Wilma Flintstone (The Flintstones | Saturday Morning Cartoons)

Wilma Flintstone is a central character in the animated television series The Flintstones, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. She first appeared in the 1959 pilot episode titled "The Flagstones," with the series premiering on ABC in 1960, marking her as one of the earliest primetime animated characters. Voiced primarily by Jean Vander Pyl throughout the original run and most spin-offs until 1999, Wilma is depicted as an attractive, slender cavewoman with fair skin, distinctive swirly red-orange hair styled in a bun, and a signature white one-shoulder dress with a jagged hem, complemented by a chunky pearl necklace. Her design and personality draw inspiration from Alice Kramden of The Honeymooners, establishing her as the level-headed counterpart to her husband, Fred Flintstone.

As the wife of Fred Flintstone and mother to their daughter Pebbles, Wilma serves as the strong-willed homemaker in the prehistoric town of Bedrock, managing household tasks with inventive Stone Age appliances while often intervening in Fred's impulsive schemes. Her personality combines patience and practicality with occasional displays of assertiveness, such as physically confronting threats or expressing frustration through dramatic outbursts. Wilma maintains close friendships, particularly with neighbor Betty Rubble, and engages in community activities, including volunteering for charitable organizations and enjoying shopping or encounters with celebrities of the era. Her maiden name presents an early inconsistency in the series, initially referenced as "Pebble" before being established as "Slaghoople" in later episodes and spin-offs, reflecting her family ties to mother Pearl Slaghoople.

A notable development occurred in the third season when Wilma became pregnant, culminating in the birth of Pebbles in 1963—an event recognized as the first depiction of pregnancy in an animated television series. This expanded her role from devoted wife to nurturing mother, influencing subsequent storylines. In later spin-offs and specials, such as I Yabba-Dabba Do! (1993) and Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby (1993), Wilma transitions into new pursuits, including a catering business with Betty and brief work as a newspaper reporter, while becoming a grandmother to Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm's twins, Chip and Roxy. These evolutions underscore her enduring portrayal as a resilient and adaptable figure in the franchise.

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