The original camera negative was destroyed in May 1978 during a nitrate film fire in the George Eastman House archives. The fire also destroyed 328 other films' original camera negatives.
The puppet orchestra made of fruit that comes to life playing instruments for Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland on a kitchen table, was the work of animator George Pal. He had just arrived in Hollywood from Europe via New York and this was among his first projects. Pal's work was relatively unknown by American audiences, thus he was uncredited. The idea for the sequence was that of another New York-to-Hollywood transfer: Vincente Minnelli.
The huge and stunning "Do the La Conga" production number was shot in one take after director Busby Berkeley prepared the cast and crew by rehearsing the number for thirteen straight days.
In the "La Conga" dance number, a musician (standing to Garland's left) can be seen using a horse's jawbone as a percussion instrument.
To promote this film's initial engagement at New York's Radio City Music Hall, M-G-M had Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland appear live on stage between screenings of the film. Garland and Rooney proved so popular that every show sold out, and ticket buyers stood in round-the-block lines. Strike Up the Band went on to become 1940's 5th biggest grossing movie.