Yabba Dabba

I looooooooooove the Flintstones!!!!!  :))))))))))))))))))))

Ah, childhood memories. Most of them are just great. Like most families, many of my childhood memories revolved around the TV.  Afternoon cartoons, westerns, even space themes. Growing up, I can remember my brothers and sisters watching a whole bunch of movies and shows.  One of my favorites was/is The Flintstones.  Who can forget Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty. And the kids. What great names – Peebles and Bamm-Bamm. I can still remember Fred on his tip toes bowling. I have to admit that a group of my friends often remind me of the Flintstones, especially on the golf course! “The Flintstones” went on to become an iconic American animated television series that aired from 1960 to 1966, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Here’s some fun trivia, and some memories I hope you’ll enjoy.  And, yes, I had to include a clip of the theme song. Thanks to YouTube, google and interestingfacts.com for the info. Enjoy!

“The Flintstones” holds the distinction of being the first animated series to air during primetime on American television. Premiering on ABC in 1960, it was initially broadcast in the evening, a slot traditionally reserved for live-action programs.

The creators of “The Flintstones,” William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, drew inspiration from the popular live-action sitcom “The Honeymooners,” starring Jackie Gleason. The character dynamics between Fred Flintstone and his best friend Barney Rubble mirror those of Ralph Kramden and his best buddy Ed Norton.

The catchy theme song of “The Flintstones” is instantly recognizable to many. Written by Hoyt Curtin, William Hanna, and Joseph Barbera, the song features the memorable refrain, “Flintstones, meet the Flintstones, they’re the modern Stone Age family.” Video clip: CLICK

Each episode typically ran for about 25 minutes, with a standard animation production process. Unlike modern animation techniques, which often involve computer-generated imagery (CGI), the show relied on traditional cell animation, a technique used prior to computers.

The original voice cast included Alan Reed as Fred Flintstone, Jean Vander Pyl as Wilma Flintstone, Mel Blanc as Barney Rubble, and Bea Benaderet as Betty Rubble. Alan Reed’s gravelly voice perfectly captured Fred’s personality, while Mel Blanc, famous for voicing many Looney Tunes characters, brought Barney to life.

Throughout its six-season run, “The Flintstones” featured numerous guest appearances by celebrities of the era. Notable guests included Ann-Margret (Ann Margrock), Tony Curtis (Stoney Curtis) , Gina Lollobrigida (Gina Loadabricks), James Darren (James Darrock) and even The Beach Boys, who played themselves and performed a concert in Bedrock.

Despite ending its original run in 1966, “The Flintstones” remains popular to this day. It continues to be syndicated worldwide and has been released on various home media formats,

“The Flintstones” became a cultural phenomenon, influencing various aspects of popular culture, including advertising, merchandise, and even language. Phrases like “Yabba Dabba Doo!” (Fred’s catchphrase) and “Bedrock” (a term for something old-fashioned) entered the vernacular.

Extra Trivia:
Harvey Korman: Known for his comedic roles on “The Carol Burnett Show” and in films like “Blazing Saddles,” Harvey Korman voiced various characters in “The Flintstones,” including The Great Gazoo, a little green alien exiled to Earth.

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera met when they were in their late 20s, as new hires in MGM’s fledgling animation department. Discovering that they shared similar comic sensibilities, they teamed up on 15 years of Tom and Jerry antics (clips: HERE ), earning two Oscar nominations for Best Short Subject, Cartoons. When MGM shuttered its animation department in 1957, the duo — intent on segueing into television — formed Hanna-Barbera Productions, and created the first animated half-hour series, The Huckleberry Hound Show. The president of distributor Screen Gems asked Hanna and Barbera if they wanted to collaborate on a primetime television cartoon — even though standalone cartoons had only been successful thus far as morning or afternoon kids’ programming. They accepted the challenge.

To engineer a hit with the viewership potential of Father Knows Best or Leave It to Beaver, Hanna-Barbera decided to focus their show on a suburban family — with some sort of unique twist. They brainstormed central characters who were Romans, Indigenous People, pilgrims, Appalachian people, and nomads. Then, animator Dan Gordon doodled two cavemen dressed in animal skins. His figures flanked a record player that had a live bird’s beak as its needle. Character designer Ed Benedict tried to add more features present in early humans, but at Barbera’s urging, he made the physiques more refined, even giving Wilma a stone necklace that resembled oversized pearls. The series was named after the primary caveman couple, then named The Flagstones.

Once, when asked to say, “Yahoo!” in Fred’s voice, Reed ad-libbed a replacement that became the character’s signature. “Yabba dabba do!” was inspired by the 1950s jingle for men’s hair product, Brylcreem (“A little dab’ll do ya”).

In 1961, Blanc survived a head-on car crash but spent two weeks in a coma and 70 days in the hospital. During this period, Barney was voiced by Daws Butler, the performer who voiced Fred in The Flagstones pilot, as well as Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear on The Huckleberry Hound Show. Upon Blanc’s release, he was temporarily confined to a body cast, and series recording sessions relocated to his home for about 40 episodes. Rounding out the core cast was Bea Benaderet, who had been Lucille Ball’s first choice to play Ethel on I Love Lucy. For four seasons, Benaderet took on The Flintstones’ second female lead, Betty Rubble, until she exited to star in Petticoat Junction. Geraldine “Gerry” Johnson portrayed Betty for the remaining seasons.

Despite its laugh track, The Flintstones embarked on nuanced storylines in its middle seasons about routes to parenthood. After Fred and Wilma became U.S. television’s first animated couple to sleep in the same bed, nine episodes were devoted to Wilma’s pregnancy with their daughter, Pebbles. During the following season, with Barney and Betty, the series acknowledged the plight of infertility, a rarely addressed topic on screen or in society at the time. The Rubbles eventually adopted a son, Bamm-Bamm. The Flintstones proved that there was a grown-up audience for animation.  Watching the reruns today with the grandkids certainly brings back great memories.

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

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