Actors Nigel Harman, James Corden, Ralf Little and Callum Dixon play Jess Conrad, Clem Cattini, Chas Hodges and John Leyton respectively. The real Conrad, Cattini, Hodges and Leyton all appear in the movie themselves albeit in small cameo roles.
The real Patrick Pink plays a stagehand, under the pseudonym "Robbie Duke". Joe Meek used the name "Robert Duke" for some of his compositions.
This film is an adaptation of James Hicks' and Nick Moran's original stage play Telstar, which opened at the New Ambassadors Theatre in London's West End in June 2005.
The exterior shots of Shenton's leather goods shop and Joe's studio were not filmed at No 304 Holloway Road, they were filmed a short distance away at No 105.
Heinz Burt was originally German, from Detmold, and spent his early childhood there. His father was killed during the war and his mother moved him to England after the war.