Bea Benaderet left the Flintstones because of her hectic schedule with Petticoat Junction and Loony Toons. Yes she did find out she lad lung cancer but she was treat and deemed to be cancer free until 1967 when she was diagnosed a 2nd time and the cancer had come back and this time it took Bea's life on October 13th 1968.
The character of Hedda Rocker, complete with the crazy hat, is a spoof of actress turned real-life gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.
The plot recycles the premise and many of the same plot elements of Job Switching (1952) (with the famous chocolate dipping assembly line scene), especially with the domestic disasters on Fred's end: scorched clothes while ironing, a fallen cake, and overflowing rice on the stove.