Barney Rubble

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Barney Rubble
Barney Rubble.png
Species Human
Gender Male
Affiliation Fred Flintstone
Wilma Flintstone
Hoppy
Great Gazoo
Mr. Slate's quarry
Occupation Quarry worker
Police officer in The Flintstone Comedy Show
Goals Follow Fred on his schemes
Father Bob Rubble
Mother Flo Rubble
Sibling(s) One brother, Dusty, in The Flintstone Kids
Other relative(s) Daughter-in-law, Pebbles Flintstone
Marital status Husband to Betty Rubble
Children One son, Bamm-Bamm
Grandchildren Roxy and Chip Rubble
First appearance TF: "The Flintstone Flyer" (1960)
Played by Daws Butler (1960, pilot pitch, 1961)
Mel Blanc (1960-89)
Hamilton Camp (1986-88)
Frank Welker (since 1990)
Rick Moranis (1994)
Stephen Baldwin (2000)
Kevin Michael Richardson (since 2000)
Paul F. Tompkins (2022)
TFK Barney.png
The Flintstone Kids
90s Barney.png
I Yabba-Dabba Do!
Moranis Barney.png
The Flintstones
Baldwin Barney.png
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
DC Barney.png
The Flintstones
YDD Barney.png
Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs

Bernard "Barney" Rubble is a caveman and the secondary character of the Flintstones animated franchise. He is the husband of Betty, and the best friend and next-door neighbor of Fred Flintstone. He is usually accompanied by Fred, assisting him with his numerous schemes that usually end up backfiring the two. His voice was originated by Mel Blanc (not counting Daws Butler in the pilot pitch).

In the beginning, Barney's source of income was something of a mystery, although he was shown to be unable to hold a permanent job. In later incarnations, Barney was given the same job as Fred, working as a construction worker for Mr. Slate.

Unable to conceive children, Barney and Betty adopted an infant son, Bamm-Bamm.

Character description

“ 2,500 people in Bedrock, and I had to pick this pebblebrain for a neighbor.
― Fred Flintstone, The Flintstones, "The Flintstone Flyer" (1960) 		”

Barney is a short caveman with a beard stubble, blonde hair, and slightly thick eyebrows. His eyes are depicted as either two dark circular outlines (as seen in seasons 1-5 of The Flintstones) or two black dots (as in the show's 6th season and some subsequent media). He usually wears a ragged, brown loincloth with an X-shaped string in front of it.

As a friend of Fred Flintstone, Barney spends most of his days getting caught up in his constant get-rich schemes, but is somewhat oblivious of the current situation. When Fred hatches a plan, Barney would usually showed his agreement by laughing and saying, "Uh hee hee hee... Okay, Fred." or "Hee hee hee... whatever you say, Fred." He is generally good-natured and jovial, and likes to crack up a little joke on his best pal (namely his weight). Barney is more good-natured than Fred is, and isn't usually prone to be as emotional as him. Although Fred and Barney are considered best pals, there would be times when the latter loses his patience with Fred on occasion. An example would be in the season one episode "The Swimming Pool," where they have a feud over a pool they built in their backyards.

While a lot of Fred's schemes land Barney in trouble with his wife Betty, the latter is a very devoted husband of the Rubble family. When he is inside of his house, he usually spends his time taking good care of both Betty and his adoptive son Bamm-Bamm.

Barney's interests include bowling, playing pool, poker, and golf. He is also a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes, a private club of which he and Fred hang out. Furthermore, he is shown to be a talented pianist and drummer at times.

The subject of Barney's occupation (or lack thereof) was never explained in the original show, though it is implied that he didn't have a permanent one to begin with. Subsequent spin-offs suggest that he worked at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company along with Fred; possibly in an office role. The first instance of him working for Mr. Slate was in the 1970s TV specials and in The New Fred and Barney Show. During Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm's teen years, both he and Fred were briefly part-time officers for the Bedrock Police force, as seen in The Flintstone Comedy Show.

Appearances

TV series

Movies

Specials

Shorts

Comics

Books

Video games

Theme park rides

Biography

Highs and Lows

Not much of Barney's life growing up is known within the original series. But what is known was that in the episode "Feudin' and Fussin'", he had known Fred as his friend since infancy. They would go together on strolls as babies and even being on the same sports teams together back in their high school days, all the while getting into constant shenanigans.

Barney and Fred would first meet their future wives Betty and Wilma in their teen years, at the Honeyrock Hotel in the episode "Bachelor Daze" (although the previous episode "Fred Strikes Out" implies they may have met before then, likely a part of retroactive continuity). Fred and Barney had previously worked at bellboys of a fancy hotel, until they discover the two girls (who also worked at the hotel as maids), but due to a misunderstanding when both parties were sitting in the rich guests' cars, each pair of friends thought the other was rich.

The two parties, who they have discovered through first love, were too afraid to pursue their relationships further out of fear that they would be exposed as lowly hotel workers. The girls had fallen in love with the two men, but were afraid to tell them the truth, believing Fred and Barney would dump them otherwise.

Soon after, their boss, Mr. Stonyface, revealed the truth to the two of them while they danced at the masquerade ball, and were all fired and seemingly the end of their summer flings. This catches the attention of Wilma's mother, Mrs. Slaghoople, had visited to see Wilma's supposed rich boyfriend took them home the next day, but was mad at Fred after she discovered the truth about him. Fred, however, seemed to make amends with her and the couples by acting as the wheels to her car.

Afterwards, Barney and Betty were formally proposed to one another some time after Fred married to Wilma, most likely a few years after they first met.

Fred and Barney on the Laff-A-Lympics

Celebrating another 50 years! 50 years of fun!

Barney Sells Out

Barney appears alongside Fred in pirate form in the Duck Dodgers episode "Shiver Me Dodgers".

Barney in the Funny Books

Development

Barney's personality was based on Ed Norton, a main character portrayed by Art Carney in the 1955 sitcom The Honeymooners. Like Barney, Norton is a care-free person who follows orders from his neighbor and best friend, Ralph Kramden (who was the basis for Fred Flintstone), and would occasionally pull out a snarky remark to Ralph in exchange for his loudmouthed comments.

In the first season of The Flintstones, Barney (as voiced by Mel Blanc) originally had a nasally New Jersey accent, but soon dropped it in favor of a deeper one. His early vocalization eventually returned in the 2001 movie The Flintstones: On the Rocks, as voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.

Gallery

Main article: Barney Rubble/Gallery

Toys and merchandise

Main article: Barney Rubble/Toys

Behind the scenes

  • While Mel Blanc was recovering from a near-fatal car accident in 1961, Daws Butler (who previously voiced Barney in the pilot pitch) briefly stepped in his place for a few season two episodes. Mel resumed the role shortly thereafter until 1989.

In popular culture

WARNING: The following section contains content that may be seen as mature or offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
  • In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode "Knowledge Is Power," Will criticizes Geoffrey while he dances to "The Thieving Magpie," by saying that if he wore a Barney bobblehead it would be like watching The Flintstones on Ice.
  • In the Married... with Children episode "Married... with Prom Queen: Part 1," according to Al, Barney Rubble wasn't much but at least he was supportive, which is what Steve isn't being to Al.
  • In the intro of the Tiny Toons Adventures special Tiny Toons' Night Ghoulery, Hamton is dressed like Barney during the lyrics, "At Acme Looniversity we earn our toon degree."
  • In The Ren and Stimpy Show episode "The Scotsman in Space," Haggis MacHaggis has a seizure after seeing that his eggs were overdone and does Barney's distinctive laugh before dying.
  • In "Episode 11" (season 5) of Heartbreak High, Mr. Bailey discovered that one of the students had signed the fake name of Barney Rubble for the clean-up volunteer work.
  • In the Sabrina the Teenage Witch episode "The Competition," Hilda taught Amanda an incantation by saying "Double, double, boil and trouble. Dress the cat-like Barney Rubble." A generic cloth then proceeded to magically appear around Salem, who then remarked that he looked better than John Goodman, who actually played Fred, not Barney, as Barney was played by Rick Moranis.
  • In the According to Jim episode "The Hunters," Jim believes he is a natural born hunter, a caveman even, which is probably why Dana calls him and her brother Fred and Barney when they succeed after their hunting trip to prove themselves.
  • In the film Son of the Mask, baby Alvery switches the TV onto this episode, with a couple of scenes included. The first one is when Fred is knocked in the stomach with an extended plunger while he and Barney hold signs of their kids. When the camera moves away from the TV, Barney's voice can also be heard in the background.
  • In the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode "One Hundred," Frylock becomes Fryboy in a Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! parody, but his face was transformed to resemble Barney's.
  • In the Mad episode "2012 Dalmatians/Grey's in Anime," the skit "2012 Dalmatians" had Fred and Barney make cameos as caveman bones in the Museum of Natural Mystery.
  • On the January 16, 2023 episode of Good Morning America, anchor Robin Roberts made a light hearted jab towards colleague Sam Champion's new hairstyle, which she compared to Barney's.
  • In the sixth episode of Jeopardy! UK (2024), the question in the category of "Partners in Rhyme" for £200 was, "One was an American astronomer who gave his name to a major space telescope and the other is Fred Flintstone's best friend." The answer was "Edwin Hubble and Barney Rubble."
  • Hamton as Barney.png
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  • Jeopardy UK Flintstones question.png

Drawn Together

Main article: Drawn Together
  • "Lost in Parking Space Part Two:" While Fred is being brutally tortured at Hot Topic, he cries out for Barney to help him.
  • The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!: Toot travels to Bedrock where she has an affair with Barney which leads to her conceiving Bamm-Bamm, who she gives birth to later. Barney breaks things off with Toot after he works things out with Betty.

Family Guy

Main article: Family Guy
  • "Peter's Got Woods:" When Brian is busy on another date with his new girlfriend, Peter tries to replace him with Barney. We then see Peter at the Rubbles', where he is waiting for Barney to finish in the toilet, so they can go play darts. Barney is using a pelican as a toilet, who makes a joke about his predicament. A sheep later made a similar joke after hearing Meg was on her period. MacFarlane voices Barney.
  • "Believe It or Not, Joe's Walking on Air:" Fred and Barney attend the inaugural ball of the Quahog Men's Club, where Fred reveals to Barney that he accidentally caught sight of Betty undressing, who say Fred, but continued anyway, giving way to Fred's e-rock-tion. Bergman voices both Fred and Barney.

  • You think you have a crap job.

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References

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