A news item in the 18 Mar 1965 DV announced that husband-and-wife filmmaking duo Frank and Eleanor Perry would make a feature film adaptation of John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer,” marking the first time Cheever’s work would be made into a theatrical motion picture, as stated in the 14 Aug 1966 NYT. When the story had been first published in the 18 Jul 1964 issue of The New Yorker, Eleanor Perry had immediately envisioned it as a movie, but she had had a hard time convincing her husband of the story’s cinematic potential. Others, including Edward Albee, expressed interest in optioning “The Swimmer,” but Cheever decided to entrust the Perrys with the adaptation after receiving a letter from Eleanor. She went on to write four drafts of the script and only showed Cheever the final version, to which he gave some critiques and made dialogue suggestions.
       An item in the 20 May 1965 DV stated that Robert Q. Lewis had been cast. At the time, shooting was scheduled to begin in mid-Jun 1965. It was delayed, however, due to the casting of Burt Lancaster, who would not be available until Jun 1966, according to articles in the 15 Nov 1965 DV and 14 Aug 1966 NYT. Lancaster, who was skilled in acrobatics, boxing, and horseback riding, was an amateur swimmer, so University of California at Los Angeles’s (UCLA) swimming coach, Bob Horn, was recruited to train him. Over the course of three months, Horn and Lancaster trained at Lancaster’s home pool in Bel Air, CA, and at the UCLA swimming pool. After working with him, Horn asserted that Lancaster had started as “a strong enough swimmer, but terribly uncomfortable in the water. He didn’t put his head in, or breathe properly.” As stated in the 16 Jul 1966 NYT, Lancaster’s wardrobe consisted of seventeen pairs of identical blue nylon swimming trunks.
       Sam Spiegel was credited as executive producer in several contemporary sources, including the 2 Aug 1965 NYT, but only his production company, Horizon Pictures, was credited in the final film. Jim Di Gangi was named as production manager in an 11 Apr 1966 DV brief, and the 14 Jul 1966 DV announced that Sheila MacRae was set to play a small role, to be filmed on 22 Jul 1966. Inclement weather delays resulted in MacRae’s withdrawal from the picture, as she had another commitment to appear on The Jackie Gleason Show (CBS, 20 Sep 1952—12 Sep 1970), the 3 Aug 1966 Var reported.
       Filming was underway as of 24 Jun 1966, according to that day’s DV, which also stated that Barbara Loden had just been cast as “Shirley Abbott.” The entirely outdoor shoot took place on location in Westport, CT, where Frank Perry had attended high school, as stated in a 3 Apr 1966 NYT article. The production budget was described as “modest.” Locations included eleven residential swimming pools spanning Fairfield County, CT, a 16 Jul 1966 NYT article stated. One such pool was at the home of Mrs. Marjorie McL. De Kuyper.
       On 11 Jan 1967, DV announced that added sequences, featuring actress Janice Rule, would be directed by Sydney Pollack, due to Frank Perry’s unavailability. Although the 23 Jan 1967 LAT described Rule’s part as a “guest star role,” she was actually replacing Barbara Loden in the role of Shirley Abbott. An interview with Lancaster published in the 10 Sep 1988 LAT indicated that Loden had quit the project before filming was finished. Lancaster stated that Sam Spiegel had also abandoned the project, which he had agreed to do only as a “last commitment” to Columbia. Lancaster reportedly used his own money to pay for a final shoot day that cost $10,000, since Columbia had cut off funding.
       In a 7 May 1972 LAT article, Frank Perry refuted earlier reports that he had been replaced by Sydney Pollack due to scheduling conflicts. Instead, Perry asserted that Lancaster had fired him. The director was quoted as saying, “Burt was really very sweet, but he had more power than I contractually. He had the right to fire me, and he did.” Perry also recalled that two other replacement directors had been brought in, and one of them had received a photography credit on the final film. Despite tension over her husband’s departure from the project, Eleanor Perry was enlisted to write additional material.
       An item in the 13 Sep 1967 Var listed a scheduled release date of Jan 1968. However, the picture did not open until 15 May 1968, at New York City’s Cinema One. It was met with mixed reviews, and although the 17 May 1968 DV cited a promising $9,800 gross from the film’s first two days at Cinema One, it did not go on to become a commercial success.
       Eleanor Perry and John Cheever were said to appear in small, uncredited roles in which they shook hands with Lancaster, in a scene shot at the De Kuyper residence, as noted in the 16 Jul 1966 NYT and 24 Aug 1966 Var.