Esther Rolle decided to leave the show because she felt the character of J.J. was a bad role model for young African-Americans. Florida was written out in this episode by having her marry Carl Dixon and move away with him. Rolle would return in the sixth season, however, Carl was never mentioned again.
This is the last episode in which JJ wears his trademark denim fisherman's cap.
The two painters, played by Richard Libertini and MacIntyre Dixon, later co-starred together in Popeye (1980).