In order to distinguish this film from a later 1947 Esther Williams musical, the title was changed to "Over the Waves" for television consumption in the 1950s.
Herman J. Mankiewicz is given onscreen credits for "characters", which undoubtedly referred to the movie Keeping Company (1940), but characters in that movie had different surnames. However, Ann Rutherford, Virginia Weidler and Irene Rich also played family roles in that movie, but Guy Kibbee replaced Frank Morgan as the family patriarch. Although a series based on the family was planned, no other film was ever made.
This film was a disappointment at the box office for MGM, resulting in a loss of $57,000 ($845,000 in 2016) according to studio records.
Some cast members in studio records/casting call lists did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): Bess Flowers (Saleslady) and Russell Simpson (Man on street). Spring Byington (Mrs. Bryant) was listed in the cast by a contemporary newspaper, but that role was played by Irene Rich.