At least one other number was shot, then cut. In the original theatrical trailer, Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe were shown among dancers, climbing the steps of a slide in a children's playground. The song was a French version of "Two Little Girls from Little Rock". Marilyn and Jane wear the costumes when Tommy Noonan corners them backstage in the French nightclub.
A song that was written for Monroe to perform in this picture, "Down Boy" (music by Hoagy Carmichael, lyrics by Harold Adamson), was rejected, but later sung and danced by Betty Grable in Three for the Show (1955). Marilyn Monroe's version was later discovered and restored.
Dyeing for Your Art: Subverted. Despite wanting Marilyn Monroe to be the only blonde in the "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" sequence, choreographer Jack Cole just cast brunettes and redheads as the dancers and had black netting arranged around their headdresses to make them appear dark-haired.
Friendship on the Set: The gossip columns tried to stir up rumors of a feud between Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe, but they got along quite well and became fast friends. In fact, Russell was the only one who could entice Monroe out of her trailer.
Hostility on the Set: Tommy Noonan casually admitted on set that he didn't like kissing Marilyn Monroe. She overheard him say it, burst into tears, and locked herself in her dressing room for several hours.
Marni Nixon supplied a few top notes for "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend". She was supposed to dub all the singing, as the studio thought Marilyn's voice sounded silly — but she balked at that. She dubs the "no no no"s at the beginning and the line "these rocks don't lose their shape".
Eileen Wilson was originally hired to dub Jane Russell, and an alternate set of recordings with her vocals can still be heard on several Marilyn Monroe tribute albums. But after hearing an edited version of the opening number, the studio allowed her to do her own singing. Jane Russell would later enjoy lots of success on Broadway in Company.
Production Posse: Sort of. Howard Hawks had directed Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn, and George Winslow in Monkey Business the previous year. But the scene on the ship's deck was the only time all three of the actors worked directly together.
The ship model shown is the one used previously in Titanic (1953) and was refurbished to resemble the SS Ile de France, which is clearly named in the film. The model resides in the Marine Museum in Fall River, Massachusetts. Some of the ocean liner sets used were also left over from Titanic.
Throw It In!: At the end of the "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love" number, Jane Russell wasn't supposed to fall into the pool. That was an accident, but they left it for fun.
Typecasting: Jane Russell starred in another film featuring an ocean liner going to France that same year (The French Line).
Wag the Director: Marilyn Monroe kept insisting on retakes despite approval of takes by Howard Hawks. When Fox asked Hawks how production could be sped up he retorted: "three wonderful ideas: Replace Marilyn, rewrite the script and make it shorter, and get a new director."
"Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" was going to feature Marilyn Monroe wearing a far more revealing dress, evoking Diamonds in the Buff. The studio thought it was too risque, and put her in the now-famous pink gown.
The studio wanted to re-team Monroe and Russell for the film How To Be Very, Very Popular, but both actresses passed on the project.
Betty Grable and Judy Holliday were considered for the lead roles. They went with Marilyn Monroe because she'd just become famous with Niagara, but also didn't have enough clout to ask for a higher salary. For comparison, Betty Grable was earning $150,000 per film, while Marilyn was only on $18,000. Judy Holliday supposedly turned down the role because she felt no one should play it but Carol Channing - who'd originated it on Broadway.
Dagmar, who became a sensation with NBC's early late-night show Broadway Open House was approached for the role of Lorelei Lee but she lost interest after Marilyn Monroe was cast.
