This episode of Jake and the Fatman (1987) is the inspiration for the series Diagnosis Murder (1993) with the character of Dr. Mark Sloan. In this episode, he says he never had any children; however on "Diagnosis Murder", he had a son, Det. Steve Sloan, as well as a daughter, Carol Sloan Hilton.
Joe Penny, Jake Styles himself, later guest starred in the Diagnosis Murder episode The Last Resort, but in a different role.
This was Elisabeth Brooks's final acting role before her untimely death on September 7, 1997 at age 46.
First appearance of Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan.