The following year, Angels on Ice (1977) would feature a scene where Kelly Garrett---another Western heroine---is forced to perform a belly dance in "harem girl" costume---complete with face veil---while trying to escape from the bad guys and/or spying on them. Fran Drescher would later also recreate a similar belly dance scene in her sitcom, The Nanny.
The name Sha Ali Ben Gazim is a production joke: it is played by Robert Loggia who was a dead ringer for actor (and character namesake), Ben Gazzara.
Robert Loggia and Lance Kerwin were absurd choices to play Ali Ben Gazim and Prince Ishmail, royalty from an oil rich Middle East nation.