Filming was scheduled to start on 1/30/39, but the death of The Ritz Brothers' father caused a delay of nearly a month. 20th Century-Fox brought a $150,000 breach of contract lawsuit against the brothers after they didn't show. This ended their relationship with the studio.
It's less obvious today than it was in 1939, but giving the obviously Jewish The Ritz Brothers Irish names is a typical-of-the-era ethnic joke.
The Ritz Brothers were essentially Fox's answer to The Marx Brothers, although they never achieved the same degree of critical acclaim or popular acceptance that the Marxes enjoyed.
The play upon which this film is based opened on Broadway in New York on 4/28/1925 at the Selwyn Theare, 227 W. 42nd St., then moved to the National Theatre 208 42nd St. and ran for 15 performances.