The character referred to offscreen as “Elyse” is listed as “Bride” in the end credits. The actress’s sole appearance occurs in the final wedding scene, during which she has no lines. However, a preceding scene features the character’s voice speaking offscreen, and it remains undetermined if the actress credited as “Bride” is the same actress who provides Elyse’s voice.
       According to production notes in AMPAS library files, writer-director Barry Levinson began writing Diner in mid-1980 at the suggestion of Mel Brooks, with whom he had previously worked as a writer on Silent Movie (1976, see entry) and High Anxiety (1977, see entry). Diner’s executive producer, Mark Johnson, was the assistant director of High Anxiety and went on to work with Jerry Weintraub at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (M-G-M), where the two men decided to produce the film. Diner marked Levinson’s theatrically released feature film debut. Production notes indicated that Levinson auditioned more than 600 actors from New York City, Los Angeles, CA, and MD for the five lead roles, and thirty to forty actors for the remaining minor characters. The film marked the motion picture debut of actors Timothy Daly, Ellen Barkin, and Paul Reiser.
       Less than four months after M-G-M committed to the project, Diner began principal photography 2 Mar 1981 in Baltimore, MD, as confirmed by the 13 Mar 1981 HR production chart. A news brief in the 20 Mar 1981 HR indicated that Richard Pierson, Collette Blonigan, Claudia Cron, John Aquino, and Arnie Mazer had been added to the cast, although Mazer is not credited onscreen. A 9 Apr 1981 M-G-M press release stated that photography began that day in the Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore, in a fully functional eighteen by forty-eight foot diner restaurant that had been transported from NJ. On 11 Jun 1982, LAT reported that Mickey Rourke had observed his personal hair stylist, Lorraine Watson, in order to prepare for his role as a part-time beautician in the film. A 29 Sep 1981 M-G-M memo in AMPAS library files indicated that principal photography was completed 18 Apr 1981, and that the film was being prepared for a May 1982 domestic release.
       On 26 Feb 1982, M-G-M issued a press release announcing that the world premiere was scheduled to take place 2 Mar 1982 at the Baltimore Senator Theatre, as a benefit for the Mayor’s Fund to Save Lives From Smoke and Fire. The event would include a block of wet cement, in which stars Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Timothy Daly, and Ellen Barkin would sign their names. In addition, a 1982 M-G-M press release stated that Levinson would present the film at Judith Crist’s Tarrytown Film Weekend 12 Mar 1982 in Tarrytown, NY, while a 20 Apr 1982 M-G-M statement disclosed that Diner would premiere at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, TX, 5 May 1982.
       A 5 May 1982 LAT story stated that the film received poor feedback from test engagements in St. Louis, MO, Washington, D.C., and Phoenix, AZ. According to an article in the 2 Apr 1982 NYT, an East Coast publicist spent six weeks convincing M-G-M to screen the film for New York City critics. When the studio relented, multiple critics claimed they planned to publish their positive reviews despite there being no scheduled NY release date. As a result, the studio reconsidered the movie’s potential and Diner opened at the Festival Theater in New York City 2 Apr 1982. Another 1982 M-G-M press release reported that following two weeks of “record-breaking” business at the Festival Theater, Diner moved to the Coronet Theatre before it was expected to return to the Festival, beginning 18 Jun 1982. On 11 May 1982, LAHExam reported that the movie had grossed $816,635 since its 7 May 1982 opening in limited theaters in Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, and Berkeley, CA, and was scheduled to return to St. Louis the following week. The M-G-M press release, which also included San Francisco, CA, among the 7 May 1982 opening cities, stated that after the 14 May 1982 engagements in eight other cities, the film collected a box office gross of $1,184,350. Additional openings were anticipated for 28 May 1982 in Atlanta, GA, Detroit, MI, Pittsburgh, PA, Portland, OR, San Diego, CA, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake City, UT, and in Chicago, IL and Cincinnati, OH, in Jun 1982.
       Diner was nominated for the Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical, as well as the Academy Award for Best Writing for a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. According to 6 Feb 2012 Var article, the script was also nominated for a Writers Guild of America (WGA) award.
       On 31 Jan 1984, NYT reported that the Westbury Grill, the diner used in the film, had originated in Long Island, NY, before being moved to Oakland, NJ, and again to Baltimore for filming. Following principal photography on Diner, the restaurant was purchased for $34,000 by the local WBAL radio station and re-opened as a training facility for culinary students.
       The 22 Mar 1984 HR announced that actor Richard Egan had filed a lawsuit against M-G-M for neglecting to pay him for using scenes from his 1959 Warner Bros. film, A Summer Place (see entry), in Diner. Egan requested $12,844.56 in compensation for the footage, in addition to $100,000 exemplary damages. The outcome of the lawsuit could not be determined as of the writing of this Note.
       A news item in the 2 Dec 1994 DV reported that Barry Levinson, Jerry Weintraub, Mark Johnson, and actors Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern, Tim Daly, Paul Reiser, and Michael Tucker would present the film at the AFI Third Decade Council Favorite Film Series, on 5 Dec 1994.
       The 21 Sep 2011 LAT announced that production company Base Entertainment planned to adapt Diner into a stage musical, with Levinson writing the book, Sheryl Crow writing the music and lyrics, and Kathleen Marshall directing. The production was expected to open on Broadway, following a limited road engagement in an unannounced city. On 6 Feb 2012, Var reported that set design had begun and casting would conclude that spring before a test engagement in summer 2012. Var also stated that following the film’s success, CBS had developed a television pilot in 1983, with Reiser reprising his role as “Modell,” and featuring James Spader, Michael Madsen, Mike Binder, and Alison La Placa. Production on the series, however, did not move ahead.
       According to the same article, Diner accumulated a total gross of $14 million throughout its original theatrical release.
       Diner is ranked #57 on AFI's list of the 100 Funniest Movies of All Time.
      End credits include the following statements: “Diner provided by PMC Diners Oakland, New Jersey; College Bowl is the copyrighted format of the College Bowl Company, Inc. College Bowl was created by Don Reid.; A Summer Place courtesy of Warner Bros. Inc.; Vehicles supplied by Antique Motor Club of Greater Baltimore, Inc. and Steel Wheel’n Ol’ Trucks, Inc.” Filmmakers also extend thanks to the following: Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer, Maryland Governor Harry Hughes, Ms. Fontaine Sullivan of the Office of the Mayor, Mr. Jack Smith of the Maryland Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, and “especially” the People of the City of Baltimore “for their generosity and assistance in the making of this motion picture.”