The working title of the film was Birthday of a Stooge. According to a Film Daily news item, Paul Yawitz was hired to work the script, but his contribution to the final film has not been confirmed. Motion Picture Herald's "In the Cutting Room" adds Richard Lane, Robert Glecker and Cecil Kellaway to the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. RKO borrowed Eleanor Lynn from M-G-M for the production. Fugitives for a Night was writer Dalton Trumbo's first credited script for RKO.