Actor Paul Porcasi's credit was misspelled onscreen as "Paul Porcassi," and in opening credits, screenwriter William Anthony McGuire's surname appears to be spelled as "McQuire." According to the picture's pressbook and a LAEx article, two years before production began, Eddie Cantor discussed with producer Samuel Goldwyn the idea for a film in which he would portray a "pop-eyed Jewish brat from Brooklyn who grew up to become the world's greatest bullfighter." Cantor loosely based the idea on the life of his friend, Sidney Franklin (not to be confused with director Sidney Franklin), who was the only prominent American bullfighter at the time. Franklin appears in the film as himself in the bullfighting sequences.
       The 2 Apr 1932 issue of Hollywood Filmograph reported that Al Rogell would direct the film, which was scheduled to start production in early May. According to an unidentified but contemporary news item in the production file for the film at the AMPAS Library, Rogell quit just before shooting began due to disagreements over the story line with Goldwyn. The news item noted that Edward F. Cline and A. Edward Sutherland were being considered as possible replacements. Another unidentified but contemporary news item reported that toreadors Eduardo Castro and Francisco Alonso were to be in the film. Alonso, who was the father of actor Gilbert Roland, is incorrectly identified in the news item as Roland's brother. Their participation in the completed picture, however, has not been confirmed.
       A 7 Oct 1931 FD news item stated that Lily Damita was being considered as the leading lady opposite Cantor. A later FD news item reported that Diane Sinclair had been signed as the feminine lead opposite Cantor, and a Var news item noted that Goldwyn changed his mind and returned her to M-G-M, from which she had been borrowed. HR news items noted that Sidney Toler was to be in the film, but was prevented from doing so due to contract disputes with Paramount. He is included in one HR production chart, however. According to a FD news item, Vivian Mathews and Betty Bassett were to be in the film, but their participation in the completed picture has not been confirmed. Popocatépetl, which is the word "Eddie" is supposed to tell the trained bull, "Max," is the name of a volcano in Mexico.
       A HR news item and the Var review reported that Goldwyn was handling distribution for the roadshow and New York run himself, and that United Artists would distribute the film during its general release. According to a 30 Sep 1933 MPH article, Goldwyn sent a specially equipped train to tour the South and exhibit Whoopee (1930) and The Kid from Spain in cities where there were either no projection facilities or where no rental agreement could be reached with the local exhibitors. Goldwyn also intended to roadshow Roman Scandals in this manner (see below). A HR news item noted that Goldwyn sent sixteen chorus girls to present a live prologue to the film in selected theaters. According to the Var and HR reviews, the picture cost over one million dollars to produce. According to a HR news item, the Los Angeles roadshow engagement was called off because audiences refused to pay the $1.50 ticket prices. The Var reviewer noted that tickets for the New York roadshow were priced at $2.20. In a 30 Sep 1933 MPH article on Sergei Eisenstein's film Thunder Over Mexico (see below), it was stated that novelist Upton Sinclair, who financed Eisenstein's film, had been accused of selling "parts of certain bull-fight episodes" shot for Thunder Over Mexico to Goldwyn for use in this picture. Sinclair denied the charge and stated "neither Eisenstein nor Eddie Cantor had any labels on their bulls."
       According to modern sources, before filming began, Goldwyn sent Cantor, his songwriters and musical director Alfred Newman to San Francisco for a week to try out ideas for the script in front of a live theater audience. Goldwyn borrowed one million dollars to produce the film, which was the first seven-figure loan given by Bank of America for a motion picture. Modern sources also assert that Fred Zinnemann assisted Busby Berkeley with the dance direction, and note that after viewing The Kid from Spain, the Marx Brothers asked for Leo McCarey to direct their next film, Duck Soup (see above). Modern sources include the following actors in the cast: Edgar Connor (Bull handler); Leo Willis (Thief); Harry Gribbon (Traffic Cop); Eddie Foster (Patron); and Patricia Farnum, Betty Grable and Ruth Hale (Goldwyn girls). Although modern sources also include Virginia Bruce in the cast as a "Goldwyn Girl," her appearance in the released picture is unlikely, as she was filming the M-G-M production Konga, in which she had a co-starring role, simultaneously to the production of The Kid from Spain.