Steinbeck refused to travel from his home in California to attend any performance of the play during its New York run, telling director George S. Kaufman that the play as it existed in his own mind was "perfect" and that anything presented on stage would only be a disappointment.
Steinbeck nægtede at rejse til New York fra sit hjem i Californien for at overvære stykket, idet han fortalte teaterdirektøren George S. Kaufman, at stykket, som det fandtes i hans hoved, var "perfekt", og at uanset hvad der blev opført på en scene, ville det blot blive en skuffelse for ham.