Struan & Company was modelled after Hong Kong-based trading company Jardine-Matheson. The exterior shots of the Struan & Company building are actually Jardine House.
On 30 October 1971, a 4-alarm fire occurred at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant before its opening which left 34 dead and 42 injured. The British miniseries Noble House shows the compound being destroyed by a fire.
John Rhys-Davies (Quillan Gornt) played Vasco Rodrigues in Shogun (1980). Additionally, Damien Thomas (Lando Mata), Leon Lissek (Christian Toxe) and George Innes (Alexi Travkin) were also in Shogun (1980), playing Father Alvito, Father Sebastio and Vinck respectively. Both of the miniseries are based on novels by James Clavell and part of his "Asian Cycle."
John Rhys-Davies worked with three James Bonds. Pierce Brosnan in this miniseries, Timothy Dalton in Timothy Dalton and Sir Sean Connery in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
Pierce Brosnan had signed to play James Bond, but was prevented from fulfilling the role because of his previous commitment to the Remington Steele (1982) television series, which went back into production. Ian Dunross was his first role after Remington Steele.
