Heinz Ingo Hilgers, who played Winnetou at the Karl-May-Festival in Bad Segeberg at the time, was considered for the same part as he had experience playing him. But those in charge, in Bad Segeberg at the time, feared to lose Mr. Hilgers so they held the invitation, to the Audition, back. Hilgers received these news many years later and wasn't very pleased.
This was the very first movie to receive the "Golden Screen" (Goldene Leinwand) for having over 3 million visitors within 12 months. It was awarded on 22 January 1964 at the Mathäser-Filmpalast, Munich. The movie also received the Bambi-award 1963 as best box-office-production, handed over on 19 April 1964 at the Schwarzwaldhalle, Karlsruhe. The movie also received a sum of 200.000 DM from the Federal Ministry of the Interior in 1963 as movie-prize. The main title by composer Martin Böttcher, the "Old Shatterhand-Melodie" was the most successful track in German hit parades in the 1960ies, stayed there for several months and sold over 100.00 copies. For that time that was very unusual, especially for a movie soundtrack without any singers. The music was played by members of the symphony orchestra of the NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk = North German Radio). The theme later also was recorded as a vocal track by several singers, including a version by the movie's actor Pierre Brice (Winnetou). The set location was in Yugoslavia (that doesn't have any Alps, as some foreign critics seem to believe). "Der Schatz im Silbersee" was the first movie based on a novel by Karl May set in the American West. Earlier movies based on his novels were all set in the Near East.
The first Western film produced by West Germany.
Actor William Marshall provided the voice of the character Big Wolf in the English-language version of this film.
Gustav Knuth was considered for the part of Sam Hawkens.