Synopsis

The Hendersons, an upwardly mobile Seattle family, bring home what they believe to be a dead Bigfoot. But he has only been wounded by a hunter, and the Hendersons offer the creature who they come to call Harry a temporary home until a recovers his health.

Initially, Lithgow turned down the role of George, due to feeling that the first draft called for George to act "too ridiculous"; upon seeing a drawing of Harry (which appears in the film as the portrait George draws), Lithgow complimented the design and said he'd be interested in looking at a second draft which ultimately convinced him to sign on.

MCA Records released a soundtrack album on record and cassette; in 2007, Intrada Records issued an expanded album, marking the music's premiere CD release, with the exceptions of the original album version of "Love Lives On" and "Your Feet's Too Big".

Martin first described the concept for what would become Harry and the Hendersons that he'd developed with Ezra D.

Rappaport to William Dear in 1978 at a cocktail party detailing it as the story of a friendly sasquatch who moves in with a typical American family.

Dear approached Rick Baker to design the titular Harry, and while Baker initially declined due to his work load, Baker later changed his mind and designed Harry allowing Dear to have both a finished script and designs ready to go so he could present the film to studios as a package.

On the suggestion of Allen Daviau, Steven Spielberg hired Dear to direct the Amazing Stories episode "Mummy Daddy" with Spielberg impressed by both Dear's direction, as well as his script work such as his inclusion of a second mummy character, leading Spielberg to inquire about forthcoming film projects Dear was working on, which lead to Harry and the Hendersons being set up at Spielberg's Amblin Productions.