The play by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent opened at the Cort Theatre in New York on 9 January 1940 and closed on 3 August 1940 after 243 performances. Don DeFore, Ivan F. Simpson, Minna Phillips, and Regina Wallace were in the cast, and originated the roles that they play in the film version. The opening night cast also included Leon Ames as Joe Ferguson, author/director Elliott Nugent as Tommy Turner, and Gene Tierney as Patricia Stanley.
Don DeFore created the role of Wally Myers in the original Broadway play. When this movie was remade as the musical, She's Working Her Way Through College (1952), DeFore took the role based on the Joe Ferguson character.
The movie had its world premiere on 12 March 1942 in Columbus, Ohio, the location of Ohio State University, the school both James Thurber and Elliott Nugent attended.
Midwestern University is a thinly veiled reference to James Thurber's Alma Mater The Ohio State University. There are numerous examples of OSU traditions in the film, including the singing of "We don't give a 'Darn' for the whole state of Michigan", notably changing one word to appease censors. In addition, the team is called the Big Red Team, matching OSU's scarlet, and the marching band has uniforms that are identical to the uniforms still proudly worn by TBDBlTL (The Best Damn Band In The Land). 'The Big Game' featured in the film is against none other than OSU's biggest rival University of Michigan. Coincidentally, OSU Football won their first national championship in 1942, the year this film was released.
Gene Tierney starred in the Broadway production as Patricia Stanley. She was to have been loaned out to Warner Bros. for this movie version, but was cast in John Ford's Tobacco Road (1941) instead.
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