Director Joseph Newman was revisiting the subject of baby adoption racketeers when "Abandoned" was produced. Earlier, in 1940, Newman had directed a short subject "Women in Hiding" as part of the M-G-M "Crime Does Not Pay" series.

Marsha Hunt played an unwed mother exploited by the mercenary operators of a maternity hospital in "Women in Hiding." The two doctors in charge of the hospital posed as kindly philanthropists before victimizing the unwed pregnant mothers by selling their infants to adoptive parents and providing substandard medical care.

After cutting his teeth directing short subject films, Newman graduated to full length features. His credits covered a variety of genres and included such noirs as "Dangerous Crossing," and "711 Ocean Drive." He also handled biographical films about Arnold Rothstein ("The King of the Roaring Twenties: Arnold Rothstein") and George Raft. His best known film may be the science fiction classic "This Island Earth."

Newman directed episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and "Alfred Hitchcock" before his retirement.