Stan Laurel once remarked that Richard Cramer, seen here as the abusive foster father, had absolutely no sense of humor, and played everything straight. Stan used him when he needed a serious character who wouldn't try to get a laugh.
Director George Marshall took over the role of the intimidating Army chef when the assigned actor didn't show up. He had two scenes, but Stan Laurel found Marshall's impromptu performance so effective that he wrote the film's closing gag with Marshall in mind.
One scene depicts Jackie Lyn Dufton cowering and crying alone in a room while foster father Richard Cramer abuses his wife in an off-screen room. We can hear the wife crying and pleading while Cramer shouts and overturns and breaks furniture. It's implied that the same has happened to little Jackie. It's a very disturbing scene, especially in a Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy comedy, and early television censored it or cut it out completely. It was restored for television syndication in the 1980s.
The WWI-vintage tank used in the filming was on loan from the 160th Tank Corps of Salinas, CA.
Ray McCarey receives co-directorial credit, but it is widely accepted that George Marshall was the de facto director.