Fred Flintstone

Fred Flintstone is the protagonist of the animated sitcom The Flintstones, which aired during prime-time on ABC during the original series' run from 1960-66. He is the husband of Wilma Flintstone and father of Pebbles Flintstone. His best friends are his next door neighbors, Barney and Betty Rubble, who have an adopted son named Bamm-Bamm.

Fred lives in the fictional prehistoric town of Bedrock, at 345 Cave Stone Road (in some episodes, 1313 Cobblestone Way or 222 Rocky Way), a world where dinosaurs coexist with modernized cavepeople and the cavepeople enjoy "primitive" versions of modern conveniences such as telephones, automobiles, and washing machines. Fred Flintstone's catchphrase is "yabba dabba doo!", which is also heard at the beginning of the theme song and the film.

Fred has since appeared in various other cartoon spinoffs, live action adaptations and commercials.

Personality and occupation
Fred's personality was based on that of Ralph Kramden of the 1950s television series The Honeymooners and Chester A. Riley from The Life of Riley. Thus, much like Ralph, Fred tends to be loud-mouthed, aggressive, and constantly scheming ways to improve his family's working class lot in life, often with unintended results. Archie Bunker of All in the Family & Archie Bunker's Place and George Jefferson of The Jeffersons also have similar personalities.

Fred is a typical blue-collar worker, who works as a "bronto crane operator" at Slate Rock and Gravel Company (also known as Rockhead and Quarry Cave Construction Company in the earliest episodes). However, when their children become teenagers, Fred and Barney join the Bedrock police force. Fred is also a very tempermental character. He loses his temper very quickly and is very impatient.

The Flintstone family came from "Arkenstone" where they had been engaged in a feud with the "Hatrock" family which had been caused by an ancestor of Fred's making a wisecrack of a Hatrock family portrait ("I don't know what the artist got for doing that painting but he should have gotten life"). In one episode the feud is ended when Fred helps save a Hatrock baby (and Pebbles) from going over a waterfall only to start up again when Fred makes the very same wisecrack. And in another episode when the "Hatrock" family visited the Flintstone family and being friends until when Bug Music was played & the Hatrocks can't stand the Bug Music. The last of the Arkenstone Flintstones was Fred's Great-uncle Zeke Flintstone. Other Flintstone relatives were Giggles Flintstone - a rich eccentric practical joker whose jokes drive Fred into a mad rage; an "Uncle Tex" and his sister "Aunt Jamima". He also has a grandfather, Rockbottom K Flintstone, a veteran of Stone World War One.

Fred's interests include bowling, playing pool, golf, poker and lounging around the house. At the first two of these, he is very skilled, as seen in one of the episodes where he plays against Wilma's unsuspecting mother. Fred has won championships with his incredible bowling skills. In one episode, he goes so far as to take ballet lessons in order to improve his game which led to his nickname "Twinkletoes". The nickname of "Twinkletoes" stuck with him when Fred attended a local college and became eligible to play on their football team, and it became his call sign. Fred is also an excellent golfer. In one episode he wins the championship only to have Barney repossess the winning trophy cup because Fred is behind in his dues. Fred, like Barney, was also a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffalos Lodge and a member of the Loyal Order of Dinosaurs. Fred also has a serious gambling problem; the mere mention of the word "bet" causes Fred to stammer "bet" over and over again and go on gambling binges.

The original series had several stories regarding TV with Fred as a dupe. In one, Fred makes a fool of himself trying to give Wilma acting lessons after she wins a TV appearance – only for the only part of her to appear on TV is her hands. In another, when Fred wins a TV appearance he tries to act like a "Stage parent" - until he comes down with stage fright. A third time Fred appears on a TV commercial in a non speaking role as a "before" picture of a person before going on a diet. Once, Fred even appeared in a movie, but merely as a stunt double.

Fred's catchphrase "Yabba-Dabba-Doo!" (originally derived from the Brylcreem advertising jingle motto "A Little Dab'll Do Ya!"), becomes the subject of a song by Hoagy Carmichael that the singer-songwriter performs in an episode of The Flintstones. Fred's ability to carry a tune was quite good in his younger years. One early episode was where he did a jam with his musician friend "Hot Lips Hannigan", (with Barney,who is apparently a skilled drummer) where his singing caused teenage girls to swoon over him. On this occasion he was named "the Golden Smog". In that In fact, in one of the earliest episodes, "The Girl's Night Out", he recorded a demo record at a carnival of the song "Listen to the Rocking Bird", which ended up making him a star where he took the stage name of "Hi Fye" and toured for two weeks with Wilma, Barney, and Betty. Fred, as Hi Fye, was a hit until Wilma and Betty tired of road life and told teenagers the truth, that Fred was actually a square. As the series progressed, however, his voice became worse and worse, eventually to the point that his housekeeper quit rather than having to hear Fred sing.

Due to his impulsive and short-tempered behavior and stubborn and naive nature, Fred seems to be accident-prone. Even his most innocent and mundane actions often cause widespread confusion.

According to the episode "The Birthday Party" (origianlly aired April 5, 1963), Fred's birthday is February 2.

Positive Qualities
Despite his apparently anti-social character, Fred's actions are shown to be usually free of any malice. And, although he almost constantly shouts and irritates the people around him, Fred proves to be a friendly person; often going out of his way to help someone.

Although Fred often annoys Wilma with his immaturity, he is known to go to great lengths to please his family or apologize when he goes too far.

TV appearances
The Flintstones (1960–1966)

The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show (1971–1972)

The Flintstone Comedy Hour (1972–1973)

Fred Flintstone and Friends (1977–1978)

The New Fred and Barney Show (1979)

Fred and Barney Meet the Thing (1979)

Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo (1979–1980)

The Flintstone Comedy Show (1980–1982)

The Flintstone Funnies (1982–1984)

The Flintstone Kids (1986–1988)

Movie appearances
The Man Called Flintstone (1966)

The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones (1987)

I Yabba-Dabba Do! (1993)

Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby (1993)

The Flintstones (1994)

A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)

The Flintstones: On the Rocks (2001)

TV special appearances
A Flintstone Christmas (1977)

The Flintstones: Little Big League (1978)

The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone (1979)

The Flintstones' New Neighbors (1980)

The Flintstones: Fred's Final Fling (1980)

The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma (1981)

The Flintstones: Jogging Fever (1981)

The Flintstones' 25th Anniversary Celebration (1986)

The Flintstone Kids' "Just Say No" Special (1988)

Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration (1989)

A Flintstone Family Christmas (1993)