James Dean was offered the role of Basil, the sculptor, but he and his agent thought the script was poor. Paul Newman, who was a finalist for the role of Cal Trask in 'East of Eden (1955)' that eventually was played by Dean and made him a star, took the role, which Newman later regretted. While shooting "East of Eden," Dean went over to visit Newman on the set of "The Silver Chalice," where he met the love of his short life, Pier Angeli, Newman's co-star.
Paul Newman took out ads in the Hollywood trade papers apologizing for his performance in this film.
This film marked Lorne Greene's Hollywood screen debut.
This film received a huge "premiere" in Saranac Lake, NY. The premiere was a "prize" to the town that sold the most "Christmas Seals" in a countrywide competition. The weekend consisted of a parade with the director and stars of the movie (with the exception of Paul Newman, who did not attend), and a gala premiere at the Pontiac Theatre in Saranac Lake hosted by Art Linkletter.