In a recent interview with Alan Alda he admits that CBS executives would not permit the showing of the athletic supporter on camera during the scene with Margaret Houlihan and Sydney Freedman. Alan Alda admitted this was an interesting piece of reverse censorship as many episodes prior to this one, there had been several instances of visible female undergarments hanging in various tents without any controversy.
Patient John in this episode is played by Sal Viscuso who is also the PA announcer in many episodes.
One of two of Alan Alda's personal favorites that he wrote.
As the writer for the episode, Alan Alda won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series in 1977.
There are many shows where a character writes to an off-stage friend or relative, but this is only one of two shows where a character, Maj. Sidney Freedman, writes to a real though deceased person, Doctor Sigmund Freud.