The Flintstone Flyer


 * For the vehicle itself, see Flintstone Flyer.

"The Flintstone Flyer" is the first episode of The Flintstones season one. It aired on September 30, 1960 on ABC. It was written by Michael Maltese, and produced and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the creators of the series and the founders of Hanna-Barbera Productions.

Fred uses Barney's new invention in a scheme for him and Barney to go bowling, instead of going to the opera with their wives.

Memorable quotes
Fred: 2,500 people in Bedrock, and I had to pick this pebblebrain for a neighbor.

Characters

 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Fred Flintstone
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Alan Reed
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Wilma Flintstone
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jean Vander Pyl
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Paper boy
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Jean Vander Pyl
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Barney Rubble
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Mel Blanc
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Betty Rubble
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bea Benaderet
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Opera singer
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Betty Rubble
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Bea Benaderet
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Opera singer
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Opera singer
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable

Locations

 * Earth
 * United States
 * Bedrock
 * Flintstone residence
 * Bowling alley
 * Opera house

Objects

 * Sunday News
 * Coco-nut Koola

Vehicles

 * Flintstone Flyer

Filming
The cast was recorded on February 4, 1960.

Music
The score was composed by Hoyt Curtin.

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: September 30, 1960 on ABC

Behind the scenes

 * Fred mentions that Bedrock has a population of 2,500 people; This number also shows up in the intro of the show's first two seasons.
 * In the bowling alley, there is a human running a Coco-nut Koola machine instead of an animal. No other humans were ever seen operating machines after this episode, since the idea of using animals as technology had already become a regular concept in the show.

Marketing and promotion

 * To mark the 30th anniversary of the episode's debut, in 1996, Archie Comics published a comic book adaptation in The Flintstones #7, as part of their ongoing comic series of The Flintstones.

Home availability

 * In the United States:
 * 1987: Worldvision Home Video releases The Flintstones: The First Episodes: Collector's Edition on VHS.
 * 1989: Hanna-Barbera Home Video releases The Flintstones: The First Episodes (Hanna-Barbera Super Stars edition) on VHS.
 * 1991: Hanna-Barbera Home Video releases The Flintstones: The First Episodes (Flintstones: Anniversary Collection edition) on VHS.
 * 1991: Hanna-Barbera Video releases The Flintstones: The Very First Episode on VHS.
 * 1991: Hanna-Barbera Video releases The Flintstones: The Very First Episode/Jetson's Millions on VHS.
 * March 14, 2000: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: Stone-Age Adventures on VHS.
 * June 8, 2004: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Very First Episode on DVD. The cover is based on this episode.
 * March 16, 2004: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete First Season on DVD.
 * April 26, 2005: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Flintstone Flyer/Hot Lips Hannigan on mini-DVD. The cover is based on this episode.
 * October 28, 2008: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Series (limited edition) on DVD.
 * March 13, 2012: Warner Home Video releases 4 Kids Favorites: The Flintstones Collection on DVD.
 * November 13, 2012: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Series (standard edition) on DVD.
 * May 6, 2014: Warner Home Video releases Fred Flintstone and Friends on DVD.
 * May 23, 2017: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete First Season (Hanna-Barbera Diamond Collection edition) on DVD.
 * December 12, 2017: Warner Home Video releases Hanna-Barbera Diamond Collection 4-Pack on DVD.
 * February 13, 2018: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Series (Hanna-Barbera Diamond Collection edition) on DVD.
 * October 27, 2020: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Series on Blu-ray Disc.
 * In Australia:
 * March 2, 2005: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete First Season on DVD.
 * In the United Kingdom and Ireland:
 * May 13, 1985: The Video Collection releases The Flintstones: The Flintstone Flyer and Hot Lips Hannigan on VHS.
 * November 3, 1986: The Video Collection releases The Flintstones: The Flintstone Flyer and Hot Lips Hannigan on VHS.
 * May 28, 2005: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete First Season: Volume One on DVD.
 * November 7, 2005: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete First Season on DVD.
 * May 28, 2012: Warner Home Video releases Fred Flintstone and Friends on DVD.
 * April 17, 2019: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete First Season (Hanna-Barbera Diamond Collection edition) on DVD.