According to her March 13, 1940 obituary in the New York Times, American stage actress Maxine Elliott was the original inspiration for the character of Carlotta Vance in the play Dinner at Eight.

There are no exterior shots in Dinner at Eight.

When Marie Dressler took on the role of Carlotta Vance, she was recuperating from serious cancer surgery. The cancer eventually took her life in 1934, soon after the release of Dinner at Eight.

Joan Crawford was among the actresses considered for the part of Paula Jordan.

Clark Gable was among the actors considered for the part of Dr. Wayne Talbot.

Carlotta Vance's dog was originally named Mussolini, but MGM balked at the last minute and had its name changed to Tarzan. In the film, you can clearly see Marie Dressler's lips say "Mussolini" when she refers to the dog, but the name "Tarzan" was dubbed in to cover it.

Dinner at Eight premiered at the Astor Theatre in New York on August 23, 1933.

According to George Cukor, John Barrymore based his performance in Dinner at Eight on a combination of his father-in-law Maurice Costello, his brother-in-law Lowell Sherman and himself.

Famous Quotes from DINNER AT EIGHT

"If there's one thing I know, it's men. I ought to. It's been my life's work."
- Marie Dressler (as Carlotta Vance)

"Politics? Ha! You couldn't get into politics. You couldn't get in anywhere. You couldn't even get in the men's room at the Astor!"
- Jean Harlow (as Kitty Packard), to Wallace Beery's Dan Packard.

"And then I had a restful, nice luncheon... with four lawyers. On the 88th floor of the Watson's building. You know, the sky club. A cloud floated right into my soup plate."
- Marie Dressler (as Carlotta Vance)

"I'll have my double chins in privacy."
- Marie Dressler (as Carlotta Vance)

"I've told you a million times not to talk to me when I'm doing my lashes!"
-Jean Harlow (as Kitty Packard)

"That's the unfortunate thing about death. It's so terribly final."
- Marie Dressler (as Carlotta Vance)

"I was reading a book the other day."
"Reading a book?"
"Yes. It's all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?"
"Oh, my dear, that's something you need never worry about."
- Jean Harlow (as Kitty Packard) and Marie Dressler (as Carlotta Vance)

Compiled by Andrea Passafiume