A Flintstone Family Christmas is the third Christmas television special based on the Hanna-Barbera animated television series The Flintstones (and the last Flintstones Christmas special in chronological order). It originally aired on ABC on December 19, 1993, and later aired in annual reruns on Cartoon Network and Boomerang.
This special and The Town Santa Forgot were both nominated for the 1994 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less). However, it lost to The Roman City.
Synopsis
Fred gets into the Christmas spirit by hanging up decorations and being all-together joyful while awaiting his daughter Pebbles, her husband Bamm-Bamm and their twin children, Roxy and Chip, to come visit for Christmas (this special takes place after the events of the film Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby, indicating that it is also the final Flintstones story in chronological order). After learning that they will arrive at 4:00 PM, Fred and Barney leave to get their turkeysaurus for dinner. However, on the way back home they are mugged by a street corner Santa. Fred hands over his wallet and watch and orders Barney to give him the bird, but while tossing the turkeysaurus the Santa "breaks" in half. Seizing the opportunity, the two run away from the mugger.
Fred with Stoney.
When Fred and Barney get to the police station, they identify the thief, who turns out to be a "caveless" abandoned child named Stoney. According to the social worker, Stella Stalactite, Stoney used to be the horror of numerous foster homes because of his stealing habits. Feeling sympathy for Stoney, Wilma decides to adopt him, despite Fred's initial reluctance. They try to show Stoney that they trust him and attempt to teach him that stealing is wrong.
However, things get slightly bleaker when Pebbles and her family get stuck in an airport because of a blizzard. The Rubbles and The Flintstones then go Christmas tree shopping, but can't afford any that aren't "smaller than their grandchildren". Stoney attempts to help by convincing people to bet on him as he plays a game in order to earn enough money for the Flintstones to buy the tree. When a man loses, he chases Stoney, who runs for cover near Fred. The man claims that Stoney cheated him, and Fred asks the boy if this is true. Stoney then truthfully replies "yes", and when Fred believes him, he gets hit in the head with a tree by the man.
When Fred goes to the hospital, his boss, Mr. Slate, informs him that he can't participate in the Christmas parade (which is something Fred has been quite eager to do since the beginning of the special) due to his accident, and when he tries to protest, Mr. Slate finalizes his "no". To make it up to Fred, Stoney poses as Mr. Slate's driver and locks him up in the Flintstones' bathroom, which he thinks will allow Fred to participate in the parade. Instead, Fred saves his boss but ends up in jail, sharing a cell with Stoney. Although he is initially angry with the boy for putting him in this predicament, Fred eventually finds himself bonding with Stoney. However, Stella eventually comes and, believing things did not work out, takes Stoney away, but not before he leaves a gift for Fred behind.
Meanwhile, Mr. Slate, seeing that Fred seems to have healed from his injury, allows him to participate to the parade. At the parade, Wilma and the Rubbles inform Fred that Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm have managed to get out of the airport and will be arriving soon, but Fred is saddened about Stoney being taken away now that he's finally realized he wasn't such a bad kid. After looking at the gift Stoney left for him, Fred takes control of the sleigh he is riding and retrieves Stoney, telling Stella that "Stoney's got a home for the holidays!"
"Welcome to the Flintstone family, Stoney."
Later, at the Flintstone residence, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm sing Christmas carols with their folks, and Stoney bonds with Chip and Roxy. Fred says that it is now time for the newest member of the family gets to put the star on the Christmas tree. Stoney thinks Fred is referring to Roxy and Chip, but it turns out it is him, because he's being adopted into the Flintstone family. Bamm-Bamm helps him put the star and they all have a happy Christmas.
Notes
- Fred's favorite Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Stone-Age Life, is an obvious parody of It's a Wonderful Life.
Availability
Along with the original Flintstones Christmas episode, the special was featured on The Flintstones: Christmas in Bedrock VHS, released by Turner Home Entertainment as part of their Cartoon Network Christmas video series in 1996. To date, the special's only DVD release was on Warner Archive's A Flintstone Christmas Collection manufacture-on-demand DVD, which also includes A Flintstone Christmas.
September 24, 1996
September 27, 2011
Cast
The cover to the storybook adaptation.
| Voice actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Henry Corden | Fred Flintstone |
| Jean Vander Pyl | Wilma Flintstone |
| Frank Welker | Barney Rubble Dino |
| B.J. Ward | Betty Rubble |
| John Stephenson | Mr. Slate |
| Christine Cavanaugh | Stoney |
| Megan Mullally | Pebbles Flintstone-Rubble |
| Didi Conn | Stella Stalactite |
| Charlie Adler Hamilton Camp Nick Jameson Robert Ridgely Kath Soucie Alan Young |
Additional voices |
Note: Bamm-Bamm Rubble appears, but does not have a speaking part.
See also
External links
- A Flintstone Family Christmas at the Internet Movie Database
- A Flintstone Family Christmas at the Big Cartoon DataBase