The Flintstones is an animated sitcom created by Hanna-Barbera that took place in a Stone Age setting. It humorously detailed the lives and struggles of the Flintstones family and their neighbors, the Rubbles. For decades, a rumor that The Flintstones copied The Honeymooners, a sitcom that aired from 1955-1956. Jackie Gleason, the creator of the Honeymooners, thought about suing Hanna-Barbera but decided that he did not want to be the reason that the show was no longer on air.
Shockingly, The Flintstones' last season was in 1966, although they were spin-offs. Even 55 years later, cartoon lovers of all generations still enjoy the cartoon. The animated series has a lot of cultural influence. Here are shocking facts that you may not have known about this beloved cartoon classic!
10 The Vitamins Aren't As Healthy As Parents Once Thought.
The Flintstones have Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles, and if you grew up in the 90s or early 2000s, you might remember The Flintstones vitamins, which are still around today. Parents were excited about these vitamins because they were colorful and fun enough to convince children to take them. Parents also believed that these supplements were genuinely benefitting their children.
Spoon University reported that The Flintstones vitamins contain sorbitol, a laxative agent that can cause nausea, cramps, and diarrhea if someone consumes a high quantity. The vitamins also have a type of food coloring that could lead to ADHD. With this in mind, the vitamins include Vitamin A, C, D, and E, but they also contain chemicals and additives that aren't the healthiest.
9 'The Flintstones' Advertised Winston Cigarettes
It wasn't until 1966, around the time that The Flintstones ended, that cautionary labels were on cigarette packs. The Flintstones advertised different products such as Dove, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Winston cigarettes. The show also advertised products such as Busch's beer in some of their promotional shorts.
If you're wondering why The Flintstones promoted cigarettes and alcohol on a children's show, context may help. Hanna-Barbera wanted to have a hit show that would appeal to both adults and children. Plus, the show aired around 8:30 p.m., when children slept or watched television with their parents. While the prehistoric setting drew children in, the adult subject matter made parents laugh at the inside jokes.
8 'The Flintstones' Covered Deep And Dark Topics Such As Suicide And Infertility
Hopefully, subjects such as these went over children's heads. However, they probably stuck with many parents. At some point in the series, viewers found out that Betty Rubble, the next-door neighbor and best friend of Wilma Flintstone, could not biologically have children. Infertility is a topic that you often didn't see on television during those times. In the episode This is Your Lifesaver, Barney Rubble, Fred Flintstone's neighbor and best friend, finds out that he may lose the adoption rights of his son Bam-Bam. Fred has to stop him from jumping over a bridge.
7 CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper Called Out 'The Flintstones'
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper took offense to a few of the theme song's lyrics. The lyrics go, "you'll have a gay old time." Anderson, who is openly gay, questioned what the lyrics were trying to say about the homosexual lifestyle, stating that the words were insinuating that this lifestyle is for Neanderthals and cavemen and that it's damaging to those struggling with their sexuality. A spokesperson for Warner Brothers Animation confirmed that the phrasing merely meant that viewers would have a swell time watching the show's antics.
6 'The Flintstones' Came Out With Two Live-Action Movies
In 1994, The Flintstones movie was a box office success. While this was a critically panned movie, it made $341.6 million on only a $46 million budget. However, the second movie, The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas, which came out in 2000, didn't perform as well. The film brought in only $59.5 million with an $83 million budget.
5 Seth MacFarlane Wanted To Reboot 'The Flintstones'
One of Seth MacFarlane's claims to fame is creating the animated sitcom Family Guy. In 2011, he wanted to give the old and cherished favorite a modern spin, but the script was likable but not lovable. It appeared as if MacFarlane gave up on the reboot because he couldn't think of ways to make Fred Flintstone stand out from Peter Griffin, the loud and obnoxious but cruder Family Guy patriarch. It is unclear if another reboot is in the works as of 2021.
4 Fred And Wilma Were The First Opposite-Sex Animated Couple To Share A Bed
The Flintstones was groundbreaking for many reasons, such as being one of the first animated shows to use a laugh track. While none of the scenes were Fred and Wilma Flintstone shared were overly intimate, this kind of imagery was provocative for the 1960s. It's safe to say that television has come a long way since the 1960s. It makes you question what The Flintstones would have been like if it aired in modern times.
3 'The Flintstones' May Not Have Been A Stone Age Family
The Flintstone family could have been a Native American family, or the Flintstones could have navigated their way through The Roman Empire. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera also thought about setting this cartoon in the 1600s and making this beloved family pilgrims. The duo even thought about naming the Flintstone family The Bedrock Hillbillies. They considered so many unique options, but it's hard to imagine The Flintstones not being, well, The Flintstones.
2 The 'Flintstones' Met 'The Jetsons'
While The Jetsons had the same cartoon formula as The Flintstones with a laugh track and all, the only difference is that this cartoon's setting took place in a futuristic setting. The show came out in 1962, but the prehistoric family and the futuristic family didn't meet each other until 1987 in a time travel experiment gone wrong in a two-hour special called The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones.
1 Elizabeth Taylor Made Her Last Film Appearance In 'The Flintstones' Movie
Elizabeth Taylor was one of the most renowned stars of classical Hollywood cinema. She was also known for her humanitarian. Later in her life, she made television cameos here and there but focused more on being a philanthropist. In Taylor's last theatrical role, she played Pearl Slaghoople (Wilma Flintstone's mother) in 1994's The Flintstone Movie.