Although
The Flintstones was not, as is often claimed, the first prime-time animated series, it
was the first to be produced exclusively for television (such earlier shows as
Gerald McBoing Boing consisted largely of theatrical cartoons), the first foray into the nighttime hours by the cartoon firm of Hanna-Barbera, and the first of the studio's series aimed primarily at an adult audience -- at least at first. Clearly inspired by the live-action sitcom
The Honeymooners, the weekly, half-hour
The Flintstones was a spoof of contemporary suburban life set during the Stone Age.
Most of the episodes were set in the town of Bedrock, home of Fred Flintstone, who worked for Slate Construction Company operating a dinosaur-powered steam shovel. Fred lived in a comfy middle-class cave with his wife Wilma; his next door neighbor and best friend was Barney Rubble, whose wife Betty was Wilma's closest pal. Although the Flintstones and the Rubbles dwelt in prehistoric times, Fred and Barney regularly went bowling (with stone bowling balls) and could sometimes be found chowing down on bronto burgers and speculating at the dinosaur race track. Meanwhile, both Wilma and Betty held court over a houseful of such modern appliances as a sewing machine (with a pterodactyl beak as the needle), a vacuum cleaner (actually a baby elephant), and a garbage disposal (a snaggle-toothed pig). The Flintstones' house pet was a yapping dinosaur appropriately named Dino. The series' format permitted
The Flintstones to offer a wide range of lampoons of current sociological developments and pop-culture fads and icons. Both
Elvis Presley's Colonel Tom Parker and
The Beatles' Brian Epstein were satirized (the latter as "Eppy Brianstone"); Wilma and Betty's favorite movie stars included Cary Granite and Stoney Gherkins; the "Jackie Kennelrock" look was the last word in high fashion; Fred and Barney worried that doomsday was approaching when they learned that slingshots had replaced bows and arrows as the military weapon of choice; and among the popular B.C.-era TV shows were "Hum Along With Herman" (a spoof of Sing Along With Mitch) and "Dripper" (
Flipper). Debuting September 30, 1960, on ABC,
The Flintstones was telecast in black-and-white during its first two seasons, though it was filmed in color from the outset. Midway through season three, Wilma gave birth to a baby daughter named Pebbles; the following year, the Rubbles adopted a foundling boy named Bamm Bamm, "the world's strongest baby." Other occasional cast members included Fred's bombastic boss Mr. Slate, Wilma's imperious mother Mrs. Slaghoople, Arnold the sarcastic newsboy (who delivered papers chiseled out on stone slates!), the creepy Gruesome Family, and the Great Gazoo, a futuristic spaceman who used Fred and Barney as "case studies" for humanity. The series' voice actors included Alan Reed as Fred Flintstone,
Mel Blanc as Barney Rubble,
Jean Vander Pyl as Wilma and Pebbles, Bea Benaderet and later Gerry Johnson as Betty Rubble, Don Messick as Arnold, John Stephenson as Mr. Slate,
Verna Felton as Wilma's mom, and
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