One Foot in the Grave had a son who had died as a child. A number of episodes were also experimental in that they took place entirely in one setting. Such episodes include: Victor, Margaret and Mrs Warboys stuck in a traffic jam; Victor and Margaret in bed suffering insomnia; Victor left alone in the house waiting to see if he has to take part in jury service; Victor and Margaret having a long wait in their solicitor's waiting room; and Victor and Margaret trying to cope during a power cut on the hottest night of the year. Despite Margaret's frequent exasperation with her husband's
One Foot in Heaven church when its members, including all those with whom he locked horns, gather spontaneously on a weekday morning to sing "The Church's One Foundation" as he plays it on the new carillon. The film was received quite warmly both theatrically and critically, the "New York Times" calling it "a Fine and Human Story of a Minister's Life". On April 20, 1942, "Lux Radio Theatre" presented "One Foot in Heaven". The one-hour adaptation starred Fredric March and Martha Scott. Olivia de Havilland was originally scheduled for the role of Hope Spence, but was moved over to star opposite Errol Flynn in