June Allyson had a deleted number entitled "What Do You Think I Am?" (music and lyrics by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane). "Shady Lady Bird" (written by Martin and Blane), sung by Helen Forrest with Harry James and His Music Makers, was also cut from the release print. In shots of the James band at the dance, Miss Forrest can be spotted on the bandstand. A third Martin-Blane number, "I Know You by Heart," was played by the Harry James orchestra during the dance, but a vocal version by Tommy Dix didn't make the release print. All four of the tracks mentioned above are featured on the 2004 soundtrack CD from Rhino Handmade.
Stanley Donen's movie debut.
Lana Turner was going to star in this movie but once she discovered she was pregnant Lucille Ball was given her role.
Film debut of Nancy Walker.
MGM bought the rights to the musical from Columbia Pictures for $150,000. Columbia studio head Harry Cohn hoped to star Rita Hayworth and Shirley Temple in the roles eventually played by Lucille Ball and Virginia Weidler.
The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 1 October 1941 and had 326 performances. The opening night cast included Nancy Walker, who originated her movie role in the play, and June Allyson, Kenny Bowers, Tommy Dix, Jack Jordan and Stanley Donen, all of whom are also in this film but with different roles; and Rosemary Lane. Gil Stratton was brought out to Hollywood at the same time but appeared in Girl Crazy instead, although some say he had a small role in this film. A 1963 off-Broadway revival starred Liza Minnelli.