This was Will Geer's final appearance of the show. He died 3 weeks after this episode aired. The first episode of the following season, The Empty Nest (1978), was dedicated to Geer's memory, and would feature a story line dealing directly with the death of Grandpa Walton in the series. Coincidentally, Geer's last appearance in this episode also marked the first appearance by Ellen Corby's since her devastating stroke following the episode, The Elopement (1977). As a result of this stroke, she lost a majority of her power of speech and the use of one side of her body. Starting with this episode, she would be featured occasionally, including in some of the subsequent movies that followed the end of this series.
Will Geer's last appearance before his death. Fittingly, Grandma's last words to him are an affectionate "You old fool!"
This episode marks the first time that Grandma's illness was specifically identified as a stroke. Prior to this, any mention of why Grandma was hospitalized for 16 months was kept very vague, with most of the comments being along the lines of "she's feeling better," or "she's perking up."
The preview scene that runs before the opening credits isn't in the actual episode.