Three decades ago, Fred Flintstone exploded onto the prime-time TV screens of an unsuspecting public, and ''the last of the classic cartoons'' was born. ''The Flintstones'' tickled America's funny bone, touched its heart, and took the world by storm. No other show ever has been so instantly and universally popular: Fred's exultant ''Yabba-Dabba-Doo'' has been heard in more than eighty languages, and Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, the cocreators of the show, proudly proclaim, ''Every hour of every day, someone somewhere in the world is watching 'The Flintstones'.'' Join the creative minds behind Bedrock - including the writers, artists, and actors who provided the voices of everyone's favorite Stone Age family - as they recall the earliest days of the show. From Joe Barbera's weeks of struggle selling the show to its sudden and unexpected cancellation, the history of ''The Flintstones'' is chronicled within these pages. But The Flintstones: A Modern Stone Age Phenomenon presents more than just the original TV series. Riding the wave of the show's popularity were numerous spin-offs, television specials, and two big-screen movies. And while viewers were eagerly awaiting the next installment of prehistoric animation, they could eat, drink, and wear Flintstones merchandise. From grape juice to cigarettes, Fred and Wilma have endorsed and sold it all. Illustrating this definitive examination of ''The Flintstones'' are never-before-published concept sketches, images from the unseen pilot show ''The Flagstones,'' rare cel art, and unique memorabilia. And completing a truly comprehensive account of the show that made television prehistory is an appendix that contains episode descriptions of the original 166 shows - including original air and recording dates, as well as writer, director, and voice actor information.