Initially, producer Horst Wendlandt planned to do an "Old Surehand" trilogy (that's why this film was announced as "Old Surehand - Part 1"). However, after this first film wasn't the expected box-office success, the other two parts were never made.
One of three films made from Karl May novels that had 21 stereo-photos in the View-Master system. The others were Winnetou: The Last Shot (1965) and Winnetou and the Crossbreed (1966). From The Oil Prince (1965) View-Master photos were manufactured, but didn't make it into distribution.