50 Fun Facts About The Flintstones

On which US network did The Flintstones originally air from 1960 to 1966?

It was the first animated series to get a prime-time slot and the first animated sitcom.

Which studio produced The Flintstones?

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera had already won seven Oscars for Tom and Jerry.

Which live-action sitcom was a key inspiration for The Flintstones?

Jackie Gleason considered suing but was warned he would be the man who took Fred Flintstone off the air.

What was the show's original working title?

It was probably changed to avoid confusion with the Flagstons of the comic strip Hi and Lois; The Gladstones was briefly considered too.

What is the name of the Stone Age town where the Flintstones live?

Its population sign reads 2,500.

Where does Fred work?

He operates a bronto-crane, a Brontosaurus used as an excavator, and is prone to accidents.

Fred and Barney belong to which men-only lodge?

It was called the Loyal Order of Dinosaurs in season one, and its official cheer is 'Yabba Dabba Doo!'.

What is Wilma and Betty's shopping catchphrase?

They sing it as 'Da-da-da duh da-da CHARGE it!!'

What kind of animal is Dino?

He is a Snorkasaurus, and knocking Fred over at the door is a running gag.

What is the name of the Flintstones' saber-toothed cat who throws Fred out during the closing credits?

Fred pounds on the door yelling 'Wilma!' as the credits end.

What is the name of the Rubbles' pet hopparoo?

She is a kangaroo-dinosaur hybrid whose pouch doubles as Betty's shopping cart.

Pebbles was born near the end of which season?

TV Guide gave her birthday as February 22, 10,000 BC, at Bedrock Rockapedic Hospital.

Why did the producers change the Flintstones' planned baby from a boy to a daughter?

The birth got a rare multi-episode story arc starting with 'The Surprise'.

How do the Rubbles come to have Bamm-Bamm?

The note in the basket gave his odd name, explained when he yelled 'Bamm, Bamm!' and swung his club.

What is Bamm-Bamm's defining trait?

He was adopted during the fourth season and gets his name from the only phrase he says.

What is the name of Wilma's disapproving mother?

Elizabeth Taylor played her in the 1994 film, her final theatrical role.

Fred's boss Mr. Slate has a running gag involving what?

He has been called Sylvester, Seymour, Nate, Oscar and George.

Which creepy but friendly family moves in next door in later seasons?

Weirdly Gruesome hosts a reality show and their pet is a giant octopus called Occy.

The Great Gazoo comes from which planet?

Only Fred, Barney, the kids, Dino and Hoppy can see him.

Why was the Great Gazoo exiled to Earth?

He calls Fred and Barney 'dum-dums' and was voiced by Harvey Korman.

Who voiced the Great Gazoo?

He first appeared on October 29, 1965, in the show's final season.

Who provided the voice of Fred Flintstone throughout the original series?

Fred was drawn to resemble both Reed and Jackie Gleason.

Fred Flintstone's voice actor said 'yabba dabba doo' came from his mother's version of which advertising slogan?

The script had only called for a plain 'yahoo'.

Which legendary voice actor played Barney Rubble and Dino?

After a near-fatal 1961 car crash, a recording studio was set up at his bedside so he could keep working.

Why did Daws Butler voice Barney in five season-two episodes?

Blanc returned early thanks to a temporary studio at his bedside.

Who voiced both Wilma and Pebbles?

Bea Benaderet voiced Betty for the first four seasons and Gerry Johnson for the last two.

What was the show's theme during its first two seasons, before 'Meet the Flintstones'?

'Meet the Flintstones' took over in season three, sung by the Randy Van Horne Singers with a 22-piece big band.

The melody of 'Meet the Flintstones' borrows from a piano sonata by which composer?

It comes from the B section of Piano Sonata No. 17, second movement.

Which product co-sponsored the first two seasons, with the characters appearing in its commercials?

Stars pitching the sponsor's product at the end of an episode was standard practice at the time.

In 1961 The Flintstones became the first animated show nominated for which award?

It lost to The Jack Benny Program.

The Flintstones was the first American animated show to depict what?

The first live-action example was 1947's Mary Kay and Johnny.

Fred fills his car at the gas station with 'Ethel', pumped through the trunk of what animal?

Household appliances in Bedrock are almost all animals doing a job.

Which movie star guest-voiced a caricature of himself named 'Stony'?

Ann-Margret appeared as Ann-Margrock and Elizabeth Montgomery cameoed as Samantha from Bewitched.

Which Bewitched stars appeared as their characters Samantha and Darrin in a Flintstones crossover?

Both shows aired on ABC and Bewitched was also produced with animation help from Hanna-Barbera.

In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Flintstones the second-greatest TV cartoon ever, behind which show?

For three decades it was the most financially successful and longest-running network animated series.

Who played Fred in the 1994 live-action film?

Steven Spielberg, the executive producer, insisted on his casting.

Who played Barney Rubble in the 1994 film?

Rosie O'Donnell played Betty and Elizabeth Perkins played Wilma.

Which screen legend made her final theatrical film appearance as Wilma's mother in the 1994 movie?

She earned a Razzie nomination for it; Rosie O'Donnell won Worst Supporting Actress.

Which band performed the theme song in the 1994 film as cavemen versions of themselves?

They were billed as the BC-52's.

Halle Berry's character in the 1994 film is a secretary with what punning name?

Kyle MacLachlan played the villainous executive Cliff Vandercave.

Roughly how much did the 1994 film gross worldwide on its $46M budget?

Reviews were poor, but the McDonald's tie-in and video game helped make it a hit.

What is the title of the 2000 prequel to the 1994 film?

Alan Cumming played the Great Gazoo, and it was made without Spielberg's involvement.

What was the title of the 1966 animated Flintstones feature film?

A spy-comedy musical, it was only Hanna-Barbera's second feature after Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!

Flintstones Chewable Vitamins, launched in 1968, omitted which character for over 20 years?

A grassroots campaign and a Bayer phone poll finally got her added.

Which company launched Pebbles cereal in October 1971?

Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles are the two best-known varieties.

Which actress voiced teenage Pebbles in the 1971 spin-off The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show?

Jay North, TV's Dennis the Menace, voiced Bamm-Bamm.

Fred's paperboy, whom he despises for always outsmarting him, is named what?

He was voiced by Don Messick, who also voiced Bamm-Bamm and Hoppy.

What machine does Fred operate at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company?

The Brontosaurus works as an excavating machine, and accident-prone Fred is its operator.

To which cable channel did The Flintstones move in September 2003?

After Ted Turner bought Hanna-Barbera in 1991, TBS, TNT and Cartoon Network carried the show before the move.

Which British broadcaster first aired The Flintstones in January 1961?

The BBC only picked up the rights in 1985 and sometimes used episodes as filler when bad weather disrupted sport.