The movie originally was planned to be directed by Frank Capra, but he chose to do It's a Wonderful Life (1946) instead.
In 1910, Victor Moore starred in George M. Cohan's play "45 Minutes From Broadway" in which the song "Mary Is A Grand Old Name" made its debut. This song is used several times in the movie.
The story was originally optioned by Frank Capra's Liberty Films in 1945 and announced as the company's first production. Later that year, producer-director Roy Del Ruth acquired the story.
The men are getting paid $1 an hour for shoveling snow. One dollar in 1947 is worth $11.50 in 2020. The minimum wage in New York City in 2020 is $15 (though NYS will not reach $15/hour until December 31, 2020). (The character doesn't state whether that is $1 each or for both men together.)
The first production of Allied Artists Pictures, the "A" picture division of Monogram Pictures. The film went 30 percent over budget.