While hunting through the Flintstones comics for September 1962, I came across a neat little story from the local paper in Murphysboro, Illinois, home of the annual Apple Festival. Someone made a Flintstones car that won first prize in the Kiddie Parade down ten blocks of Walnut Street. The photocopy of the photo isn’t the best but you can see how it’s foot-powered. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t say who made the car.People who’ve seen The Flintstones may not love Gazoo or that wretched Sunshine song, but they love Fred’s car. It made Time Magazine’s list of Top 10 Fictional Cars. In fact, it’s not really so fictional. People have built them. Last year, we had pictures of one on the blog.
This past summer, a German man who constructed a Flintmobile was told he couldn’t drive it on the country’s highways (see photo to the left).We don’t know whether young Alan Schumaker still has his kid car. But if he doesn’t, there’s a place on-line to go to learn how to put one together. Click here for diagrams and stuff.
That’s right. You can hand-craft it. In your very own shop. Talk about an idea from the Stone Age.
Man you have a lot of hate towards nothing.
ReplyDeleteNice one, Anonymous. NOT. Just because Yowp doesn't like the Gazoo character (me either), and that sad episode with the babies singing, where's "a lot of hate towards nothing?" Or did Yowp use invisible blogging?
ReplyDeleteRadioWizard
Wizard of Radio, I'll probably wind up getting flamed higher than Wilma or her mother's blood at Fred, but I like the Gazoo (not the classic of the series, of coruse-the earliest seasons are the best...) and the Sunshine Babies are a guilty pleasure of mine, but, Anonymous, I still understand why they're not the entire favorites. The sixth season has some funny stuff but is generally the least of them. "Shinrock a Go Go" which is even more sadistic despite the musical moments and some humor from Fred's pain-means-gain of fame situation, is generally a least favorite of mine and that same season had the most insipid and inane one in my humble opnion, that Bewitched crossover "Sammantha."
DeleteBut the point, as Yowp, said, is everyone wants Fred's car. Regardless of how many doors it had.:)(I love how, despite the apparent lack of doors, in that 1962 wedding anniversary episode (Season 3) Fred, with Wilma at the drivein GETS HIS HAND caught in the Flintmobile(r)'s door!)). Now THAT is funny stuff (unlike Season 6's "Shinrock a go go".) (But apologies to RadioWizard and Yowp, I'll have to partly part company on the singing babies and Gazoo episodes..).Steve
Audiences of the day didn't seem too fond of the Gazoo concept, either, or The Flintstones wouldn't have ended up in Saturday morning reruns on NBC the next year. And the package NBC got from Hanna-Barbera, which was basically a 'greatest hits' collection of Flintstones episodes, contained exactly zero episodes with Gazoo (even though I will admit to liking two of them. But only two).
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, the Flintstones' car was featured in a BC Sunday comic strip, wherein one of the caveman characters claimed to have invented the car. He says, "I've just invented the automobile!" and proudly shows off a vehicle that could only belong to the Flintstones. A moment later, the other character takes an incoming call on the tree/phone pole, and he says "That was Hanna and Barbera. They've just invented copyright infringment."
ReplyDeleteJ.Lee:
ReplyDeleteAh....! Thanks. So THAT confirms my memory of the late 60s paclkage..I rememeber ONLY the 1960-1964 ones!Steve.
I love this blog. September 30, 1960 is my birthday, so I guess Fred Flintstone is my twin brother! I have always loved the Flintstones (except for the final season, which was lame at best). The 1st season to me was always the best, especially the first 20 episodes. My favorite, of course, is "The Flintstone Flyer," which has some of the best and most entertaining animation work done on the series by my favorite H-B animator, Carlo Vinci. Thanks a million for the countless hours of pleasure your wonderful stories, pictures, etc., have given all of us early H-B fans, and keep up the excellent work!!!
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