James Cagney won an Oscar for playing Broadway producer George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). He agreed to play Cohan again in this film on condition that he would not be paid for the role. He did the role as a tribute to Eddie Foy, who had generously provided occasional meals for struggling young actors, including Cagney, in 1920s New York.
George Tobias reprised his role of talent agent Barney Green in a 1964 episode of Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963), an anthology TV series hosted by Bob Hope. Hope did not reprise his role of Eddie Foy, Sr., who was played instead by Foy's son Eddie Foy Jr..
Despite Foy's reluctance to marry, according to the film, he had already been married twice before he married Madeline Morando.
Debut of Acrtess Lydia Reed after several years working on TV series.