Last episode of "The Rockford Files" directed by longtime regular director, Ivan Dixon.
This episode, second to last in the series, was Ivan Dixon's ninth and final episode as director. While Dixon was most widely known for his subtly simple role as Sgt. Kinchloe in TV's quirky hit "Hogan's Heroes", he was actually a talented stage actor and went on to become an accomplished director as well. Dixon rejoined his friend, Jim Garner, in the short-lived "Bret Maverick" series, Garner's next major project after the end of "The Rockford Files", directing 3 of those episodes.
Greg Antonicci and Gene Davis reprise their roles of Eugene Conigliaro and Mickey Long from "The Jersey Bounce" (s5e3), apparently ignoring the fact that Conigliaro had previously been caught trying to kill Long after the two had murdered someone. This episode would've worked as a prequel where they would've moved next door to Rocky intentionally, having befriended Rockford in this episode. They subsequently get in with the wrong crowd in California, leading to "The Jersey Bounce".
This episode was a failed back door pilot.
Simon Oakland and Vince Howard portrayed fellow private investigators in the season 4 finale, "The House on Willis Avenue". Presumably, Oakland's appearance in this back door pilot so soon after playing Verne St. Cloud indicates he would've been a part of the spin-off, had it been picked up.