Wissenswertes

Sir Dirk Bogarde didn't like motorbikes. New Cross stars Ron Johnson and Ron Howes acted as doubles for the action shots.

First credited film appearance of Patric Doonan (Dick).

This movie focuses on the activity of speedway racing, which was hugely popular at the time of making.

In real-life, Thora Hird (Ma Fox) was only ten years older than Sir Dirk Bogarde (Bill Fox).

The original title was "Maniacs on Wheels". The "Once a Jolly Swagman" title is derived from the first line of the classic Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda" (c. 1895). This bush ballad was written by Banjo Paterson and is often considered to be the country's unofficial national anthem.