The Flintstones facts for kids

"Flintstones" redirects here. For other uses, see Flintstones (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids The Flintstones

Genre	Animated sitcom
Created by	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Developed by	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Directed by	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Voices of	Alan Reed Jean Vander Pyl Mel Blanc Bea Benaderet Gerry Johnson Don Messick John Stephenson Verna Felton Doug Young June Foray Howard Morris Harvey Korman
Theme music composer	Hoyt Curtin
Opening theme	"Rise and Shine" (instrumental) (S1–3) "Meet the Flintstones" (S3–6)
Ending theme	"Rise and Shine" (instrumental) (S1–3) "Meet the Flintstones" (S3–6) "Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine In)" (some episodes in S6)
Composer(s)	Hoyt Curtin Ted Nichols (S6)
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	6
No. of episodes	166 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Producer(s)	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Editor(s)	Kenneth Spears (S1–3, 6) Donald A. Douglas (S1–3) Joseph Ruby (S1–3) Warner Leighton (S1–5) Greg Watson (S1–5)
Running time	25 minutes
Production company(s)	Hanna-Barbera Productions
Release
Original network	ABC Cartoon Network Boomerang
Original release	September 30, 1960 (1960-09-30) – April 1, 1966 (1966-04-01)
Chronology
Related shows	The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show Cave Kids (spin-off)

The Flintstones is a famous American animated sitcom created by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It first aired on ABC from September 30, 1960, to April 1, 1966. This show was special because it was the very first animated series to be shown during prime-time television, which is when most adults watch TV. It was also the first animated sitcom, meaning it told funny stories about everyday life.

The series takes place in a fun, make-believe Stone Age world. It follows the lives of the main characters, Fred and Wilma Flintstone, and their dinosaur pet, Dino. They also have a saber-toothed cat named Baby Puss. Later, they welcome their baby girl, Pebbles. The show also features their best friends and neighbors, Barney and Betty Rubble. The Rubbles later adopt a super-strong baby boy named Bamm-Bamm and get a pet hopparoo (a kangaroo-like creature) named Hoppy.

Creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera wanted to make a cartoon that both kids and adults would love. They were inspired by popular family comedies of the time. The lasting popularity of The Flintstones comes from how it mixes modern problems with a Stone Age setting. Imagine having a car powered by your feet or appliances run by animals!

The Flintstones was the most successful and longest-running animated TV series for three decades. In 2013, TV Guide magazine called The Flintstones the second greatest TV cartoon of all time, right after The Simpsons.

Exploring the World of Bedrock

The Flintstones and the Rubbles riding in the prior family's car. From left to right: Dino, Wilma, Pebbles, Betty, Fred, Bamm-Bamm, Barney

The show is set in a funny, make-believe version of the Stone Age. It includes things and inventions that look a lot like what people had in the mid-1900s in the United States. The stories are like other family comedies of that time. The caveman families, the Flintstones and the Rubbles, often get into small problems that feel just like modern life.

The show takes place in the Stone Age town of Bedrock. In Bedrock, dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals live alongside cavepeople. You might see saber-toothed cats, woolly rhinoceroses, and woolly mammoths as everyday pets or helpers.

One of the funniest parts of the show is its use of anachronism. This means putting modern things into a historical setting where they don't belong. For example, the people of Bedrock have modern home appliances, but they work by using animals. They also have cars, but these are usually big wooden and rock vehicles that people power by running inside them! Sometimes, the cars even seem to have engines and need "gasoline." Fred might pull into a gas station and ask for "Ethel," which is pumped from a woolly mammoth. The stone houses in Bedrock look like the houses found in American suburbs from the mid-1900s.

Meet the Characters

The Flintstones Family

Fred Flintstone – He's the main character and the dad of the Flintstone family. Fred can get angry easily, but he's a loving husband and father. He works at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company, operating a "bronto-crane" (a Brontosaurus used as a digging machine). He's a bit clumsy and loves to eat lots of food. Fred is great at bowling and belongs to a men's club called the "Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes." His famous saying is "Yabba Dabba Doo!"
Wilma Flintstone – Fred's wife and Pebbles' mom. She's usually smarter and calmer than Fred. Wilma often helps Fred see things clearly and is a very loyal wife. She does enjoy shopping, and her and Betty's catchphrase is "Da-da-da duh da-da CHARGE it!!" She can also get upset if other women talk to Fred too much.
Pebbles Flintstone – The Flintstones' baby daughter, born later in the series. She usually wears a bone in her hair to hold her ponytail. Like her family, she doesn't wear shoes or pants.
Dino – The Flintstones' pet dinosaur. He acts just like a playful dog! A common joke is Dino getting so excited when Fred comes home that he knocks Fred over.
Baby Puss – The Flintstones' pet saber-toothed cat. You don't see Baby Puss often, but in the end credits, he throws Fred out of the house. This makes Fred bang on the door and yell "Wilma!", waking up the whole neighborhood.

Flintstone Relatives

Pearl Slaghoople – Wilma's mother, Fred's mother-in-law, and Pebbles' grandmother. She often doesn't approve of Fred. They sometimes argue about money, but they do care about each other. Her first name, Pearl, was added after the show ended.
Uncle Tex Hardrock – Fred's uncle. He's a member of the Texarock Rangers. He likes to remind Fred about his future inheritance.

The Rubbles Family

Barney Rubble – Fred's best friend and next-door neighbor. He's a bit shorter and also overweight. Barney shares many hobbies with Fred, like bowling and golf. He's also a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes. Even though Fred and Barney often have arguments, they are still very close friends.
Betty Rubble – Barney's wife and Wilma's best friend. Like Wilma, she enjoys spending money and can get upset if other women talk to Barney too much.
Bamm-Bamm Rubble – The Rubbles' incredibly strong son. They adopt him during the fourth season. His name comes from the only sound he made as a baby: "Bamm, Bamm!"
Hoppy – The Rubbles' pet hopparoo. This animal is a mix of a kangaroo and a dinosaur. Hoppy can babysit the children by carrying them in her pouch. Her pouch also works as a shopping cart for Betty!

Other Fun Characters

Many other characters appeared in the show. Here are some who showed up more than once:

Mr. Nate Slate – Fred’s boss at the gravel pit. He often gets angry and fires Fred, but always gives him his job back (and usually a raise!). His first name changed many times throughout the series.
Arnold – The Flintstones' paperboy. Fred doesn't like him much because Arnold often outsmarts him and throws the newspaper in his face.
Joe Rockhead – A friend of both Fred and Barney. Joe was once the fire chief of Bedrock.
Sam Slagheap – The leader, or Grand Poobah, of the Water Buffalo Lodge.
The Hatrocks – A family of hillbillies who had a long-standing family rivalry with the Flintstones. They dislike "bug music."
- Jethro Hatrock – The dad of the Hatrock Family.
- Gravella Hatrock – Jethro's wife.
- Zack Hatrock – Their oldest son.
- Slab Hatrock – Their youngest son.
- Granny Hatrock – Jethro's mother.
- Benji Hatrock – Jethro's son-in-law.
- Percy – The Hatrock's pet dogasaurus.
The Gruesomes – A spooky but friendly family who move in next door to the Flintstones.
- Weirdly Gruesome – The dad of the Gruesome family.
- Creepella Gruesome – Weirdly's tall wife.
- Goblin "Gobby" Gruesome – Weirdly and Creepella's son.
- Uncle Ghastly – Gobby's uncle, often seen as a large furry hand.
- Occy – The Gruesome family's pet giant octopus.
- Schneider – Gobby's pet giant spider.
The Great Gazoo – An alien from the planet Zetox. He was sent to Earth as punishment and appears in the final season. Gazoo has amazing powers and often helps Fred and Barney, even when they don't want his help. Only Fred, Barney, small children, and pets can see him.

The Voices Behind the Characters

The talented actors who brought The Flintstones to life:

Alan Reed – The voice of Fred Flintstone and Uncle Ghastly.
Jean Vander Pyl – The voice of Wilma Flintstone and Pebbles Flintstone.
Mel Blanc – The voice of Barney Rubble, Dino, and Zack Hatrock.
Daws Butler – Filled in as Barney Rubble for a few episodes in Season 2.
Bea Benaderet – The voice of Betty Rubble (Seasons 1–4) and Gravella Hatrock.
Gerry Johnson – The voice of Betty Rubble (Seasons 5–6) and Granny Hatrock.
Don Messick – The voice of Bamm-Bamm Rubble, Hoppy, Arnold, and Gobby Gruesome.
John Stephenson – The voice of Mr. Slate, Joe Rockhead, and Sam Slagheap.
Verna Felton – The voice of Pearl Slaghoople (Seasons 2–3).
Janet Waldo – The voice of Pearl Slaghoople (Seasons 4 and 6).
Harvey Korman – The voice of The Great Gazoo (Season 6).

Special Guest Voices

Many famous people lent their voices to characters in Bedrock:

Hoagy Carmichael – Played himself.
Tony Curtis – Played Stony Curtis.
James Darren – Played James Darrock.
Ann-Margret – Played Ann-Margrock.
Elizabeth Montgomery – Played Samantha.
Jimmy O'Neill – Played Jimmy O’Neillstone.
The Beau Brummels – Played The Beau Brummelstones.
Willard Waterman – Played Gus Gravel.
Dick York – Played Darrin.

Additional Voices

Many other actors helped create the sounds of Bedrock, including:

Dick Beals
Herschel Bernardi
Lucille Bliss
Henry Corden
Leo De Lyon
Walker Edmiston
June Foray
Paul Frees
Sandra Gould
Naomi Lewis
Howard McNear
Allan Melvin
Howard Morris
Frank Nelson
Mike Road
Hal Smith
Bill Thompson
Ginny Tyler
Herb Vigran
Paula Winslowe
Doug Young

Behind the Scenes of the Voices

Fred Flintstone's look was inspired by his first voice actor, Alan Reed, and also by actor Jackie Gleason. Jackie Gleason had a popular show called The Honeymooners, which greatly inspired The Flintstones.

The voice of Barney Rubble was usually done by Mel Blanc. However, for five episodes in the second season, Daws Butler stepped in. This happened because Mel Blanc was in a serious car accident in 1961. Luckily, Blanc was able to return to the show sooner than expected. A special recording studio was even set up by his bedside!

Alan Reed wanted Fred's voice to sound natural, not overly cartoony. This style of acting helped make the animated world of The Flintstones feel real and relatable.

Jackie Gleason, who created The Honeymooners, thought about taking legal action because he felt The Flintstones was very similar to his show. However, he decided not to. His friends told him, "Do you want to be known as the guy who yanked Fred Flintstone off the air? The guy who took away a show so many kids love and so many parents love, too?"

After Alan Reed passed away in 1977, Henry Corden took over the voice of Fred Flintstone. Since Mel Blanc's passing in 1989, other actors like Jeff Bergman, Frank Welker, Scott Innes, and Kevin Michael Richardson have voiced Barney.

The Music of Bedrock

The show's first two seasons used an instrumental song called "Rise and Shine" for the opening and closing. This music played while Fred drove home from work. Starting in season three, the famous song "Meet the Flintstones" became the theme. This catchy tune was recorded by a big band and sung by the Randy Van Horne Singers. The melody was even inspired by a part of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 17.

Hoyt Curtin composed the music for the first five seasons. Ted Nichols took over for the final season.

How The Flintstones Was Made

The idea for The Flintstones came after Hanna-Barbera had success with shows like The Huckleberry Hound Show. However, those shows mostly appealed to children. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera wanted to create an animated show that adults would enjoy too, like their earlier Tom and Jerry cartoons.

Hanna and Barbera thought about different settings for their new show. They considered families who were hillbillies, ancient Romans, pilgrims, or Native Americans. But they finally chose the Stone Age. Joseph Barbera said they picked the Stone Age because "you could take anything that was current, and convert it to stone-age."

The show had a few working titles, like The Flagstones and The Gladstones, before they settled on The Flintstones. They also decided that Fred and Wilma would start as a couple without children, even though an early idea included a son named Fred Jr.

Selling the show to TV networks was not easy. It took many presentations to convince them that an animated show could be popular in prime time. Finally, ABC, a network willing to try new things, bought the show in just 15 minutes!

The Flintstones first aired on September 30, 1960, and quickly became a hit. It was groundbreaking because it was one of the first American animated series to show married couples, like Fred and Wilma, sleeping in the same bed, which was new for TV at the time.

In the early seasons, the show had sponsors like a cigarette company, and the characters even appeared in some commercials for them. This was common for TV shows back then.

During the third season, Hanna and Barbera decided Fred and Wilma should have a baby. They originally thought about a boy, but the marketing team suggested a girl because "girl dolls sell a lot better than boy dolls." So, Pebbles Flintstone was born! This storyline unfolded over several episodes, showing Wilma's pregnancy and Fred and Wilma learning to be parents. Around this time, a grape juice and jelly company called Welch's became a main sponsor. The show's audience was growing to include more children.

Another important story happened in the fourth season. The Rubbles, who really wanted children, adopted Bamm-Bamm. This was a thoughtful storyline for an animated series, showing how families can grow through adoption.

After Pebbles was born, more children started watching the show. The Flintstones became known as a family series. The stories included family comedies and sometimes even fantasy adventures. The last original episode aired on April 1, 1966.

Where and When You Could Watch It

The Flintstones was made in color from the beginning. However, ABC first showed the series in black-and-white for the first two seasons. Starting with the third season in 1962, ABC began broadcasting The Flintstones in color.

In the U.S., The Flintstones was shown on NBC on Saturday mornings from 1966 to 1970. Reruns were also available on local stations for many years. Since Ted Turner bought Hanna-Barbera in 1991, channels like TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network have aired the show. Since 2003, it has regularly aired on Boomerang. As of 2019, MeTV started showing reruns, bringing the show back to broadcast TV. You can also stream episodes on services like Max and Tubi.

In Canada, The Flintstones first aired on CBC Television and later on the CTV Television Network. It has also been shown on channels like YTV and Teletoon Retro.

The show became popular around the world. It first aired in England in 1961 on ITV. The BBC later picked up the rights in 1985 and repeated the series for decades. It also appeared on Cartoon Network in the UK. Other countries like France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan also aired the original series.