The Flintstones - 50th anniversary

[droosan]

Fifty years ago tonight, The Flintstones premiered its first episode on the ABC television network .. becoming the first animated TV series to air in 'prime-time' (and -- until 1995 -- it was the longest-running prime-time animated TV series, as well!) ..

To celebrate, Boomerang will be airing the first episode, "The Flintstone Flyer," tonight (simultaneously nationwide!) .. 8:30 PM EDT (5:30 PM PDT). Two other episodes -- "The Hot Piano" (the 'Happy Anniversary!' show) and "Dress Rehearsal" (featuring the birth of Pebbles) will also be shown, followed by an airing of their first theatrical film, The Man Called Flintstone.

There will also be a 24-hour Flintstones marathon on Boomerang all-day Saturday, October 2nd.


Happy 50th Anniversary to Fred, Wilma, Barney & Betty!

[EricJ]

"A tie...With spots on it already! "

Foster/Maltese were such big fans of Jack Benny on radio (the unstoppable-singing-telegram was a stolen Benny bit), there are lines in the first three Flintstones season so clever you double-take and have to run them back.

[droosan]

Not only that; both Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet were regular voice-actors on The Jack Benny Show.

[Daniel]

Google took notice of this milestone on their homepage:



Cute. Wonder why Bamm-Bamm's riding on the roof, though?

[GeorgeC]

That many years ago!

Wow, you never think it's that old until the anniversary hits!






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Personal Trivia:

According to my Mother, "The Flintstones" was one of the shows my Dad watched to help him learn English after they moved to the US.

Years later, I caught him watching an episode of "Batman: The Animated Series" and he admitted it wasn't a bad show!



Of course, I'm the real animation freak in the family...

[EricJ]

Not only that; both Mel Blanc and Bea Benaderet were regular voice-actors on The Jack Benny Show.

Not to mention Frank Nelson always showing up in every store Fred shopped.
("Look, all I want is to be treated like a customer!" "All right, but you won't like it...")

And the two Carhop waitresses ("Here we come, on the run...") as a Bea Benaderet in-joke to Benny's phone operators, Mabel & Gertrude.

[Randall]

The first couple of seasons in particular are, I think, still underrated to this day. The writing was so good--- so classic, old school. The cartooning was loose and fun, and the voice actors (including all those great guest performers) gave such great reads.

Today, it would be tempting to think it was a success only because it was a novelty back then, but it really did deserve to be a hit. After all, Hanna-Barbera didn't have another multi-season prime-time show until a few years later. (Not Jetsons, not Jonny Quest... nope, it was actually Wait Till Your Father Gets Home!)

A true classic, to be sure.