The original Broadway production of "The Sunshine Boys" by Neil Simon opened at the Broadhurst Theater in New York on December 20, 1972, ran for 538 performances and was nominated for the 1973 Tony Award (New York City) for the Best Play.
One of three 1996 Neil Simon adaptations made for television and first broadcast in that year. The others were Jake et ses femmes (1996) and London Suite (1996). All were made for production houses Hallmark Entertainment and Metropolitan Productions.
In the original 1975 movie Al's daughter was named Doris and was played by Carol Arthur. In this remake she's renamed Carol.
Neil Simon is said to have based the character of Willy Clark on Willie Howard whom Simon met when Howard was an old man.
This updated version moves Lewis and Clark's stardom from the Vaudeville era to 1960s TV. Although the story is set in 1996, they claim to have been a comedy team for 23 years and retired for 8. That would have placed their act back to 1965.