Temperatures Rising

The series' format was derived from an unsold 1965 ABC pilot called This Is a Hospital?, written by Sheldon Keller and starring Shecky Greene, which William Asher described as 'Sgt. Bilko in a hospital'. Asher also cited the British Carry On film franchise as an inspiration for the show.

Producers William Asher and Harry Ackerman convinced ABC to cancel their hit sitcom Bewitched a year early so they could develop two new sitcoms, Temperatures Rising and The Paul Lynde Show, for the network.

Cleavon Little was cast after a guest appearance on All in the Family, and his role on Temperatures Rising subsequently led to him landing the lead in Mel Brooks' 1974 film Blazing Saddles.

Nancy Fox was discovered by Elizabeth Montgomery (Asher's wife) in a Close-Up toothpaste commercial; Asher had initially considered her for The Paul Lynde Show instead, and she later turned down an offer to leave Temperatures Rising to star in another series, Needles and Pins.

James Whitmore asked to leave the show as early as November 1972, feeling the broad farce style wasn't right for him, which led ABC to replace him with Paul Lynde for the second season.

For the second season, Jeff Morrow was replaced after only two episodes by John Dehner in the role of Dr. Charles Claver.

Because one of the stars, Cleavon Little, was black, some ABC affiliate stations in the southern and midwestern United States refused to air the series or moved it to a different time slot.

William Asher claimed that Temperatures Rising's ratings performance contributed to NBC cancelling its long-running Western Bonanza in November 1972 after the two shows aired opposite each other.

The second season's shift to black comedy, likened to the 1971 film The Hospital, alienated audiences; co-producer John Mitchell said 'the show failed miserably and we lost the job and the show' after ratings collapsed and it was replaced by Happy Days in January 1974.