Several of the dwarfs had appeared together in the film 'Time Bandits' (1981), released the previous year.
David Rappaport was a regular on Saturday morning kids show Tiswas.
Pilot episode for the LWT show, this was written and shot in early 1981 after the Goodies left the BBC. After reviewing the pilot LWT commissioned the series a few months later. However this turned out to be the only series they made after LWT saw how expensive it was to make after all the specially commissioned props and the amount of outdoor filming needed was taken into account, far more than a traditional sitcom or kids show would normally cost.
By all accounts David Rappaport was not popular with the other dwarf actors, as apparently he saw himself as a star and viewed them merely as support. A similar situation had also arisen during the making of Time Bandits (1981) a few months earlier.