The working title was Paparino, the same of the play (1948) of Dino Falconi from which the plot is taken.
The scene where Baron Zazà ( Totò ) kisses the breast of the maid Fedele ( Angela Luce ) was improvised, as stated by same actress Angela Luce in an interview. Luce said that she was so surprised that she couldn't stop laughing, however the scene was kept. Totò said about this: "Angela is so beautiful that it was something spontaneous for me". Something similar already happened in a scene of Miseria e nobiltà (1954) with Sophia Loren.
The scene where Zazà ( Totò ) and Pio Degli Ulivi ( Peppino De Filippo ) dress themselves up as cardinals was originally banned by censorship, but then accepted by majority voting.
The character Zazà ( Totò ) is clearly a reference to Totò's character Baron Pelletti in 47 morto che parla (1950).