Louis Armstrong was hired for this movie at Bing Crosby's insistence. Crosby also insisted that Armstrong receive prominent billing, the first time a black actor shared top billing with white actors in a major release film.
Louis Armstrong had a #1 hit with "Hello, Dolly" which he had not heard at the time he was given the lead sheet. Jerry Herman had written the lyrics and music ©1964.
Yet in "Pennies from Heaven" (1936), Louis plays "The Skeleton in the Closet" music by Arthur Johnson, and clearly plays a phrase that will become part of "Hello, Dolly!" 28 years later....."Dolly will never go away...." (repeat)
It is unknown if that was in the written chart, or an improv by Armstrong.
Several cast members in studio records/casting call lists did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): Richard Carle (Mr. Briggs), Eddie Borden (Mr. Bilkins), Maston Williams (Prisoner) and Nick Copeland (Middle-aged Man). Reviews list Tom Ricketts in the role of Mr. Briggs. but he was not seen in movie either.
Included among the American Film Institute's 2004 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 America's Greatest Music in the Movies for the song "Pennies from Heaven."