The following characters are based on the following real-life people as follows: Lucas Brickman on Neil Simon; Max Prince on Sid Caesar; Kenny Franks on Larry Gelbart; Val Slotsky on Mel Tolkin; Brian Doyle on Tony Webster; Milt Fields on Sheldon Keller;
Carol Wyman on Lucille Kallen; Ira Stone on Mel Brooks; and Harry Prince on Sid Caesar's brother Dave Caesar. There is no character based on Woody Allen.
Richard Benjamin previously directed a similar film, Où est passée mon idole? (1982). Both films feature a young comedy writer on a 1950's TV show that is based on Your Show of Shows (1950), and stars a Sid Caesar-like comedian. Mark Linn-Baker, who plays one of the writers in "Laughter," played the young writer in Où est passée mon idole? (1982), which was produced (uncredited) by Mel Brooks, a fellow writer with Neil Simon on Caesar's 1950's TV show Your Show of Shows (1950).
"The Max Prince Show" is based on Your Show of Shows (1950). It was broadcast between 1950 and 1954.
One of three Neil Simon written films which actor-producer-director Richard Benjamin has worked on. Benjamin co-starred in Ennemis comme avant (1975) and directed L'amour en vedette (2004) TV remake (also a producer) and the tele-movie Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001).
The number 23 was chosen as the floor level in the title for the source play because, according to Neil Simon, script sessions for the original 1950s Your Show of Shows (1950) were held either on the 11th or 12th floor of the NBC-TV building. Add them together and one gets 23.