 Producer/director/star Robert Townsend (I) (qv) put US$40,000 of  the films US$100,000 budget on ten personal credit cards, and  obtained free film stock by splicing together leftovers from the  production of _Odd Jobs (1984)_ and _Ratboy (1986)_ (qv), in which  he had appeared. The 17 days of shooting were spread over two years,  since he had to tour as a stand