The script originally had Raymond as happy and friendly, but after an initial reading Dustin Hoffman successfully lobbied for Raymond to be a withdrawn autistic.
Steven Spielberg considered directing. He began making notes in order to prepare for the project. The reason he backed out is because his friend George Lucas needed him to start work on the third Indiana Jones film. So Spielberg left the project and gave his notes to 'Barry Levinson' .
After being interviewed by the psychiatrist, Raymond (Hoffman) leans his head against Charlie's and says "My main man Charlie". This was unscripted, and improvised by Hoffman.
Raymond states that his underwear is from the K-Mart on Oak and Burnett. This address is actually for the Vernon Manor Hotel in Cincinnati, the hotel where Charlie, Raymond and Suzanna stay in the beginning of the movie.
Director Cameo: [Barry Levinson] psychiatrist determining if Raymond should stay with Charlie or not.
Raymond memorizes a phone book up to the names Marsha and William Gottsegen--Dustin Hoffman's real-life in-laws.
For in-flight viewing, several airlines deleted the sequence in which Raymond reels off statistics on airline accidents.
Reportedly one of Princess Diana's favorite films.
Early in the film, when the lawyer is reading the will to Charlie, Charlie says "I definitely got the rose bushes, I have definitely got the rose bushes." This foreshadows Raymond's extensive use of the word "definitely" later on.
Director Trademark: [Barry Levinson] Ralph Tabakin (Shift Boss) has appeared in every Levinson picture from Diner (1982) to Liberty Heights (1999).
Jake Hoffman, Boy at Pancake Counter, is Dustin Hoffman's son.
Dustin Hoffman was originally to play the part of Charlie Babbit, but after being moved to tears seeing a "savant" named Leslie Lemke (who is blind, retarded, and has cerebral palsy) play full concertos on the piano by ear, he decided to play the part of Raymond instead.
The character of Raymond was based on several real-life autistic individuals including Kim Peek, an autistic savant living in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the son of Bernard Rimland, founder of the Autism Research Institute in San Diego, California. Like Raymond, Mr. Peek is a calendar calculator and has memorized everything he has ever read or every piece of music he has ever heard. Another inspiration was a man that screenwriter Barry Morrow met who memorizes entire telephone books. On their first meeting, the man recited every telephone number Morrow had ever had.
Dustin Hoffman originally wanted 'Bill Murray' to play Charlie.
Hoffman was originally supposed to play Charlie, but he wanted to play Raymond. Raymond was also supposed to be mentally retarded, but Hoffman changed it to an autistic savant.
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