The end credits also contain the following acknowledgments: "Filmed at The Burbank Studios, Burbank, California" and "The Producer wishes to thank the following organizations for their help and cooperation in the making of this movie: The Chartered Bank of London; The Oakland Museum; California Academy of Sciences; K.F.W.B. Los Angeles."
       As covered in several sources, Time After Time represented Nicholas Meyer’s latest project to intermingle famous names, usually from Victorian literature or history, in make-believe encounters as he did in the best-selling novel and screenplay adaptation of The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976, see entry), which introduced fictional character Sherlock Holmes to historical figure Sigmund Freud. The development of Time After Time was outlined in interviews with Meyer from the Jan 1980 Films and Filming, the 23 Sep 1979 NYT and the Apr 1979 American Film. His screenplay was based on an unpublished novel titled The Time Travelers by Karl Alexander that had originated as a short story by Alexander and Steve Hayes, partially inspired by The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. Using his own money, Meyer optioned the rights and offered the project to his friend and collaborator, producer Herb Jaffe. Warner Bros. Pictures was the only studio that agreed to finance the film under the terms set by Jaffe and Meyer, which included a non-negotiable condition that Meyer would direct. Orion Pictures Company was also brought in as a “silent partner.” According to the American Film article, Warner Bros. was known to avoid first-time directors, but Jaffe’s influence was responsible for convincing them to give Meyer the opportunity. To offset his inexperience, Meyer forced himself to be meticulous about preparation. He insisted on five days of rehearsal prior to shooting and hired a sketch artist to create a storyboard. Although the drawings were never used, the process of describing the scenes to someone enabled him to recognize how dialogue could be eliminated and covered visually.
       In the Films and Filming interview, Meyer explained that he wanted to pair Derek Jacobi as “H.G. Wells” with Edward Fox as “John Stevenson/Jack the Ripper” and create a visual contrast between a nerdy scholar and an elegant killer. Studio executives countered with the commercial options of Richard Dreyfuss and Mick Jagger for those respective roles. According to a 23 Sep 1979 NYT article, Tom Conti was also on Meyer’s list to play Wells. A compromise was found when the studio suggested Malcolm McDowell for the lead, which pleased Meyer to portray heroism through an actor who was often cast as a villain or thug. It also helped that McDowell resembled the young Wells, which Meyer noted in an article for the Jan/Feb 1979 issue of Ampersand. In terms of background research on Wells, Meyer admitted that it was not important beyond what he needed for the story. His knowledge primarily came from The Outline of History, a work of non-fiction Wells wrote in 1920 that provided general insights about his life and political views. As far as the Ripper was concerned, Meyer only viewed him as a symbol of evil and avoided studying historical accounts, as explained in the Films and Filming interview.
       McDowell took a similar approach to the project. In the production notes at the AMPAS library, the actor said that he did not require a detailed biography for his portrayal, but relied on a creative interpretation, which led him to disregard certain accuracies, such as Wells’s high-pitched voice. He wanted to emphasize a childlike curiosity that fit the romance and whimsy in the script. In Films and Filming, Meyer claimed that McDowell was initially reluctant to wear spectacles to convey the bookish Wells, fearing that they would hinder his tendency to act with his eyes. Meyer was able to persuade him that the eyeglasses would defer the dramatic effect, thus making the impact stronger when he removed them. The American Film article mentioned that the project represented McDowell’s first experience working in America.
       Meyer said in the Films and Filming interview that the studio offered the female lead of “Amy” to Sally Field, but she declined it. Meyer’s first choice was his girlfriend at the time, actress Shelley Hack, but the studio protested, and Hack also felt uncomfortable about it. According to Meyer, she preferred to earn the part rather than contend with the impression that it was given to her because of her relationship with the director. Meyer cast her instead as the voice of the “Docent” for the H.G. Wells exhibit. He also considered Blythe Danner for Amy, but ultimately wanted someone younger to play opposite McDowell. Meyer was also looking for an actress that reminded him of Jean Arthur, and was surprised how well Mary Steenburgen fit the part, since she was the opposite of the fast-talking type he originally had in mind. Steenburgen and McDowell, who had never worked together, were married in 1980, a year after the film’s release.
       The production notes provided details about the location shooting that began in San Francisco, California on 18 Sep 1978. Filming in the area lasted four weeks and comprised 37 interior and 55 exterior sites, including the Palace of Fine Arts, Grace Cathedral, Union Street, the financial district, the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park, North Beach and Muir Woods in Marin County. Meyer prioritized the modern architecture of the city, as opposed to the Victorian styles that would have been more familiar to Wells. He chose the Hyatt Regency Hotel because it was reminiscent of the sets in the 1936 film, Things to Come, (see entry) which was based on Wells’s book, The Shape of Things to Come. Fittingly, the architect of the hotel had also been inspired by the design of the 1936 film. The History Department at the Oakland Museum stood for portions of the interior museum, and the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park was the exterior. After San Francisco, the production moved to the Warner Bros. Burbank Studios to film the sets for Victorian London and the H.G. Wells museum exhibit.
       According to the production notes, the set of the museum exhibit contained reproductions of Wells’s own drawings, as well as actual photographs he took and portraits of him as an older man. The antique clocks predominant throughout the film were obtained from various collections in the Los Angeles, California area, including California Clockmakers and John Hogg of Pasadena. Elements of wardrobe and dialogue also depended on authenticity. The single outfit Wells wears through most of the film was identified as a typical English sports suit from the 1890s of “cashmere herringbone tweed with a Norfolk jacket” that had been thoroughly researched by costumer Sal Anthony. In the Films and Filming interview, Meyer stated that he was particular about McDowell and David Warner remaining true to Victorian English, which limited the degree to which they could improvise compared to the contemporary characters.
       The production notes pointed out that director of photography Paul Lohmann employed single source lighting for Victorian London as much as possible to distinguish it from modern San Francisco, where he made use of multiple sources for greater illumination and also relied on a 50mm Panavision T1.1, which was referred to as a “miracle lens” for its ability to convey natural light. In the commentary for the 2002 DVD edition, Meyer remarked that it was the first time this lens was used. As explained in the production notes, the night scenes of the car interiors were lit with fluorescent camper lanterns, purchased from a hardware store.
       As noted in the 23 Sep 1979 NYT article, Meyer instructed production designer Edward C. Carfagno to design the Argo time machine as a Victorian spectacle, with reference to the submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954, see entry). According to the production notes, it was built by the Prop Department at Burbank Studios, made of fiberglass and measured “12 feet long, 4 feet wide and 8 feet high.” The American Film article cited the cost as $70,000 dollars. In Meyer’s interview for Films and Filming, he complained that the machine was a “terrible disaster” and caused significant scheduling delays. An undated studio press release announced that the prop would be displayed outside of the Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles and the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, to commemorate the 113th anniversary of H.G. Wells’s birth.
       Meyer mentioned in the Films and Filming interview that the shooting was completed in 52 days at a cost of $3.5 million. At one point when the production was momentarily ahead of schedule, an allegation arose that Meyer tried to push the shooting even faster to validate the studio’s gamble in hiring a novice director, but in the American Film article, he dismissed this claim.
       Meyer also remarked in Films and Filming that the completed film managed to encompass a variety of genres, including thriller, comedy, science fiction, romance and social criticism, which was his intention for the project. However, he claimed Warner Bros. executives “despised” it and did not understand the humor. They objected to the scene in which Wells begs for Amy’s life and were concerned about the two English leads and even asked if it was possible for the Ripper to be from Boston. After a couple of positive sneak previews, the studio appeared more supportive.
       As stated in a press release, the world premiere was on 7 Sep 1979 at the Toronto Film Festival, known then as The Festival of Festivals.
       Despite predictions of $20 million, the film grossed only $5 million which was enough to cover the advertising budget, according to a 10 Dec 1979 Village Voice article. The reason for the disappointing result was blamed on the lack of a big star to support the complicated premise.
       In addition to being the directing debut for Nicholas Meyer, Time After Time was the feature film debut for actor Corey Feldman.
      The following written statement appears at the start of the end credits: "H.G. Wells married Amy Catherine Robbins, who died in 1927. As a writer, he anticipated Socialism, global war, space travel, and Women's Liberation. He died in 1946.”