Barney Rubble, a fictional character in the popular television animated series The Flintstones, is the blonde-haired caveman husband of Betty Rubble and adoptive father of Bamm-Bamm Rubble. His best friends were his next door neighbors, Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Barney lived in the fictional prehistoric city of Bedrock, a world where dinosaurs coexisted with cavepeople and the cavepeople enjoyed "primitive" versions of modern conveniences such as telephones, automobiles and washing machines.

Barney's personality was based on that of Ed Norton on the 1950s television series The Honeymooners. As such, Barney tended to be much more jovial minded and easy-going than his friend Fred. While the two sometimes argued, Barney usually (though often reluctantly) supported whatever scheme Fred had in mind, with often disastrous results.

Barney's interests included bowling, playing pool, poker, tinkering around the house, and playing golf. He, like Fred, was also a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffalos lodge.

Biography

While the mid-1980s spinoff series The Flintstone Kids depicts Barney as a child, the series seems to be mostly apocryphal due to its presenting Barney as a childhood friend of Wilma and Betty (vs. the original series' assertion that they first met as young adults). Still, the series' assertions that Barney had at least one younger brother, Dusty, was a childhood friend of Fred, and was the son of artist Flo Rubble and car dealer Robert "Honest Bob" Rubble might be taken as valid. The original series also suggested in one episode that Barney was the nephew of Fred's boss, Mr. Slate, though subsequent episodes and spinoffs don't seem to support this claim.

As young adults, Barney and Fred worked as bellhops at a resort, where they first met Wilma and Betty. Eventually, Barney married Betty (as Fred did Wilma).

Several episodes and spinoffs suggest that Barney, along with Fred, spent some time in the army early in their marriages.

While the subject of Barney's occupation (or where he even worked) was never given during the original series, subsequent spinoffs suggest Barney went to work at the Slate Rock and Gravel Company quarry alongside Fred, at some point after the original series' episodes take place.

Around the fourth season of the original series, Betty and Barney found an abandoned infant on their doorstep, by the name of "Bamm-Bamm." After a court battle (with the opposing side, a wealthy man who also had wanted to adopt Bamm-Bamm, having hired noted prehistoric lawyer "Perry Masonary)," the two were allowed to adopt Bamm-Bamm.

When Bamm-Bamm was a teenager, Barney joined Fred as part-time police officers for Bedrock's police force, where they were partnered with the Shmoo (of Lil Abner fame).

Later still, Barney became a grandfather when a married Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles had twin children, Chip and Roxy.

Trivia

• Barney, along with Fred, appear as pitchmen for Fruity and Coca Pebbles cereals. There, Barney usually tries to trick Fred out of said cereal through various tactics, usually via a disguise.

• Barney Gumble of The Simpsons is meant to be a homage to Barney Rubble.

• Until his death, voice artist Mel Blanc was the voice of Barney Rubble.

External links

• Webrock - The Flintstones and Hanna Barbera Page