According to a behind-the-scenes documentary on the production, one day, Jack Benny wandered into a rehearsal of a scene where Mickey Rooney was belittling the character played by costar Mel Tormé. The performances were so genuine that Benny was taken aback. He was astounded that Tormé had "fallen so low" as to accept such abuse from Rooney, not knowing that they were acting.
Numerous times, Mickey Rooney came back from lunch accompanied by a beautiful woman, and got her hired as a dancer in the show production numbers.
Gossip columnist Elwell (Whit Bissell) is also a character in Sweet Smell of Success (1957). Both productions are from material by Ernest Lehman.