According to an interview with Kay Linaker conducted in 2006, during the filming of "Man About Town", the government investigated Jack Benny because he unknowingly bought two bracelets from a jeweler that had been smuggled into the United States. During the investigation, Jack became so distraught that he had to halt filming his part for four days. Jack eventually had to pay an exorbitant fine to the government even though he did not know the bracelets had been smuggled.
The film's premiere was held at the Genesee Theatre in Jack Benny's hometown of Waukegan, Illinois. Benny also did his weekly NBC radio from the theatre before the screening. The day before the movie, a parade was held in Benny's honor. A crowd estimated at 50,000 people lined the streets of Waukegan to see the stars of the film and the cast of his radio show. Other stars attending the premiere included Dorothy Lamour, George Raft, Binnie Barnes and Edward Arnold.
Originally, this film was to feature Betty Grable opposite Jack Benny in the role of Diana Wilson, but because of appendicitis, she had to be replaced by Dorothy Lamour. Betty recovered in time, however, to contribute a song with Phil Harris (to which Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson danced), "Fidgety Joe" (music by Matty Malneck, lyrics by Frank Loesser).
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 earliest documented telecast took place in Seattle Monday 8 October 1958 on KIRO (Channel 7); it first aired in Boston 20 November 1958 on WBZ (Channel 4), & in Omaha 26 February 1959 on KETV (Channel 7); after several months back on the shelf, it was finally aired in Grand Rapids 16 November 1959 on WOOD (Channel 8), and in Milwaukee 7 December 1959 on WITI (Channel 6).
Patti Sacks's debut.