Several members of the cast and creative team, including Sir Ian McKellen and Rod Steiger, offered their services, simply because they were close friends or fans of Armistead Maupin.
PBS bowed to the pressure of the right, and dropped plans to film the second volume of the series with Britain's Channel 4. Channel 4 eventually produced the sequel More Tales of the City (1998), with Showtime, who then produced a second sequel, Further Tales of the City (2001), by themselves.
Over fifteen years, several companies bought options to film this story, including Warner Brothers and HBO. The six-part mini-series was produced by Britain's Channel 4, San Francisco's PBS station KQED, and American Playhouse (1980).
The show was a phenomenal hit for PBS, which planned to adapt the rest of the books in the series. Unfortunately, TV watchdog group The American Family Association deemed it immoral and put together a 12-minute highlight reel featuring each gay kiss, instance of nudity, swearing, and drug use, and presented the tape to all of the members of Congress. PBS executives were so freaked out over the furor that they immediately abandoned plans to produce further installments.
Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Vanessa Redgrave, Diane Ladd, Anne Bancroft, and Ann-Margret were all considered for the role of Anna. Bancroft was actually offered the role, but rejected it, claiming that the part was too poorly written.