The film's alternative title, "99 and 44/100% Dead", parodies the famous Ivory Soap advertising slogan, "99 - 44/100% Pure". In Great Britain, where the soap advertisement was unknown (and where Ivory Soap was not obtainable), the film - after first retaining its American name for the initial several weeks of release - had its title hastily changed to the more mundane "Call Harry Crown"; this did nothing to improve its box-office performance.
The pop art in the film's credits and promo materials was inspired by the work of pop-artist painter Roy Lichtenstein.
When John Frankenheimer was asked why he made this movie in a 1983 interview, he said: "I don't know. I guess I just wanted the work. I never really had a grip on that film. I didn't know what the hell it was. I knew it wasn't a comedy. I guess I thought it was a parody."