Though the movie is in black and white, in one scene, when Bing Crosby is singing "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" in a movie theater, a slide show being projected behind him is in full color, though Bing is still in black and white.
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 Monday 10 November 1958 on KIRO (Channel 7), in Boston Sunday 7 December 1958 on WBZ (Channel 4), and in Phoenix 6 February 1959 on KVAR (Channel 12), followed by both Philadelphia and Minneapolis 7 April 1959 on WCAU (Channel 10) and WTCN (Channel 11), by Denver 11 May 1959 by KBTV (Channel 11), by Milwaukee 6 September 1959 on WITI (Channel 6), by Omaha 26 October 1959 on KETV (Channel 7), and by Johnstown 25 November 1959 on WJAC (Channel 6). It was released on DVD 6 May 2003, in tandem with Blue Skies (1946), as part of Universal's Bing Crosby Collection, and again 11 November 2014 as one of 24 titles in Universal's Bing Crosby Silver Screen Collection.
Loosely based on the story of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the New Orleans band that brought jazz and blues to national prominence in 1915-1917. Bing Crosby's character, Jeff Lambert, is based on clarinetist Alcide "Yellow" Nunez, the founder of the band. The cornetist, Memphis (Brian Donlevy), is based on the band's arrogant cornetist, Nick La Rocca. Trombonist Jack Teagarden, who appears in the film, was a member of the band for a time in the 1920's.
"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 13, 1943 with Bing Crosby reprising his film role.
"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on January 18, 1951 with Bing Crosby again reprising his film role.
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