Fun Facts

1. The pool scene was filmed in freezing water. The Utah summer shoot was notoriously hot, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees on some days. However, the day the iconic pool scene was filmed, the weather was overcast and cold, with the water temperature hovering around 56 degrees. The actors' shivering, especially actor Chauncey Leopardi (Squints), was genuine.
2. The famous oak tree was salvaged from being cut down. The production team needed a massive oak tree to serve as the base for the treehouse. When a large, century-old oak was slated for removal to prevent its roots from damaging a house's foundation, the production designer secured it for free. The tree was transported to the lot, where millions of fake leaves were attached to keep it looking green throughout the filming.
3. The "You're killing me, Smalls!" line was improvised. Actor Patrick Renna, who played Ham Porter, improvised his most memorable line in the film. It's a slightly altered version of a famous sports quote, but Renna's delivery cemented it in pop-culture history. The line took nine takes to get right because the young actors kept cracking up.
4. A puppet was used for some of The Beast's scenes. While several English Mastiffs were used to play the dog named Hercules, a large puppet was used for some of the more complex stunts. Operated by two people, the puppet was used for moments when the massive dog might be in danger or was required to perform a specific action.
5. The baseball abilities of Smalls's actor had to be coached down. Tom Guiry, who played the athletically challenged Smalls, was a competent baseball player in real life. On set, his coaches had to specifically teach him how to throw a ball badly to be convincing in his role.