This episode was filmed before the show was cancelled. In the original unaired ending, the picture of a young Al leaped into a family picture of Al, Beth, and their four daughters with the music continuing in the background, and the picture faded to black. Also, during the ending credits, instead of the picture Albert and young Don Bellisario, various stills from the episode were shown, including one of the empty bar set.
"Al the Bartender" was modeled after Donald P. Bellisario's father Albert Bellisario. The photographs in the bar are of Al Bellisario, and the photograph under the end credits is of Al Bellisario holding a young Donald at an air show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Scott Bakula (Sam Beckett), Dean Stockwell (Al Calavicci), Bruce McGill (Al the Bartender) and Dennis Wolfberg (Gooshie) are the only actors to appear in both this episode and the pilot Genesis: Part 1 - September 13, 1956 (1989). McGill played Weird Ernie in the pilot while the other three all played the same characters.
Some details about Sam, as revealed on his driver license: State of issue: New Mexico License number: 5738457 Date of issue: 08/02/95 Expires: 1998 Date of birth: 08/08/53 Sex: Male Hair: Brown Eyes: Green Height: 6' Weight: 175 Name and address: Sam Beckett P.O. Box 555 Stallion Springs, NM 87501-4893. Sam's given date of birth is show's creator Bellisario's own (08/08) with his birth year (35) reversed (to 53).