McCarthy (Ward Bond) is labeled as a "blatherskite" in the opening credits. The Oxford Dictionary defines a blatherskite as "a person who talks at great length without making much sense".
William Bendix, who plays Nick, originated the part of Krupp on the stage. Broderick Crawford is Krupp in the film.
A Cagney family affair, with siblings James, Jeanne and William working on the film in front of and behind the camera.
The original Broadway production of "The Time of Your Life " by William Saroyan opened on October 25, 1939 at the Booth Theater, ran for 185 performances, won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1940 and closed on April 6, 1940.