 The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 6  December 1939 and closed 12 December 1940 after 408 performances.  The opening night cast included Bert Lahr (qv) as Louis Blore,  Ethel Merman (qv) as May Daly and Benny Baker (qv),  Betty Grable (qv), Janice Carter (qv), Adele Jergens (qv),  Tito Renaldo (qv), Kay Sutton (qv) and Charles Walters (qv).  Much of the bathroom humor (Lahr played a bathroom attendant) was  not acceptable to the censors and was omitted in the movie.