John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce A Day Well Spent had been extended into the full-length play Einen Jux will er sich machen (He'll Have Himself a Good Time) by Austrian playwright Johann Nestroy in 1842.

In 1938, Wilder adapted Nestroy's version into the Americanized comedy The Merchant of Yonkers, which attracted the attention of German director Max Reinhardt, who mounted a Broadway production, which was a flop, running for only 39 performances.

After a series of slapstick situations involving mistaken identities, secret rendezvous behind carefully placed screens, separated lovers, and a trip to night court, everyone finds themselves paired with a perfect match.

Due to a salary dispute with Broadway producer David Merrick, Sam Levene left the production after playing the role of Horace Vandergelder for over a year in Europe.

[4] The story enjoyed yet another incarnation in 1964 when David Merrick, who had produced the 1955 Broadway play, partnered with composer Jerry Herman to mount the hugely successful, Tony Award-winning musical Hello, Dolly!