Emma Goldman, whom O'Neill admired, inspired the play's anarchist subplot.[4] The Iceman Cometh is often compared to Maxim Gorky's The Lower Depths, which may have been O'Neill's inspiration for his play.[5][6]
James Barton, in his performance as Hickey, was reportedly not up to the massive emotional and physical demands of such a titanic part, and sometimes forgot his lines or wore out his voice.[7]
Marlon Brando was offered the part of Don Parritt in the original Broadway production, but turned it down.[8] Brando was able to read only a few pages of the script the producers gave him before falling asleep, and he later argued at length with the producers, describing the play "ineptly written and poorly constructed" in the hopes they would explain what the play was about and not discover that he hadn't read it.[8]
