A Flintstone Christmas (1977)

When Santa has an accident at Fred's house on Christmas Eve, Fred and Barney have to continue his run for him.

Directors:

Sid Marcus, Charles A. Nichols

Writers:

Duane Poole (story), Dick Robbins (story)

Stars:

Mel Blanc, Lucille Bliss, Henry Corden

Cast

Cast overview:
Mel Blanc	...	Barney Rubble / Dino (voice)
Lucille Bliss	...	Bamm Bamm Rubble (voice)
Henry Corden	...	Fred Flintstone (voice)
Virginia Gregg	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Gay Autterson	...	Betty Rubble (voice) (as Gay Hartwig)
Don Messick	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Hal Smith	...	Santa Claus (voice)
John Stephenson	...	Mr. Slate (voice)
Jean Vander Pyl	...	Wilma Flintstone / Pebbles Flintstone (voice)

Storyline

On Christmas Eve Day, Fred finally agrees to play Santa Claus for a benefit event. However, those plans have to be put on hold that night when the real Santa Claus sprains his ankle falling off Fred's roof. With no other option, Santa asks Fred and Barney to continue his delivery itinerary for him and they agree to the task. Throughout that night, the pair find the job unusually difficult, but Santa and his support crew are ready to help.

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Plot Keywords:

christmas special | fred flintstone character | barney rubble character | wilma flintstone character | betty rubble character | 

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Genres:

Animation | Family

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Certificate:

TV-G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are older - around preschool to kindergarten age - in this special.

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Goofs

Before Santa lets Fred wear his suit after he gets injured, Fred was wearing the Santa costume that he was supposed to wear to the party. But at the end when Santa got his Suit back, Fred was wearing his regular Clothes.

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Quotes

Barney Rubble: [drops a coin in the collection pot] Ho ho ho, and a Merry Christmas my good man.
Salvation Army Santa: Ho ho ho, and a Merry Christmas to you.
Fred Flintstone: A few more of those ho ho hos and you'll be bro-o-oke for Christmas.
Barney Rubble: Well I just can't say no to Santa Claus.
Fred Flintstone: You know those guys in the red suits aren't the real Santa Claus.
Barney Rubble: I wouldn't say that Fred, he's here, he's there, he's everywhere.

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Connections

Followed by Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby (1993)

User Reviews

We Want Santa! We Want Santa! We Want Santa!

Hey, kids, knock it off. Christmas isn't all about presents, ya know? Who raised you selfish little ruffians?

This would be followed by Casper's First Christmas and the movie Yogi's First Christmas.

They are kind of like a trilogy of poor story characterization, draining the last bits of life out of dead corpses, all to make a quick buck, for whatever it was supposed to do.

Christmas classics like the Rankin Bass offerings? I Don't Think So!! The Flintstones episode when Fred works as the department store Santa then fills in for the real Santa is a gem. It has aged well and is remarkably sincere.

Children should be made happy during the holidays and their love for Santa Claus is natural.

In the '77 Flintstones Christmas, the kids rant and rave for Santa and those presents like drunks on the weekend in a bar wanting a stripper.

Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are now small kids, not quite teens.

Mr. Slate: "If Flintstone doesn't get here in five minutes, he's fired!"

Wilma: "Ohhhh, that Fred! Wait till I get my hands on him!" This is the plot.

Wilma and Mr. Slate don't gradually get mad at Fred, they turn it on like a faucet.

Where's Fred? Get Mad.

Also worth noting an incredibly weak song that is sung (was it supposed to be Wilma singing?) to Pebbles about having hope. I guess hope that Santa Claus will arrive. Boo Boo Bear sings this same song in the Yogi's First Christmas cartoon. Not rich their either.

There is a much later Christmas special where Fred does the Ebenezer Scrooge bit, which believe it or not, it was just fun seeing the Bedrock gang again.

In the end, that is about where this Christmas special will stand; as a transition from the sixties originality, Flintstones vitamins and Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, to 1970s weak duplication, the movie specials, finally the real life transitions and direct to video.

No harm will be in this cartoon, it may be brainless enough to watch at Christmas, but it could have definitely been stronger.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 December 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Craciunul familiei Flintstone

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hanna-Barbera Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1