The 4 Jan 1930 Exhibitors Herald-World announced that the production starting date was 4 Nov 1929.
       The main title credits Paul Whiteman and his Band as "Exclusive Columbia Phonograph Artists." Universal produced several versions of the film for different countries, each with its own master and mistress of ceremonies speaking the appropriate language. The foreign-language versions may have featured only the musical numbers and none of the sketches. The Spanish version, El rey del jazz, which was supervised by Paul Kohner and featured "maestros de ceremonias," Lupita Tovar and Martín Garralaga, under the direction of Kurt Neumann, was probably exhibited in the U.S. although exact release information has not been located.
       Other versions that were probably also supervised by Kohner but appear to have had no U.S. exhibition include: the German, Der Jazzkönig, introduced by Arnold Korff and Paula Wedekind, under Neumann's direction; the French, La féerie du Jazz, introduced by André Cheron and Georgette Rhodes; the Portuguese O rei do Jazz, presented by Olimpio Guillerme and Lia Torá and the Italian, Il re del Jazz, presented by Allesandro Giglio and Nella Nelli. The Japanese and Czech versions, the titles of which are undetermined, were introduced by Tetsu Komai and Iris Yamaoka, and Antonin Vaverka, respectively. Modern sources suggest that a Hungarian version may have been introduced by Bela Lugosi.
       Although shot at the time of the original production, the number "I Like to Do Things for You," performed by Jeanie Lang, Grace Hayes, William Kent and dancers Nell O'Day and The Tommy Atkins Sextette, was not included in the premiere version of the film in either the U.S. or in The United Kingdom. It was subsequently added for the film's general release as a "stand-alone" reel designated Reel 2A. The number was intended to appear after "The Bridal Veil" number in the U.S. but likely was seen after the "Happy Feet" number in the U.K. At the time this number was added, some minor picture trims may have been made and some additional sketch material may have been added.
       Contemporary information suggests that some sketches were shot for the English-language original but were subsequently dropped. Files at the USC Cinema-Television Library include stills of a sketch for the film in which George Sidney appears with Charlie Murray. Some sources also include John Fulton and Otis Harlan in the cast, but their appearance in the released film is unconfirmed. Art director Herman Rosse received an Academy Award for his work on the picture. In 1933, Universal reissued the film in a reduced, eight-reel version, largely to exploit the increased popularity of Bing Crosby.