This is one of the few sympathetic roles for perennial bad guy Robert J. Wilke.
Both James Arness and Don McGowan stood about 6'7". John Wayne encouraged James Arness to take the role of Matt Dillon partly by saying that if he stayed in movies, they wouldn't be able to find enough big guys to make the requisite fist fight believable. As Dillon, he would be required to use his gun more often.
James Arness, Robert J. Wilke, and Don McGowan had previously starred in the western feature "Gun the Man Down" in 1955. The film was made just prior to Arness being offered the role of Matt Dillon.