Remarkably, the plot of this film mirrors aspects of Wallace Beery's real life --- Beery ran away from home at age 16 and joined Ringling Brothers Circus as an assistant elephant trainer, but left the company two years later after being clawed by a leopard.
According to an article in the 5 October 1935 edition of the New York Times, it was Beery himself who wrestles with the tiger and not a stunt double. However, it states there were "sharpshooters" positioned off camera with their rifles trained on the tiger. Also, it stated the studio invited film correspondents to sit with the extras in the audience for this scene.
In The Incredible World of Horace Ford (1963), Horace goes to his old street, Randolph Street, and in the background very clear is a large poster for this movie.
A contemporary article in the New York Times stated MGM used 150 children for this film and assigned one private teacher for each ten kids during the production.
MGM bought the film rights to this story three years before the actual production began specifically as a vehicle for Beery and Cooper.