Leon Ames, who appears as a neighbor, makes reference to "The Man Who Came To Dinner" (1942), another Moss Hart/Irving Kaufman play. He states that he is appearing in that play in a community theater.
John Emery, playing actor Clayton Evans, says he's arrived in town to appear in a production of "The Man Who Came to Dinner", by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, (who also wrote the play on which this film is based). Ann Sheridan played Lorraine Sheldon in the 1942 film version (The Man Who Came to Dinner).
In order to create the dilapidated farmhouse, the house used in Arsenic and Old Lace (filmed in 1941) was modified by knocking out bannisters, rafters and plaster.
Jack Benny's character mentions The Phil Harris Orchestra, in the movie. The Phil Harris Orchestra was Mr. Benny's Band on The Jell-o Show starring Jack Benny in 1936, later changed to The Jack Benny Show.
Near the beginning of the movie, while still in his New York apartment, the character played by Jack Benny mentions "Hobby Lobby". This was a radio program that was first broadcast nationally as a summer replacement for "The Jack Benny Show".
The dog in the movie, called Terry, was also the same one in The Wizard of Oz, where it gained its fame, as Toto, three years earlier.
The play opened on Broadway, in New York City, New York, USA, on Friday, October 18th, 1940 and closed on Saturday, March 15th, 1941, after 173 performances. The cast included Ernest Truex, Dudley Digges, Jean Dixon and Percy Kilbride, who originated his movie role as Mr. Kimber.