Joe Yule, who appears uncredited as a waiter, is the father of cast member Mickey Rooney, whose real name is Joe Yule, Jr.
Pierre Watkin (Admiral Tree) and Stanley Andrews (Colonel John Briggs) were in studio records for those roles, but never appeared. Lester Dorr was listed as a cast member in a news item but was not seen in the movie.
Adapted from the Broadway musical "Panama Hattie", which opened at the 46th Street Theater in New York October 30, 1940 and ran for 501 performances. Ethel Merman played Hattie, Betty Hutton was Flo, Rags Ragland originated his movie role, Arthur Treacher played the butler, James Dunn was Bullet, and future film stars June Allyson, Lucille Bremer and Vera-Ellen were dancers.
Additional scenes and retakes were directed by Roy Del Ruth and Vincente Minnelli after original director Norman Z. McLeod left the film.
Although Ethel Merman was passed over for the role of Hattie in this film, she later played the role in the TV production Panama Hattie costarring Art Carney and Ray Middleton.