In the film as originally shot, Buster Keaton appears in a comic relief supporting part as the prisoner "Lulu". This would have been his first official appearance in an MGM feature production since Louis B Mayer fired him in February 1933. Several stills survive of Keaton in this role, in a scene with Jeanette MacDonald. Although Keaton's scenes were cut before the film was released, he is still visible in the background during several production numbers - particularly "Stouthearted Men"
"New Moon" opened at the Imperial Theatre on September 19, 1928 and ran for 509 performances.
This film received its initial television showing in Seattle Sunday 3 February 1957 on KING (Channel 5); it first aired in Portland OR 1 March 1957 on KGW (Channel 8), in Chicago 14 March 1957 on WBBM (Channel 2), in Philadelphia 12 May 1957 on WFIL (Channel 6), in Altoona PA 26 May 1957 on WFBG (Channel 10), in New York City 16 June 1957 on WCBS (Channel 2), in New Haven CT 14 July 1957 on WNHC (Channel 8), in Phoenix 18 July 1957 on KPHO (Channel 5), in Baltimore 14 September 1957 on WJZ (Channel 13), in Honolulu 13 October 1957 on KHVH (Channel 13), and in Los Angeles 24 October 1957 on KTTV (Channel 11); its first telecast in San Francisco did not take place until 30 November 1960 on KGO-TV (Channel 7).
Abe Dinovitch, Sally Sweetland and Austin Grant are listed in studio records as cast members for "solo bits in the 'Stouthearted Men' sequence," but no soloists are heard in that sequence other than Nelson Eddy.