Frank Sinatra turned down the lead role in The Pajama Game, which would have paired him up with Janis Paige, who played the role on Broadway. As a result, Paige lost out on playing the part to Doris Day, who was considered a bigger box-office draw.
John Raitt's only leading film role.
39% of the cast is from the original Broadway production.
A song written specifically for Doris Day, "The Man Who Invented Love" (music and lyrics by Richard Adler), wound up on the cutting-room floor. Currently, the recording can be listened to on the soundtrack CD from Collectables, and the footage can be watched on the DVD from Warner Home Video.
The original Broadway production of "The Pajama Game" opened at the St. James Theater in New York on May 13, 1954, ran for 1,063 performances and won the 1955 Tony Award for the Best Musical. Shirley MacLaine was in the ensemble and was an understudy to Carol Haney. Miss MacLaine did go on for Miss Haney at least once during the Broadway run, allowing her to perform the popular songs "Steam Heat" and "Hernando's Hideaway". John Raitt, Carol Haney, Eddie Foy Jr., Reta Shaw, Thelma Pelish, Ralph Dunn, Ralph W. Chambers, Mary Stanton and Buzz Miller were in the original cast and recreated their roles in the movie version.
The soundtrack LP, released by Columbia Records, vaulted to ninth position among "Billboard"'s popular albums.