Although this adaptation of the "Pippi Longstocking" story was the very second TV/movie adaptation, it was the first American adaptation, the first to feature Pippi in color, and the first to cast a child actress as Pippi. (Previously, Swedish actress Viveca Serlachius was 26 years old when cast in the title role of Pippi Långstrump (1949), the first adaptation of the character.)
In this version of the story, Pippi's horse, originally unnamed in the books, is named Horatio.
In Americanizing the story, several changes were made to some supporting characters. The schoolteacher Ms. Lindquist is a combination of the kind unnamed schoolteacher in the first two Pippi books ("Pippi Longstocking" and "Pippi Goes on Board"), and the cruel teacher Ms. Rosenblom (from the third and final book, "Pippi in the South Seas"). The two thieves, "Scar Face" Seymour and "Mad Dog" Jerome, are actually renamed versions of Thunder-Karlsson and Bloom (both of whom originated in the first book, "Pippi Longstocking"). However, just as in the original books, the two police officers who confront Pippi are unnamed.
Tor Johnson, who plays the Mighty Adolf, was from Sweden where the Pippi Longstocking tale originated. He performed in the wrestling ring as the Swedish Angel. Due to his thick accent, his American film career consisted mainly of roles which required minimal dialogue. He is best known for playing monsters in low budget horror movies.