Producer Darryl Zanuck claimed he thought of it in a script conference; Wellman said the idea came to him when he saw the grapefruit on the table during the shoot; and writers Glasmon and Bright claimed it was based on the real life of gangster Hymie Weiss, who threw an omelette into his girlfriend's face.
Darryl Zanuck wa ikkanᾰn awa mad en ətwəšəɣel ᾰsdatat dᾰɣ ᾰnnəzjum ən asəwəj ən təɣimit fᾰl awa ᾰtwašaɣalᾰn Wellman inna ikraš ᾰnnəzjum as inhay alwᾰq wa d ᾰšeɣalᾰn telajᾰẓt təwarᾰt tabəl Addinᾰt wi ᾰšeɣᾰlnen Glasmon əd Brigh ᾰsdᾰten as wᾰr t əjja ar fᾰl awa d əd taqqal əs tidət tᾰmudre n awadəm ən timašalen əbrarnen s itawanna Hymie Weiss əs kala ijjᾰr tamidit ənnes əs tikakiten dᾰɣ idəm.