The Flintstones (TV)
"The Flintstones" is a groundbreaking animated television series set in the fictional Stone Age town of Bedrock, focusing on the lives of the Flintstone family, particularly Fred Flintstone, a loud and sometimes grouchy stone-quarry worker. The show, which first aired in 1960, was created by Hanna-Barbera and is notable for being the first prime-time animated series, targeting both adults and children. Fred, along with his neighbor Barney Rubble, often finds himself in humorous situations that highlight the dynamics of family life and friendships, with episodes frequently showcasing the comedic battle of the sexes between the husbands and their wives, Wilma and Betty.
The series features a unique mix of prehistoric-themed humor, such as characters using stone-age appliances, including a pterodactyl that plays music and a mammoth that fills sinks with water. The family grows in later seasons with the introduction of their daughter Pebbles and the adopted son Bamm-Bamm of the Rubbles. The show's popularity led to significant merchandise sales and guest appearances by celebrities, and it has remained a nostalgic favorite, inspiring a live-action film in 1994. The success of "The Flintstones" also paved the way for future animated series, such as "The Jetsons," which depicts a family in a futuristic setting. Its enduring legacy continues to attract new generations of viewers.
The Flintstones (TV)
Produced 1960-1966
Producers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
A prime-time animated series featuring the Stone Age character Fred Flintstone. Upon airing in 1960, the show quickly became popular, lasting almost six years in prime time and continuing to attract new viewers for many more years with syndicated reruns and spin-off television specials.
The Work
The Flintstones, set in the Stone Age town of Bedrock, followed the misadventures of Fred Flintstone, a loud and sometimes grouchy stone-quarry worker. In the first episode, Fred (voiced by Alan Reed) and his neighbor Barney Rubble (Mel Blanc) sneak off to the bowling alley instead of going to the opera with their wives, Wilma (Jean Vander Pyl) and Betty (voiced by several different actresses). This battle of the sexes is continued in later episodes, including one in which Wilma and Betty want to join the all-male Water Buffalos lodge. The show’s unique Stone Age setting provides many opportunities for visual humor for example, the Flintstones wear caveman-style animal skins, ride in foot-powered cars with stone wheels, and employ prehistoric animals as household appliances, such as a pterodactyl that plays records with its beak and a mammoth that fills the sink with water for washing dishes. In the show’s third year, a baby girl named Pebbles (Vander Pyl) is born to the Flintstones, and the Rubbles adopt a boy named Bamm-Bamm (Don Messick). Guest celebrity appearances occurred frequently, with movie stars Tony Curtis and Ann-Margret voicing their Stone Age alter-egos Stony Curtis and Ann-Margrock.
Impact
The Flintstones was not only the first prime-time animated series, but also the first cartoon series geared toward adults as well as children. The young Hanna-Barbera production company initially had difficulty selling this unusual show to the television networks, but once it aired, The Flintstones quickly became a success. The show was actually very similar in tone and humor to The Honeymooners, a popular 1950’s situation comedy starring Jackie Gleason as a loud bus driver, but the combination of familiar humor and an unfamiliar animated setting was very fresh. The audience became so involved with the Flintstones’ lives that when a marketing contest invited viewers to guess Pebbles’ birth weight, more than one million entries were submitted. Fred proved to be an effective advertising personality outside of the show, promoting products such as grape juice, vitamins, and even cigarettes during the commercial breaks. The Flintstones merchandise tie-ins, such as toys, books, lunch boxes, breakfast cereal, and children’s vitamins, continue to sell widely. The show has not diminished in popularity, and a nostalgic trend in the 1990’s resulted in a live-action film, The Flintstones (1994), starring John Goodman as Fred Flintstone, which used special effects to re-create many of the cartoon’s visual pranks.
Related Works
The Jetsons, also by Hanna-Barbera, debuted in 1962 following the success of The Flintstones. It depicts a family in the far future rather than in the Stone Age. In 1987, Hanna-Barbera produced a made-for-television film titled The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.
Additional Information
For a detailed background of The Flintstones and a complete episode guide, see The Flintstones: A Modern Stone Age Phenomenon (1994), by T. R. Adams.