Trouble-in-Law

Trouble-in-Law
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Production number	P-56
Network	ABC
Premiere date	March 16, 1962
Starring	Alan Reed Mel Blanc Jean Vander Pyl Bea Benaderet Verna Felton John Stephenson Hal Smith
Music composed by	Hoyt Curtin
Writer(s)	Joanna Lee
Director(s)	William Hanna
Voice director(s)	Joseph Barbera
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"Trouble-in-Law" is the twenty-sixth episode of The Flintstones season two, and the fifty-fourth episode overall. It aired on March 16, 1962 on ABC. It was written by Joanna Lee, and produced and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the creators of the series and the founders of Hanna-Barbera Productions.

Fred's mother-in-law, Pearl Slaghoople, arrives at the Flintstones' house. But when she threatens to make it a permanent arrangement, Fred is desperate to find someone for the widow to marry so that he can have his home back.

Memorable quotes

Fred: Oh, boy, how terrible can you get food?
Pearl: What's the matter, sonny, don't you like the breakfast I cooked for ya?
Fred: I seem to have lost my appetite. What is this stuff, anyway?
Pearl: Health food, sonny. Just what the doctor ordered.
Fred: Then let the doctor eat it!

Characters

Legend
Character debut	Speaking debut	Ep. debut	No lines	Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character	Actor
Fred Flintstone	Alan Reed
Wilma Flintstone	Jean Vander Pyl
Betty Rubble	Bea Benaderet
Barney Rubble	Mel Blanc
Pearl Slaghoople	Verna Felton
Pete	John Stephenson
Chuck	Mel Blanc
Joe	John Stephenson
Melville J. Muchrocks	Hal Smith
Andre	John Stephenson
Dame	Bea Benaderet
Daisy	N/A
Rocko
Train conductor	John Stephenson
Harvey T. Pebble (photo)	N/A

Organizations

• Bronto Moving Co.
• Bedrock Police Department (mentioned)
• Daily Slate (mentioned)

Locations

• Earth
  • United States
    • Bedrock
      • Flintstone residence
      • Rubble residence
      • Golf course
      • Bowling alley
      • Andre's Beauty Salon
      • Rocky Island Amusement Park
      • Restaurant
    • Texas (mentioned)
      • Gold Nugget (mentioned)

Objects

• Daily Slate newspaper

Vehicles

• Flintmobile
• Train

Production

Filming

The cast was recorded on November 6, 1961.

Music

The music was composed by Hoyt Curtin.

Release

Dates are in order of release:

• United States: March 16, 1962 on ABC
• United Kingdom and Ireland:

Behind the scenes

• The character of Melville makes a spiritual return in the third season episode "Baby Barney," now known as Tex Hardock, the rich Texan uncle of Fred.

In other languages

Language	Name	Meaning

Home availability

• In the United States:
  • December 7, 2004: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Second Season on DVD.
  • October 28, 2008: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Series (limited edition) on DVD.
  • November 13, 2012: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Series (standard edition) on DVD.
  • October 3, 2017: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Second Season (Hanna-Barbera Diamond Collection edition) 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 the United Kingdom and Ireland:
  • June 4, 2007: Warner Home Video releases The Flintstones: The Complete Second Season on DVD.