The film is based on Michael London's article, "The Death of Colleen", which detailed the short life and death of adult film actress Colleen Applegate (known professionally as Shauna Grant). London's article was featured in the Los Angeles Times six weeks after Applegate's suicide in March 1984. While London acted as a consultant on the film, producers changed Applegate's name to "Pauline Anderson" and fictionalized other aspects of her life at her parents' request.
The real "Pauline" (a.k.a. Shauna Grant) was born Colleen Marie Applegate on May 20, 1963. She was born in California but moved with her family to Minnesota in 1973. She moved back to California in 1982 and fell into the adult movie industry. She retired from adult films in 1983. Her parents offered to pay her tuition to college if she moved back home to Minnesota but she declined thinking she would no longer feel comfortable there. Sadly, she took her life on March 23, 1984. She was 20-years old.
Colleen Applegate's high school yearbook was one of a very few personal possessions she kept with her. Her personal possessions left behind could fit in a large envelope.
The high school photos on the yearbook that Pauleen shows Mel would later be shown in future movies, including Soapdish.
Melinda Dillion, who played Peter Billingsley's mother in "A Christmas Story", plays the mother of his real life siblings (Melissa Michaelsen and Neil Billingsley) in this film.