Hans Steinke walked off the set when director Victor Fleming instructed Man Mountain Dean to sit on him. He was replaced by wrestler Ernie Haynes.
Actress 'Nina Mae Mckinney' had a much bigger role in the film with several song numbers but actress Jean Harlow, afraid of competition had all her scenes cut, reducing Nina's role to nothing but a cameo.
After the movie was completed and shot as a straight drama, MGM decided to make it into a musical, so production was resumed. This became one of Jean Harlow's few real flops. It's failure pleased Libby Holman immensely.
Selznick based this on the Libby Holman murder scandal. Star Jean Harlow felt the story had disturbing similarities to suicide of her second husband, Paul Bern. Jean Harlow believed she was cast in the picture in a deliberate attempt to capitalize on that event, and she refused the role at first. In William Powell's autobiography, he says he convinced her to accept the role rather than be suspended.
The film was inspired by the life of torch singer Libby Holman, whose husband, tobacco heir Zachary Smith Reynold's suicide caused a scandal (Libby was initially indicted for murder), and she was accused of murder.
Two songs, "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dum" and "I'm Going Down to Dance at Clancy's" by Con Conrad and Herb Magidson were cut from the final print.