Glenda Farrell was originally cast as Panama Smith. Both Ann Sheridan and Lee Patrick were also slotted for the role that was eventually perfectly played by Gladys George.
Mark Hellinger was relatively new on staff at Warner Brothers and had been given various B-picture writing and producing assignments. According to Hellinger's biography, after initially reading Hellinger's story for this film, studio head Jack L. Warner and Hal B. Wallis became so excited that they considered the project too good for Hellinger to produce. Hal B. Wallis became Executive Producer of the film and told Hellinger he would give him the title of Associate Producer. It wasn't until after the film was released that Hellinger saw that screen credit for Associate Producer had gone to Samuel Bischoff. It didn't matter to Hellinger, however, as the film was unanimously praised by critics and was a financial success. (Source: Biography "The Mark Hellinger Story" by Jim Bishop)
James Cagney's character is introduced while the soundtrack is playing the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" - the same song that is playing at the end of his star-making film, The Public Enemy (made eight years earlier and also set in the 1920s), when his corpse is delivered to his family's home.
A montage features a shot of gangsters bombing a storefront. This shot is actually an alternate angle of the bombing of a store in The Public Enemy, and the same shot is notably also used in a similar montage for Angels with Dirty Faces.
After the release of this film, producer Mark Hellinger received a telegram from New York that read: "We are all sitting here in the Stork Club discussing your new picture. We are glad The Roaring Twenties rates four stars and we wish we could be present to give you the remaining four-four. We love you. Walter Winchell, Louis Sobol, Damon Runyon, Rudy Vallee, Eddie Dowling, George M. Cohan, Sam Harris, Frank Buck, Buddy G. DeSylva, James J. Walker, Ted Husing, Ricardo Cortez, Sidney Clare, Bert Wheeler, Bert Lahr, Marc Lachmann, Clem McCarthy,
Based on the life and career of real-life bootlegger Larry Fay. Unlike James Cagney's Eddie Bartlett, however, Fay stood 6'3" inches tall, and was long-jawed and gangly.
Critics unanimously praised this film. James Francis Crow of the Hollywood Citizen-News opened his review with "This is not just another Warner Brothers gang war drama ..." Sidney Skolsky wrote: "A great hunk of entertainment ..." The Hollywood Reporter said: "The pace is furious ..." Boxoffice wrote: "It will roar its way across showmen's ledgers leaving a trail of black figures and satisfied customers."
Eddie Bartlett refers a couple of times to a "gilpin". This is a slang term for a stupid or gullible person, mostly known from the 1930s rather than 1919 when Eddie first uses it in the film.
The character of Panama Smith was partially based on actress and nightclub hostess Texas Guinan.
The final line of the movie spoken by the character, Panama Smith (Gladys George) has been ranked by AFI and others as the #1 last line of a gangster movie.In response to a police officer's query, "What was his business", Panama answers as she holds Eddie (James Cagney) on the stairs of the church,"He used to be a big shot."
The New York Times' cast list includes Max Wagner playing "Lefty," but the only Lefty in the cast was played by Abner Biberman, although he is credited onscreen only as "Henchman." Wagner may not have been in the film.
The night of the premiere, producer Mark Hellinger received a telegram to help calm his nerves. The telegram read: From all the wonderful things I hear of The Roaring Twenties. I don't need to wish you good luck. Hope you don't suffer too much. Joan Crawford.
The world premiere was a formal affair held at the Warner Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. on Oct. 23, 1939. Attendees included Harry M. Warner, Hal B. Wallis, Darryl F. Zanuck, Louis B. Mayer, Joseph Breen, Walter Wanger and Mark Hellinger.
This film started a nostalgia craze. Disk jockeys began to run Roaring Twenties music. Producer Mark Hellinger was an important guest on singer Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall radio show and singer Kate Smith promoted the film on all of her radio programs. Both Life and Look magazines published "Roaring Twenties" layouts.
This marked the end of James Cagney's cycle of gangster films for Warner Bros. Cagney wanted to diversify his roles and would not play a gangster again until White Heat, ten years later.
Unlike the movie's Eddie Bartlett, Larry Fay died on New Year's Day of 1932. Dwindling finances had forced him to cut costs at his New York nightclub, the El Fay; after telling the doorman at the club that his pay was going to be reduced, the doorman pulled a revolver and shot Fay four times. Fay collapsed backward onto a sofa and died.