| Wilma Flintstone | |
|---|---|
| The Flintstones character | |
 | |
| First appearance | "The Flagstones" (1959) |
| Created by | William Hanna Joseph Barbera |
| Voiced by | Jean Vander Pyl (1959–1997) B. J. Baker (1962) Julie McWhirter/Elizabeth Lyn Fraser (The Flintstone Kids) Tress MacNeille (2000–present) Amy Sedaris (Bedrock) |
| Portrayed by | Elizabeth Perkins (1994film) Kristen Johnston (2000film) |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Wilma Anna Flintstone (née Slaghoople) |
| Species | Cavewoman |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Housewife Newspaper reporter[1] Caterer[2] |
| Family | Pearl Slaghoople (mother) Ricky Slaghoople (father)[3] Mica Slaghoople (sister)[3] Mickey Slaghoople (sister)[3] Jerry Slaghoople (brother)[4] Roxy Rubble (granddaughter)[5] Chip Rubble (grandson)[5] Bamm-Bamm Rubble (son-in-law) |
| Spouse | Fred Flintstone (husband) |
| Children | Pebbles Flintstone (daughter) Stoney Flintstone (adoptive son)[6] |
Wilma Flintstone is a fictional character in the televisionanimated seriesThe Flintstones. Wilma is married toFred Flintstone, daughter ofPearl Slaghoople, and mother ofPebbles Flintstone. Her best friend is her next door neighbor,Betty Rubble.[7]
Wilma's personality is based on that ofAlice Kramden, married toRalph Kramden on the 1950s television seriesThe Honeymooners. Much like Alice, Wilma plays the strong-willed, level-headed person in her marriage, often criticizing Fred for pursuing his various ill-fated schemes. Wilma is often the one to bail out Fred when one of his schemes lands him in trouble or brings up the problem.
Similar to Fred Flintstone's family, Wilma came from "Arkanstone". As a young adult, Wilma worked with Betty as acigarette girl/waitress at a resort. There, they first met and fell in love with their future husbands, Fred and Barney, who were working there asbellhops.[8]
Wilma and Fred eventually married, and Wilma became ahomemaker, keeping house with such prehistoric aids as a babyelephantvacuum cleaner andpelicanwashing machine. Wilma is a good cook; one of her specialties is "gravelberry pie", the recipe for which she eventually sold to the "Safestone" supermarket chain.[9] Wilma also enjoys volunteering for various charitable and women's organizations in Bedrock, shopping, and occasionally getting to meet the celebrities of their world, includingStony Curtis,[10]Rock Quarry,[11] andJimmy Darrock.[12] Despite her petite appearance Wilma is quite capable of causing havoc when angry, at times knocking a prizefighter out with one blow,[13] knocking out crooks with her stone purse[14] or striking Fred Flintstone with a club[15] or a frying pan.[16]Wilma is a truly modest woman however her obvious beauty and attractiveness has been referenced from time to time, especially in the season 2 episode "The Beauty Contest", where she and Betty entered a beauty contest.
In the original series' third season, Wilma becomes pregnant and gives birth to the couple's only child, Pebbles.
When Pebbles is a teenager, Wilma gains employment as areporter for one of Bedrock'snewspapers, theDaily Granite (a spoof of theDaily Planet ofSuperman fame), under editor Lou Granite (a parody ofThe Mary Tyler Moore Show'sLou Grant). While employed there, Wilma shares various adventures with prehistoricsuperheroCaptain Caveman, who, in asecret identity, also works for the newspaper.[1]
Later still, after Pebbles grows up and leaves home, Wilma starts a successful catering business with her neighbor and friend Betty, before becoming agrandmother to Pebbles' twin children, Chip and Roxy.[5]
Wilma's maiden name is the subject of acontinuity error. Several early episodes in the original series clearly stated Wilma's maiden name was "Pebble". In the second-season episode "The Entertainer", Wilma's old friend Greta Gravel remembers her as "Wilma Pebble", and in the third-season episode "Dial S for Suspicion", one of Wilma's old boyfriends calls her "Wilma Pebble".
However, later episodes and spin-offs say her maiden name is "Slaghoople", based on the name of Wilma's mother in the original series, Pearl Slaghoople.Flintstones writer Earl Kress said: "Unfortunately, it's just as simple as [Hanna-Barbera] not caring about the continuity."[17]
Jean Vander Pyl was the original voice artist of Wilma and played the role until her death in 1999,[18] after whichTress MacNeille took over as Wilma's voice.
InThe Flintstone Kids, Wilma was voiced byJulie McWhirter Dees and Elizabeth Lyn Frasier at different points.
In the live-action filmThe Flintstones, Wilma was played byElizabeth Perkins. Vander Pyl made a cameo at Fred's surprise party (in the conga line behindDino). In the prequel filmThe Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, Wilma was played byKristen Johnston.
In the scrapped seriesBedrock, Wilma was going to be voiced byAmy Sedaris.[19][20]
This was specifically created for a late 1966 Busch sales meeting (previewing Busch's 1967 ad campaign), and never seen by the general public. Jean Vander Pyl was unavailable to record the soundtrack, so Gerry Johnson doubled as Wilma's AND Betty's voices. Gerald Mohr is the narrator.
Also agree about Jean Vander Pyl, it's not a matter of being snide and nasal. Probably the most skillful "cover" I recall from records is the Peter Pan one — not the later "Even Steven/Primeval" LP (that isn't even written to character), but the 1972 LP with four stories including one focusing on Wilma. My guess is it is Corinne Orr.
When asked to sing again, Deborah provided the speaking and singing voice for Wilma Flintstone in an online Fruity Pebbles campaign, "Bedrock Superstar."
