Igor proves he is Russian by reflexively, and vehemently, claiming a Russian invented the telephone. In Star Trek in the 1960s there was a running gag with the character Chekov claiming everything was invented by Russians. In the real world, in the Cold War 1960s, the Soviet government competed with the technologically advanced West by claiming to have invented all advances in technology.
This was the first episode to be filmed at Paramount Studios. (There was no change in location, the only change was that Lucille Ball sold Desilu to Paramount to avoid bankruptcy.)
Igor says Volga river is longest in the world. Is 18th longest, less than half as long as Nile or Amazon or Yangtze.
Features the great character actor Bob Hastings as Igor. His portrayal of Lt. Elroy Carpenter on McHale's Navy (1962) was an integral part of the humor of that show (along with Tim Conway and Joe Flynn).