Knight's comedic model was actor William Powell, and he also drew on Los Angeles newscasters, including George Putnam, to shape the character. The role was originally conceived for Jack Cassidy, but Cassidy turned it down; he later appears in the season two episode "Cover Boy" as Ted's equally egocentric brother Hal.
The character's humorous approach was modeled after actor William Powell and also drew inspiration from Los Angeles news anchors such as George Putnam. The part was originally meant for Jack Cassidy, who later appeared in a different episode as the character's egocentric brother Hal.