"Anything You Can Do" (music and lyrics by Irving Berlin), sung by Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey, was cut from this movie. The song as filmed still exists. In 1946, Miss Merman and Ray Middleton had introduced this song in the Broadway musical "Annie Get Your Gun", and it also appears in the film adaptation Annie Get Your Gun starring Betty Hutton and Howard Keel.
Irving Berlin loved Ethel Merman, having first worked with her in a previous cavalcade of his songs, Alexander's Ragtime Band. After that film, Berlin told her that he was so impressed with her talent that he promised to work with her again. He kept that promise and wrote two Broadway shows especially for her: "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1946 and "Call Me Madam" in 1950, the latter of which also starred Merman in the film adaptation: Call Me Madam. The song "There's No Business Like Show Business" is from "Annie Get Your Gun".
Marilyn Monroe was promised the lead role in The Seven Year Itch if she appeared in this film to boost its box-office potential. The role of Vicky was written especially for this purpose, and songs such as "Heatwave", originally intended for Ethel Merman, were assigned to her.
Marilyn Monroe's voice on the Decca soundtrack album "There's No Business Like Show Business" was replaced by singer Dolores Gray because Monroe's voice was under contract to another record company that would not release the rights for use on the album.
Donald O'Connor had separated from his wife of ten years. She and Dan Dailey, who played O'Connor's father, were dating during the shooting of the film. After filming wrapped, the O'Connors divorced and shortly thereafter Gwen Carter and Dan Dailey married.
As Vicky passes Tim in the beginning of the movie, he says to her, "Well, if it isn't Ethel Barrymore!" Gene Kelly said the same thing to Debbie Reynolds in Singin' in the Rain, in which Donald O'Connor also starred.
During the filming of the scene where Donald O'Connor and Marilyn Monroe were kissing, there were over 1,000 onlookers who had drifted over from other sets.
During the making of the CD, it was discovered that half the "Play a Simple Melody" duet was deteriorated beyond repair, with the result that Ethel Merman is credited on the CD label with singing with a "temporary vocal double for Dan Dailey". However, the non-stereo version was intact and was added to the CD as well - they are tracks Fourteen and Fifteen.
The song "When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam'" was sung by Ethel Merman and Dan Dailey in Irving Berlin's There's No Business Like Show Business and previously by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire in Irving Berlin's Easter Parade. In 1950, Judy Garland had started to film Annie Get Your Gun as Annie Oakley in the role that Ethel Merman had originated on Broadway in 1946.