The role of Mike Beebe, played by Donald O'Connor, was originally meant for Mickey Rooney. But Rooney was scheduled to make another picture at the same time.
One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since. Its initial telecasts took place in Seattle Friday 19 December 1958 on KIRO (Channel 7) and Phoenix Sunday 1 March 1959 on KVAR (Channel 12), but the focus was still on Crosby's more important films at this time, and it was not taken off the shelf again until it next aired in Boston 27 December 1959 on WBZ (Channel 4) and in Milwaukee 31 December 1959 on WITI (Channel 6). Still apparently of only minimal interest, it was eventually televised 1 August 1960 in Minneapolis on WTCN (Channel 11); by this time it began to pick up steam and it was finally offered in Johnstown 8 October 1960 on WJAC (Channel 6), in Columbus 12 October 1960 on WBNS (Channel 10), in Los Angeles 10 November 1960 on KNXT (Channel 2), in Lansing 5 December 1960 on WJIM (Channel 6), and in Cincinnati 11 December 1960 on WKRC (Channel 12). It was released on DVD 10 November 2010 as one of six titles in the Bing Crosby Collection, part of the Universal Backlot Series, and again 11 November 2014 as one of 24 titles in Universal's Bing Crosby Silver Screen Collection. It's also received an occasional airing on cable TV on Turner Classic Movies.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60-minute radio adaptation of the movie on
January 15, 1940, with Bing Crosby reprising his film role.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60-minute radio adaptation of the movie on
May 7, 1945, with Bing Crosby again reprising his film role.