During the National Finals Rodeo sequence when the rodeo announcer is talking, the man with a cowboy hat and blue sport coat on and a blue scarf tie is Clem McSpadden. He was a nephew of Will Rogers and was a longtime Oklahoma State Senator. He was from Claremore, as was Will Rogers. He was also a famed rodeo announcer professionally.
The opening scenes of J.W. Coop walking out of prison were shot in McAlester, OK. The whitewashed large gate is the entrance to the rodeo arena of the Oklahoma State Prison. Where he gets on a bus with his gear is across the street from the main entrance to the prison. Also, several more shots were in the downtown part of McAlester on Main Street.
In-joke: During the Woodlake Rodeo sequence, the arena announcer refers to one of the cowboys as "Alex Beaton of Burbank, California." Alex Beaton was the film editor for this movie.
Arnold Dean Conaway who was an actual inmate at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, in McAlester, OK, at the time of filming can be seen standing in line when J.W. is leaving the prison.
Parade shots from Oakdale, California