In the 1979-1980 season, Mackenzie Phillips was dealing with drug addiction. When she entered rehab in 1980, her character, Julie, married Max and moved to Houston. In the seventh season (1981-1982), Phillips returned as a guest for a two-part episode in which Julie and Max deal with marital problems. In the ninth and final season (1983-1984), Phillips collapsed on-set. Producer Patricia Fass Palmer asked Phillips for a urine test. Phillips told Palmer not to bother. Phillips was quietly fired, and Julie was permanently written out of the show.
The premise for this show (a family led by a single working mom) was inspired by actress, writer, and single mom, Whitney Blake. One of Blake's children, Meredith Baxter, would go on to play a sitcom mom on Family Ties (1982).
The travel agency set where Barbara and Max work during the final season was later used as Al Bundy's shoe store on Married with Children (1988). In a few episodes of this show, a "New Market Mall" sign is visible through the windows.
Bonnie Franklin nearly quit after fifteen episodes, because she was not pleased with the show's direction. She agreed to stay after being allowed more creative input into the series.
In the original pilot, Ann had one daughter. After executives frowned, a new pilot was shot with Valerie Bertinelli added as the second daughter.