Due to the “phenomenal success” of The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966, see entry), the 20 Apr 1966 Var stated that comedic actor Don Knotts had just signed a three-picture deal with Universal Pictures. The three films were set to include The Reluctant Astronaut (1967, see entry), a project titled I Am Still Alive, and The Shakiest Gun in the West, from a script by Vincent Bogart. Several months later, the 3 Sep 1966 LAT reported that screenwriters Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, who had written The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and The Reluctant Astronaut, had signed on to write the screenplay, as part of a recently negotiated five-picture deal with Universal. A 4 Oct 1966 DV item added that Knotts would aid in the writing process.
       On 18 Jan 1967, LAT listed The Shakiest Gun in the West as one of nineteen pictures Universal planned to begin filming in the next five months, and the 31 Jan 1967 DV stated that principal photography would begin on 20 Mar 1967. However, the hiring of director Alan Rafkin was not announced in DV until 6 Apr 1967. Shortly after, production commenced on 2 May 1967, according to the 5 May 1967 DV.
       During the shoot, a fire destroyed twelve acres of movie and television sets on Universal Studios’ backlot, including sets for The Shakiest Gun in the West. A 16 May 1967 LAT article reported that the blaze, which had originated of unknown causes in a barn on the “Laramie Street” set, resulted in $1-million in damages.
       The picture was released regionally in spring 1968. On 11 Apr 1968, DV noted that Knotts had embarked on a promotional tour, and was travelling to Oklahoma City, OK, to make appearances. Two months later, the 12 Jun 1968 Var stated that the actor had been promoting the film in Atlanta, GA, the past two days. A Los Angeles, CA, opening took place on 26 Jun 1968. As mentioned in a positive review in the 25 Mar 1968 DV, the film was based on the 1948 picture, The Paleface, starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell (see entry). Although the original film was produced by Paramount Pictures, Universal’s parent company, MCA, Inc., owned “the old Paramount pix library.”
       According to a 27 Mar 1968 Var brief, the country music duo The Wilburn Brothers recorded the title song, “The Shakiest Gun in the West,” which was heard in the film and would be released as a single by Decca Records that week.
       DV and Var items published between 11 May 1967 and 2 Jun 1967 listed the following as cast members: Ceil Cabot; Rodd Redwing, who was set to portray “a wagon train scout” and also teach Knotts gun handling and horseback riding; Warde Donovan; Phil Arnold; Eddie Quillan; Jimmy Joyce; William Christopher; Will J. White; Stuart Nisbet; Katherine Barrett; and Phil Montgomery.