THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE was the first-ever animated theatrical feature based on the highly-successful television series THE FLINTSTONES which ended its run in 1966 after six seasons and an astounding 166 episodes when it aired on ABC-TV. The theatrical version came out five months after the television series ended. Today it is rarely seen in some markets,but it was a great follow-up to this TV show. In this version,Peebles and Bamm-Bamm along with Dino are not in this one. This version focuses on Fred Flintstone his wife Wilma,and their neighbors The Rubbles(Barney and Betty). In this version(which in the opening credits of the picture features Wilma Flintstone portraying the Columbia Pictures model is a riot)Fred Flintstone is mistaken for a American secret agent Rock Slag,who was wounded while chasing after international espionage spy Green Goose and his girlfriend,Tanya.
Fred is asked to take Rock's place and fly to Rome(along with Barney and Betty and his wife Wilma of course,leaving the children behind with the babysitter along with the pet dinosaur Dino)to help corral and captured Green Goose once and for all. The whole thing turns out to be a trap for Fred and the real Rock Slag,who comes fully recovered to comes to Fred's rescue and saves the day.
The theatrical version THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE,released by Columbia Pictures was released in theatres on August 3, 1966 and produced and directed by William Hanna and Joesph Barbera,who also served as executive producers with the script written by R.S. Allen and Harvey Bullock(based on a story by Harvey Bullock and R.S. Allen with additional story material by William Hanna,Joesph Barbera along with Warren Foster and Alex Lovy) and for this theatrical version,which is by the way was animated of course featured the voices of Alan Reed, Jean Vander Pyl, along with Mel Blanc and Gerry Johnson with additional voices by June Foray,Paul Frees,Janet Waldo,and Don Messick(in fact Janet Waldo,who was also the voice of Judy Jetson and Don Messick were regular voice-over stockplayers for a lot of animated shows and cartoons for Hanna-Barbera). With a Running Time of 87 minutes,it was shown as part of a kiddie matinée feature for Columbia Pictures. However,Columbia Pictures re-released this feature again in the 1970's and during the early 1980's as part of its family matinée series that was to be shown theatrically. After this,it was rarely shown on television in certain markets.
