Ron Howard wasn't the only one with a family member in this TV Movie (his father, Rance Howard, played the Preacher); Don Knotts' real life daughter, Karen Knotts, had a small part also as Opie's Receptionist.
Ken Berry was asked to reprise his role of Sam Jones, but was forced to decline as he was already committed to Mama's Family at the time.
By 1986, the original outdoor set from The Andy Griffith Show (1960) had been demolished, so the Mayberry town square had to be re-created in a small town in California. This results in the road that originally came to an end in front of the courthouse, now going straight on, being much wider, and a flagpole being in the middle of the street.
This is the first time Barney (Don Knotts) and Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson) appear together. They had both previously appeared in the premiere episode of Mayberry R.F.D., "Andy and Helen Get Married," but their characters didn't interact.
Final film of Aneta Corsaut.