In the screenplay, the last scene featured Lurcio (Frankie Howerd) walking off into the cloud of ash created by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, accepting his imminent death. The epilogue featuring the museum curator also played by Howerd, was added by Director Bob Kellett, who thought that the scripted ending was too downbeat, and wanted to imply that Lurcio may have survived and even had children.
The bath set, prominently featuring a bust of John Gielgud, was originally created for Julius Caesar (1970), in which Gielgud played the title character.