Marni Nixon, of The King and I (1956) and West Side Story (1961), sings for Margaret O'Brien in the synagogue choir scenes.
Although there was not a soundtrack album, MGM issued a 78-rpm boxed album featuring Betty Garrett (making her screen debut), along with recording artists Kate Smith (intoning her trademark "God Bless America," written by Irving Berlin), Art Lund and Hal McIntyre's Orchestra. From RCA Victor came two releases by cast members: a 78-rpm album by the illustrious soprano who had retired from the Metropolitan Opera, Lotte Lehmann (singing "God Bless America" in the movie and commercially for RCA Victor); and a single by The Page Cavanaugh Trio of "Ok'l Baby Dok'l" (music and lyrics by Inez James and Sidney Miller) - performed here without Betty Garrett, who shared the soundtrack version and then made her own studio cut with Hal Mooney and His Orchestra for MGM Records to include on its album and also issue as a single.
This film made its initial US telecast in Los Angeles on Tuesday 4 December 1956 on KTTV (Channel 11), followed by Minneapolis Sunday 13 January 1957 on KMGM (Channel 9) , by Altoona PA Sunday 20 January 1957 on WFBG (Channel 10) and by Philadelphia Sunday 24 February 1957 on WFIL (Channel 6); in Seattle it first aired 4 April 1957 on KING (Channel 5), in Chicago 21 September 1957 on WBBM (Channel 2) and in San Francisco 12 January 1958 on KGO (Channel 7); its earliest documented telecast in New York City took place Friday 8 January 1960 on WCBS (Channel 2).