George Burns turned up at rehearsals having learned the entire film script by heart. Burns figured that this would make it harder for the producers to fire him if they wanted to.
First feature film for George Burns for thirty-six years. Burns had not appeared in a movie since Honolulu (1939). This movie was considered Burns' comeback movie, the comeback being considered one of the most significant ever in Hollywood film history.
Jack Benny was signed for the role of Al Lewis. Ill health forced Benny to back out of the project, due to being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Benny recommended his friend George Burns to replace him.
At the age of eighty George Burns became the oldest Oscar winning actor when he won for this movie. This record was broken by Jessica Tandy in 1990, and later by Christopher Plummer in 2012.