Stories from the set

Filming period: June-September 1975.

Cybill Shepherd accidentally got the role of Betsy. The producers were looking for an actress described as looking similar to Cybill. The actress's agent Sue Mengers found out about this and asked the producers why they didn't invite Shepherd herself.

Brian De Palma was going to direct the film.

Al Pacino turned down the lead role.

In Paul Schrader's screenplay, several of the villains were Black. Scorsese felt this could be perceived as racism and demanded that these characters be made white. Schrader agreed.

The role of Travis Bickle was offered to Jeff Bridges.

Rock Hudson was invited to play Senator Charles Palantine, but the actor was busy with the series McMillan & Wife at the time.

Harvey Keitel was initially cast as the worker Tom. But then the role was given to Albert Brooks, and Keitel himself chose the pimp Sport Matthew, even though in the script his character has no more than five lines.

Specifically for the role, Keitel met real pimps. He also improvised the dance scene with Jodie Foster. The dance is one of two scenes where the camera's attention is not focused on Travis.

For a month, De Niro sat behind the wheel for twelve hours a day to learn how to drive a taxi. He also studied the manifestations of various mental illnesses specifically for the role.