Daws Butler's film debut.
June Foray was originally cast as the speaking voice of Red (her characterization was a sendoff of Greta Garbo which Foray later used to greater effect as Natasha Fatale on Rocky and His Friends), but after reshoots to meet Production Code standards, fellow radio actress 'Colleen Collins' (known for her Katharine Hepburn impersonation) was hired. All that remains of Foray's work as Red is a brief scream of "NOOOO!" to the Wolf in the nightclub.
According to several accounts, upon the opening night of this film, it caused such an acclaim and commotion, that audiences demanded it be played again. The theater personnel were more than glad to oblige.
Contrary to popular belief, Red Hot Riding Hood was not rotoscoped - she was drawn from scratch.
Director Tex Avery was famous for his off the wall cartoons, which were aimed more toward adult audiences than children. Here, however, he pushed the limits of what was considered acceptable, and in several places the film was toned down in order to satisfy the U. S. censors. Original copies were kept and stored away. Shortly afterwards, the army visited MGM studio to view a propaganda movie. Upon seeing this cartoon, they requested (and received) special uncut 16mm prints to send to the soldiers overseas.
Grandma's neon sign that says "Come up and see me sometime" is borrowing a famous line from Mae West.
In animation historian Jerry Beck's 1994 poll of animators, film historians and directors, this cartoon was rated the seventh greatest cartoon of all time.
The original ending had the Wolf married to Grandma and him and his wolf sons cheering Red at the nightclub. Censors disapproved of the suggestion of bestiality in this ending, and so it was changed. The earlier ending exists only in stills.
The speaking voice of Red Hot Riding Hood is an imitation of Katharine Hepburn.
The title card that declares "Something new has been added" is borrowing a catchphrase from Jerry Colonna.
This cartoon (along with all other subsequent cartoons featuring "Red") was initially banned from television, judged as being too provocative.
Throughout the production of this short, the MGM animation department had an ongoing problem with storyboard sketches and even finished cels mysteriously disappearing - appropriated as souvenirs by Red's more brazen admirers.