Mr. TV: Fiftysomethings

I’d be remiss if I didn’t devote this column to the half-century birthday of two legendary comedies: animated The Flintstones, which debuted on Sept. 30, 1960, and feel-good The Andy Griffith Show, which kicked off three nights later (and exactly 50 years to this day). These two classics have successfully stood the test of time. But let me see if I can offer you a tidbit or two about them that you might not know.Always compared to The Honeymooners (which Jackie Gleason was none too pleased about), The Flintstones was the first animated series in prime time and the first that actually told a story in a full half-hour format. It also featured the first animated couple (Fred and Wilma) sharing a bed together. The pilot was originally called The Flagstones but had to be changed because of similarly named characters in the comic strip Hi and Lois. The show it led into in its first two seasons on ABC was the ultracool 77 Sunset Strip. Opposite The Flintstones on NBC from 1960-63: action/adventure Route 66.If the voice of Betty Rubble happened to sound familiar, Petticoat Junction’s Bea Benaderet was the woman behind it. Carol Burnett sidekick Harvey Korman voiced the Great Gazoo, who joined the show on a recurring basis in season six.While The Simpsons now holds the record as the longest running animated sitcom (followed now by King of the Hill and Family Guy), The Flintstones spun-off more series (all airing on Saturday mornings, such as The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show) than any other series in the history of television. The series has remarkable staying power. In fact, as I looked up for a second while putting the finishing touches on this column, I noticed my 8-year-old daughter Morgan walk by with a bowl of, you guessed it, Fruity Pebbles. Switching channels over to Mayberry, the characters of Andy and Barney on The Andy Griffith Show were first introduced in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show. Thomas and company, it seems, blew past a stop sign in Mayberry while passing through and small town justice needed to be served. And, in an interesting link to aforementioned Petticoat Junction, the town drunk was played in this episode by Frank Cady, who was the store keeper Sam Drucker in PJ. Cady, by the way, is alive and well at 95. In order to give the series a much needed center, Andy Griffith quickly morphed from a smiling country sheriff to the sensible voice of reason. Don Knotts won five Emmy Awards in the supporting comedy category for his portrayal of shaky Barney Fife (including two when he was no longer a series regular), while Frances Bavier as Aunt Bee took home one statuette. Keith Thibodeaux (aka I Love Lucy’s Little Ricky) played one of Opie’s friends in a few episodes. Despite topping the charts in its final season, Andy Griffith ended (the only other show to end at No. 1 was I Love Lucy) and Mayberry R.F.D. was born in the fall of 1968. Like the first spinoff, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Mayberry R.F.D. was a ratings success, but three years into its run (and still a top 20 series), CBS decided to rid its line-up of anything of a rural nature. By that time, Andy married Helen, and Opie had a half-brother, Andrew Samuel Taylor Jr.When I was recently asked by the CBS Evening News why The Flintstones has held up so well over time, the answer I gave is true of both series. While obviously very different shows, they share humor and warmth, with very relatable characters and situations. We rooted for the occupants of Bedrock and Mayberry and came to consider them friends and extended members of our family. After a tough day at work or school, both shows were, and still are, a great way to ease away from the hassles and heartaches of everyday life. No matter how trendy or inventive network execs try to be, I really miss the sensibility that put these shows on the air and made them hits.I bet you do too.

Convergent TV

Mr. TV: Fiftysomethings

Marc Berman

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Marc Berman