The Flintstones' 50th anniversary - 15 things you don't know + 10 wackiest Bedrock Inventions

15 things we bet you don't know about the cult children's cartoon

1) The Flintstones was originally aimed at an adult audience and the first two seasons were co-sponsored by Winston cigarettes. But by the third season it was being written for children and was sponsored by Welch’s, who produced grape juice and jellies.
 
2) The show's famous theme tune, "Meet The Flintstones", was not used until the third series. The musical theme for the first two seasons was called “Rise and Shine”.

3) Fred and Wilma Flintstone were the first couple to be shown in bed together on prime-time television when the show first aired on ABC between 1960 and 1966.

4) Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble fronted a TV advertising campaign for Wintston cigarettes - a move that would be unthinkable for children's television characters today.

5) Many critics believe that the show was a Stone Age parody of the 1950s US TV sitcom, The Honeymooners, which featured two newlywed couples living in New York. One of the show's creators, William Hanna, once confirmed the rumour, but his co-creator Joseph Barbera maintained that it was a myth.

6) William Hanna, the co-creator of The Flintstones, also produced the hit children's TV shows Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo and Yo Yogi.

7) The Flintstones held the coveted title of the longest-running prime-time TV cartoon before The Simpsons took on the mantel.

8) The 1959 unaired pilot episode was called "The Flagstones". “The Gladstones” was also mooted before The Flintstones was finally decided on.

9) The series was set in the town of Bedrock, although in some early episodes it was referred to as Rockville.

10) The furniture in the Flintstones’ house changed in almost every episode.

11) The family's barking pet dinosaur, Dino, changed colours throughout the programme. Its main colour was purple.

12) The cartoon was originally aired in black and white.

13) The Flintstones was home to several major-league sports teams. The Bedrock Giants, Bedrock Dodgers and the Green Bay Pachyderms all appeared on the show.

14) Several popular celebrities took residence in the showbiz quarter of Bedrock - Hollyrock.Cary Granite, Alvin Brickrock and Stony Curtis were the biggest stars. Mick Jadestone and the Rolling Boulders were Fred and Barney's favourite band.

15) There are several Flintstones theme parks in the US, including Flintstones Bedrock City in South Dakota and Flintstones Bedrock Town in Arizon

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10 wackiest Bedrock Inventions

Fred's pedal car

The wheels on Fred's car are replaced by cylindrical bounders held together by treetrunks, and the vehicle is propelled by the driver's feet. A canopy strung together by twigs shelters the passengers from rain. Fred tells the Professor that he drives his car on the "Tyrannosaurus Rexpressway" which is "It's bumper-to-bumper at rush hour".

The Bedrock Express

The Flintstones show Professor Einstone a film of the Bedrock train service - whose rock carriages are drawn along by a dinosaur. "I don't mean to derail you Professor, but we call that a train," says Wilma. "I think I'm on the right track now Mrs Flintstone," he replies.

The dino-crane

Fred explains how his job in the quarry is made much easier by the dino-crane. He sits astride the dinosaur, who clamps the rocks between its jaws, and hauls the cargo up using a rope attached to the creature's neck. "But Fred, that dinosaur seems to be the brains of the operation," says the Professor.

The elephant water cooler

Fred longs to leave the quarry for the relative luxury of an office job. He dreams of drinking from the water cooler - in this case an elephant perched on an ice-box which squirts ice water out of its trunk. He also imagines the thrill of using an intercom - a parrot which flies through a rock pipe connecting two offices delivering messages.

The elephant tap

Betty and Wilma tell the Professor that they don't have time to get jobs of their own because they are too busy being "domestic engineers". They show him the sink where they wash the dishes at home - complete with a state-of the-art elephant water tap. "Sheesh, you girls make it sound like housework is tough," says Fred. "What about all those great gadgets you got to help ya?"

The elephant vacuum cleaner

The Professor is shown the latest household mod con - the elephant vacuum cleaner. This contraption is comprised of a small elephant perched on a trolley, hoovering the carpet with its trunk. The only hitch is that the animal is prone to sneezing, thus undoing all its own good work.

The warthog garbage grinder

Fred and Barney proudly show the professor their state-of-the-art garbage grinder. Rubbish thrown down the trash shoot is gobbled up by the warthog waiting below. "Incredible. Housework certainly does seem a lot easier these days," says the Professor.

The octopus dishwasher

Betty and Wilma are delighted with their Octopus dishwasher, which washes and dries eight dishes at a time using its tentacles. "So you see professor. With all these wacky inventions, housework is easy" says Fred.

The lobster lawn mower

The men are determined to prove that their chores are the hardest. "Oh come on professor," says Barney. "Everyone knows that the toughest work around the house ain't inside. Its outside". To illustrate, he shows off his brand new lawnmower - a lobster on a trolley attached to a pole that clips the grass with its pincers as he pushes it along.

The bird-powered cinematograph

The Stone Age film projector on which the wacky inventions are shown is powered by a small bird that runs on a cog to spin the reels. The reels themselves are made of rock and held together by branches. The contraption doubles up as a treadmill. "Oh well. I guess this is one way to burn off calories," the bird says.