969 Var article included Charles Eastman’s screenplay of Little Fauss and Big Halsy among eighteen Paramount Pictures projects slated to begin production during the first half of that year. According to a 14 May 1969 LAT item, Robert Redford’s commitment to play “Big Halsy” fulfilled the second of three pictures he was obligated to complete for Paramount as part of a contract he signed to settle the studio’s lawsuit against him when he withdrew from production of Blue (1968, see entry). The 3 Feb 1969 DV named Michael Pollard in the role of “Little Fauss,” for which the 13 Jun 1969 DV claimed he received $175,000. The picture would shoot entirely on location under the direction of Sidney J. Furie.
       Items in the 16 Jun 1969 DV, 2 Jul 1969 LAT, and 6 Aug 1969 Var indicated that Barbara Hershey, James Victor, and Marcelle Fortier were considered for roles, but none appear in the final film.
       According to a 20 Jun 1969 DV production chart, principal photography began 16 Jun 1969 in Arizona, with additional sources citing locations in the capital city of Phoenix. Another production chart published on 15 Aug 1969 indicated that the unit then moved to Antelope Valley, CA, just north of Los Angeles, while the 25 Aug 1969 DV noted that filming also took place in Palo Alto, CA, as Redford was commuting between the set and the studio’s Hollywood facilities for final scenes on Downhill Racer (1969, see entry). The 17 Jul 1969 edition of DV stated that the climactic car racing sequence was to be shot at the Sears Point Raceway 6-7 Sep 1969. A few days later, the 17 Sep 1969 Var reported that production had been completed.
       Approximately one year later, the 1 Sep 1970 DV indicated that Paramount returned to Northern California to test the completed film in Palo Alto and San Francisco. According to an item in the next day’s DV, Eastman’s script was published in both hardcover and paperback editions by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, and Pocket Books, in conjunction with the film’s release. The 14 Oct 1970 Var noted that press screenings were held 7-10 Oct 1970.
       Little Faust and Big Halsey opened at New York City’s Cinema I Theatre on 21 Oct 1970, and began an exclusive engagement one week later at the National Theatre in Westwood, CA.
       Although reviewed at ninety-seven minutes at the time of its release, the official U.S. copyright record lists a running time of 100 minutes.