On 14 Oct 1964, Var indicated that the Mirisch Corp. was considering optioning screen rights to the 1961 musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, based on Shepherd Mead’s 1952 best-selling book, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; the Dastard's Guide to Fame and Fortune. Later that month, items in the 27 Oct 1964 DV and NYT confirmed that Mirisch had paid over $1 million for the rights, in addition to a promised twenty-five percent of the film’s gross after production costs were recouped. NYT noted that the long-running musical, still in its initial run at the 46th Street Theatre in New York City, had won seven Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and the New York Drama Critics Award.
       Mirisch’s film adaptation, slated for release by United Artists, was listed in a 24 Dec 1964 DV brief as one of five “roadshow” releases the company planned to produce in the next two years under a total budget of $39 million. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was said to be the “least costly” of the five with an anticipated budget of $5.5 million. A much lower figure of $2.5 million was later cited in the 29 Apr 1966 DV, which deemed it “a record-busting low budget” for a major film musical.
       Writer-director-producer David Swift stated in a 10 May 1966 LAT interview that he had tried to persuade Columbia Pictures, with whom he was under contract at the time, to option the screen rights to the musical, as he was an ardent fan who had seen it multiple times on Broadway and in other cities. When Mirisch Corp. obtained the rights, Swift then approached them and was hired, on loan-out from Columbia. The 23 Dec 1965 LAT announced Swift’s involvement and stated that filming was set to begin on 1 May 1965. Swift acknowledged that, although his screen adaptation was to be closely based on the Broadway show, he would build up the romance between “J. Pierpont Finch” and “Rosemary Pilkington” which, he said, “didn’t mean much in the play.” An item in the 29 Apr 1966 DV claimed that Swift completed the screenplay in only seven days. His wife, Micheline Swift, who was enlisted to design the costumes, was credited under the single name “Micheline.”
       Swift was adamant that certain actors reprise the roles they had originated on Broadway, and reportedly held out for his desired cast, “particularly [Rudy] Vallee,” according to the 13 Jul 1966 Var. Other original cast members set for the film included lead actor Robert Morse, Ruth Kobart, and Sammy Smith; while Michele Lee, Maureen Arthur, and Jeff DeBenning had appeared in later performances on Broadway. Another Broadway cast member, Joe Cowan, was reportedly hired to reprise his role but was ousted from the production when a doctor’s report concluded that his blood pressure was too high. A news brief in the 18 Apr 1966 DV indicated that Cowan planned to sue the “Hollywood insurance company” doctor who had reported the high numbers, after obtaining lower results from another physician.
       Principal photography began one year later than planned on 2 May 1966, according to a 20 May 1966 DV production chart. Filming took place on thirty-five sets built across three soundstages at Goldwyn Studios in Hollywood, CA, the 10 May 1966 LAT reported. After Hollywood shooting was completed six days early, an item in the 8 Jul 1966 DV reported that the cast and crew had moved to New York City to shoot “half a dozen additional scenes.” Filming was scheduled to end on 11 Jul 1966.
       Upon conclusion of principal photography, an article in the 13 Jul 1966 Var reported that a “non-musical” print was being readied for overseas audiences, since musical sequences were “difficult if not impossible to dub.” Although it was unclear whether or not the non-musical version would be deemed necessary, additional sequences had been shot as potential “dialog bridges,” and it was anticipated that thirty minutes of musical footage might be removed.
       The film opened as the Easter attraction at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on 9 Mar 1967. Critical reception in the U.S. was generally favorable, and a box-office chart in the 3 Jan 1968 Var listed How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as the thirty-third highest grossing picture of 1967, with cumulative film rentals of $2.9 million.
       The following actors were listed as cast members in DV and LAT announcements published between Mar and Jun 1966: Steve Roberts, Arthur Gould-Porter, Terry Lynn Wilson, Judy March, Victoria Valentina, Jan Barthel, Sandra Lynn, Sheila English, Melody McCord, Windsor Elliott, Debbie Morris, Pearl Shear, Edward Pfeiffer, Roy Clark, Wally Green, Cary Leverette, David Adhar, Jerry Rush, Ian Bruce, Wayne Davis, Charles Lunard, Currie Deterson, Bob Cole, Joe Paz , Frank Radcliffe, George LeFave, Patrick O’Moore, and Spec O’Donnell.
       Dale Moreda's choreography was based upon that of Bob Fosse, who choreographed the original stage presentation.