"The Great Man" marked the first film in which father and son Ed and Keenan Wynn appeared, although they do not share any scenes. Studio press materials pointed out that "Paul Beaseley" was the first dramatic character ever played by Ed Wynn. He, who had begun his career as a comedian, and later went on to make several impressive dramatic appearances in the 1950s and 1960s, did his six-minute scene in only one take.
Tony Curtis' brother, actor Robert Schwartz, made his feature film debut in the The Great Man, as did Vikki Dougan.
According to press materials, the filmmakers used the exterior of Universal-International's New York office as the facade of the "Almagamated Broadcasting Studios."