The "Alice Blue Gown" is a specific shade of blue named after Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the daughter of President Teddy Roosevelt. "Alice blue" became a fashion sensation and the chic color of the era.
This was adapted from a popular Broadway musical that originally opened at the Vanderbilt Theater on Nov. 18, 1919 and ran for 675 performances. At the time it was the longest-running show in Broadway history. Irene Dunne and Jeanette MacDonald were replacement cast members during its long run. The musical was later revived with Debbie Reynolds in the lead. This version opened at the Minskoff Theater in New York on March 13, 1973 and ran for 594 performances.
The Radio City Rockettes wound up with most of their scenes on the cutting room floor following previews, save for a brief montage sequence in the "Alice Blue Gown" number.