Broadway musical-comedy star Mary Martin provides the singing voice for Margaret Sullavan. This same year she also dubbed the singing voice for Gypsy Rose Lee in Battle of Broadway (1938). Modern sources indicate that Universal's The Rage of Paris (1938), which was filmed at approximately the same time as The Shopworn Angel was Martin's first film "bit" role. According to records of the M-G-M Music Collection at the USC Cinema-Television Library, Martin's recording of "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile was made on 1 June 1938.
When Bill orders a "black and white soda" at the drug store counter, he is ordering a seltzer with chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream.
Several parts of the original story, as depicted in the previous pre-Code film, had to be altered to bring this picture into compliance. Two major changes are that Daisy is a leading lady instead of a hard-bitten chorus girl, and Sam is transformed from her gangster lover into a high society boyfriend.
Originally cast as Daisy Heath was Jean Harlow, who died before filming began. She initially was replaced by Joan Crawford, who then yielded the role to Rosalind Russell, before newly signed MGM contract player Margaret Sullavan finally came on board.