The Times Square Playboy (1936) screenplay was based on the Broadway production of "The Home Towners" by stage legend George M. Cohan, which opened at the Hudson Theater on August 23, 1926 and ran for 64 performances.
Working titles were Broadway Playboy, The Gentleman from Big Bend and His Best Man. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film's art direction was by Esdras Hartley, and uncredited costume design by Orry-Kelly.
Working titles were Broadway Playboy, The Gentleman from Big Bend and His Best Man. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film's art direction was by Esdras Hartley, and uncredited costume design by Orry-Kelly.
During the scene at The Club Riveria, Beth's brother, Mr. Wally Calhoun, says to Pig Head Bancroft that he works with Vic in Vic's office, "...and Mr., [Vic] has he treated me white..." The word "white" was censored and changed to "right" for television.
Gene Lockhart and Kathleen Lockhart, who played the Bancrofts, were married in real life, which gave their onscreen relationship a crackling veracity.
Craig Reynolds was listed as Joe Reynolds on screen, but called Joe Roberts throughout the film. He was a rising young 'second lead' in 1930's Warner Bros. films whose career tanked after he served in WWII. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, fought in the battle of Guadalcanal, was wounded and received a Purple Heart. He returned to films in a western called Nevada (1944) starring young newcomer Robert Mitchum. Sadly, Roberts' career ended prematurely when he died in a motorcycle accident just five years later, in 1949 at age 42, leaving a widow and two children.
The production came at a particularly difficult time for star Warren William noted author John Stangeland. Concerned that the script---as written---made him look too old, the then 42-year-old William campaigned to have a line removed that made him appear to be in his 50's or 60's. The production ground to a halt and a ferocious battle raged between the director William C. McGann and producer Bryan Foy, both of whom refused to remove the line in question. Eventually after much heated debate, William got his way and the line was changed.