The original play, "The Red Cat" by Hans Adler, opened in New York on 19 September 1934. It had a brief run of 13 performances. Fox Studios head Darryl F. Zanuck financed the play's brief Broadway production so he could purchase the movie rights. In 1935, Zanuck used the play as the basis for the movie Folies Bergère de Paris, starring Maurice Chevalier. Following That Night in Rio, Fox Studios again used the play as the basis for On the Riviera, starring Danny Kaye.