Captain Greer likens himself to Captain Ahab and Admiral Johnson to Moby Dick, the arch-nemesis who has long eluded capture. Scripter Malvin Wald, in his only show for the series, also drew upon another work by Herman Melville: "The Confidence Man," Melville's ninth and final novel, published on April Fool's Day 1857. Admiral Nathaniel Johnson is a confidence man par excellence, and like the con man of the novel, emphasized he has "no trust" in humanity, and places himself on the same moral plane as his marks who likewise harbor larceny in their hearts.
This lighthearted outing was aided and abetted by guest stars adept in comedic roles. Maurice Evans (Admiral Nat Johnson) was still enjoying a recurring role as Samantha's father on Bewitched (1964); Harriet E. MacGibbon (Claire) and Frank Wilcox (Howard Stone) were Mrs. Drysdale and oilman Mr. Brewster on The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), and David Ketchum (Jake Barry) was the mailbox, freezer and locker-lurking Agent 13 on Get Smart (1965).
The Mexican cantina will be familiar to fans of Mannix (1967). It was the Paseo Verde offices from which Joe Mannix plied his private eye trade.