Jerry Van Dyke agreed to star on the series after turning down the lead role on Gilligan's Island (1964) and an offer to join the cast of The Andy Griffith Show (1960).
The producers had researched automobile history to avoid duplicating a real car. However, there was a real-life, unrelated Porter automobile. The small company, based in Bridgeport, CT, produced 36 cars from 1919-22. It was named for automotive engineer and designer Finley Robinson Porter, creator of the T-head Mercer automobile.
"Mother" was a 1928 Porter, but not one of the two real-life Porter makes. It was created by George Barris, who modified the experimental 1950s Lincoln Futura into the Batmobile. The car was built from a 1927 Ford Model T Touring car, with a 327 Chevy V8 engine and automatic transmission. Barris built two Porters for the show; one is now in Tennessee, the other is in Alberta. One car had removable floorboards and controls, which allowed the car to be driven with a driver out of sight, controlling it by watching through hidden mirrors.
"Mother's" voice appeared to come from the car radio. A light behind it blinked to the rhythm of her dialogue.
David's mother's date of death was August 23, 1949. Later episodes state she had died ten years prior but it would have been 15 years.
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