Directorial debut for Jack Lemmon. Lemmon found direction duties both emotionally and physically draining and felt very uncomfortable behind the camera. This was his one and only film as a director.
Director Jack Lemmon's real life actress-wife Felicia Farr played Kotch's daughter-in-law Wilma Kotcher. This is the only time Farr was directed by her husband in a movie.
Walter Matthau was only 50 at the time of filming. The actor playing his son (Charles Aidman) was 45.
Producer Richard Carter originally asked Jack Lemmon to play Kotch in this movie. Lemmon instead wanted to direct this movie and let Walter Matthau play Kotch.
Jack Lemmon: Uncredited as a sleeping bus passenger. Known for his acting though, Lemmon, apart from this cameo, does not star in this movie; he directs it.