The founding of the "New Yorker" magazine is a subplot in this movie; Wallace Shawn's father, William, was, for many years, editor-in-chief of "The New Yorker".
Peter Benchley, the grandson of humorist and featured character Robert Benchley, plays editor Frank Crowninshield.
Keith Carradine, who has a cameo in this movie as Will Rogers, also created the role of Will Rogers in "Will Rogers Follies" on Broadway. For that role, he was nominated in 1991 for a Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, and for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, losing both to Jonathan Pryce who starred in "Miss Saigon".
According to the article "Back to the Round Table With Dorothy Parker and Pals. . ." published in 'The New York Times' on 29th August 1993, star Jennifer Jason Leigh was so dedicated to doing this movie that Leigh did it for what she says was "a tenth of what I normally get for a film".
Several of the lead actors are the children of established, renowned actors:
Jennifer Jason Leigh is the daughter of Vic Morrow
Campbell Scott is the son of George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst
Matthew Broderick is the son of James Broderick
Martha Plimpton is the daughter of Keith Carradine (who also appears in a cameo and is the son of John Carradine)
Sam Robards is the son of Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall
Gwyneth Paltrow is the daughter of Blythe Danner
Nick Cassavetes is the son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands
Jennifer Jason Leigh is the daughter of Vic Morrow
Campbell Scott is the son of George C. Scott and Colleen Dewhurst
Matthew Broderick is the son of James Broderick
Martha Plimpton is the daughter of Keith Carradine (who also appears in a cameo and is the son of John Carradine)
Sam Robards is the son of Jason Robards and Lauren Bacall
Gwyneth Paltrow is the daughter of Blythe Danner
Nick Cassavetes is the son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands
Cyndi Lauper: As a guest at the croquet game party. Lauper sits next to Martha Plimpton's Jane Grant character on the porch.