"A Star is Almost Born" is the seventeenth episode of the second season and the forty-fifth overall episode of the original series, The Flintstones. It aired on January 12, 1962.
Synopsis[]
While shopping in a Bedrock drugstore with Betty, Wilma is discovered by a famous television producer. As a result, Fred borrows money from Barney to pay for acting lessons a quits his job in order to manage his wife's career.
Plot[]
The Showbiz Drug Store in downtown Bedrock is a place where aspiring actors and actress congregate in hope of being discovered by Hollyrock film and television producers. Wilma and Betty decide in fun to eat at Showbiz Drug Store but are informed by an employee there that none of Showbiz' denizens actually order food and no dinners are served. The pair are about to leave the bizarre establishment when Wilma collides with impresario Norman Rockbind, famous producer, director, writer (also cameraman- "Rockbind trusts nobody."). Rockbind is instantly impressed by Wilma's beauty and implores Wilma to come at 3 P.M. on the next Saturday to a rehearsal at the Bedrock television studio for Rockbind's latest television project.
Wilma and Betty believe Rockbind's discovery of Wilma to be a certain route to fame and fortune because all of Rockbind's productions- even the weather reports- win Emmys. Fred is ecstatic when told of Wilma's good fortune and envisions mansions, swimming pools, and a private chef. He entices the Rubbles into financing Wilma's costly ($200) training to be a charming entertainer, by promising to Barney 50% of Wilma's celebrity earnings. He quits his position at the rock quarry and in the process insults Mr. Slate ("Who needs your two-bit job?").
Fred does not at this juncture know what Rockbind's true interest in Wilma is. Come the highly anticipated rehearsal, Rockbind tells Wilma, Fred, and the Rubbles that he wants to use Wilma's hands for his sponsor's lotion advertisements. Fred furiously objects to this in that he expected that "all" of Wilma would be seen in an extensive television programme and removes his wife from the television studio.
Minutes later, in their car, Wilma educates Fred about the opportunities and monetary harvests (as much as fifty thousand dollars per year) of commercial roles, and Fred hurries to telephone Rockbind to apologize for his outburst and ask for another chance for Wilma to serve as Rockbind's lovely hand model, only to learn that another woman was selected to replace Wilma. That woman is Betty! Wilma visits Slate to successfully repair the damage of Fred's overzealous, short-sighted resignation.
Characters[]
- Fred Flintstone
- Wilma Flintstone
- Barney Rubble
- Betty Rubble
- Mr. Slate
- Norman Rockbind (only animated appearance)
- Rocky Rockiano (only appearance, no lines)
- Ignets Rockyorgison (only appearance, no lines)
- Referee (only appearance)
- Cowboy (only appearance)
Locations[]
Bedrock[]
- Flintstone home
- Slate Rock and Gravel Company
- Showbiz Drug Store (only appearance)
- Telephone Booth (only appearance)
- Federal Television Studios (only appearance)
Objects[]
- TV
- Norman Rockbind's business card (only appearance)
- Rock Bell Phone
Animals[]
- Brontosaurus (as a Bronto-Crane)
Vehicles[]
Cast[]
| Alan Reed | Fred Flintstone |
|---|---|
| Jean Vander Pyl | Wilma Flintstone |
| Mel Blanc | Barney Rubble |
| Bea Benaderet | Betty Rubble |
| John Stephenson | Mr. Slate Cowboy Professor Man #2 |
| Frank Nelson | Norman Rockbind |
| Hal Smith | Soda Jerk Referee Announcer |
Notes/Trivia[]
- Wilma's show is taped at Federal Television Studios.
- This episode features the older Mr. Slate. This time, his initials are H.B., a nod to Hanna-Barbera.
Allusions[]
- Rocky Rockiano is a pun and spoof of professional boxer, Rocky Graziano.
- The phrase "the ants in France stay mainly on the plants" is a parody of the song from My Fair Lady, "The Rain in Spain (stays mainly in the plain)."
Errors[]
- Wilma's watch with the loose watch band has a regular clock face with hands but later when Fred looks at his watch at work it has a sundial for the face.
| Season 2 of The Flintstones |
|---|
| "The Hit Songwriters" • "Droop-Along Flintstone" • "The Missing Bus" • "Alvin Brickrock Presents" • "Fred Flintstone Woos Again" • "The Rock Quarry Story" • "The Soft Touchables" • "Flintstone of Prinstone" • "The Little White Lie" • "Social Climbers" • "The Beauty Contest" • "The Masquerade Ball" • "The Picnic" • "The House Guest" • "The X-Ray Story" • "The Gambler" • "A Star is Almost Born" • "The Entertainer" • "Wilma's Vanishing Money" • "Feudin' and Fussin'" • "Impractical Joker" • "Operation Barney" • "The Happy Household" • "Fred Strikes Out" • "This is Your Lifesaver" • "Trouble-in-Law" • "The Mailman Cometh" • "The Rock Vegas Story" • "Divided We Sail" • "Kleptomaniac Caper" • "Latin Lover" • "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" |