Barney Rubble
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Bernard "Barney" Rubble, a fictional character in the popular television animated series The Flintstones, is the diminutive 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 cavemen and the cavemen 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, played by Art Carney. 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 in Fred's garage, and playing golf. He, like Fred, was also a member of the Loyal Order of Water Buffalos lodge. He is also a talented pianist and drummer.
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, possibly in some office role. One episode had Fred inadvertently getting him fired, then helping Barney finding work as a repo man who ended up having to repossess Fred's TV set.
Around the fourth season of the original series, Betty and Barney found an abandoned infant on their doorstep, by the name of "Bamm-Bamm." A court battle ensued between Barney and Betty and a wealthy man who also had wanted to adopt Bamm-Bamm, the wealthy man's attorney being the noted prehistoric lawyer "Perry Masonry" (wordplay on Perry Mason). Barney and Betty were successful in their efforts to adopt Bamm-Bamm, after which he became a staple character on the series.
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 Li'l Abner fame).
Later still, Barney became a grandfather when a married Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles had twin children, Chip and Roxy.
Trivia
- Until his death, voice artist Mel Blanc was the voice of Barney Rubble. After that Frank Welker and Kevin Michael Richardson took over. In fall of 2006, it will be expected that he will be voiced by Joe Alaskey.
- In the 1994 live action Flintstones movie, Barney was portrayed by Rick Moranis. In the 2000 sequel, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, he was portrayed by Stephen Baldwin.
- Four-time world champion darts player Raymond van Barneveld, whose nickname is Barney, often wears shirts featuring Barney Rubble during matches.
- Professional poker player "Barmy" Barny Boatman has been known to use a small Barney Rubble statuette as a card protector.
- Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstone appear as pitchmen for Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles breakfast cereals. 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.
- On Dexter's Laboratory, someone who strongly resembles Barney is one of Dexter's father's close friends.
- In the Family Guy episode "Peter's Got Woods", Peter Griffin can be seen visiting Barney, sitting on a pelican toilet ("You think you've got a crap job!"), in one of his "flashbacks".
- Canadian punk rock band Hot Nasties have a song called "Barney Rubble is my Double" and this song has also been covered by another Canadian punk rock band, The Evaporators, on their album Ripple Rock. The song was written by Hot Nasties bass player and singer Warren Kinsella
External links
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