This article is for quizzes on Tuesday January 5th...
Wilma Flintstone (née Pebble or Slaghoople; see below) is a fictional character in the television animated series The Flintstones. Wilma is the red-headed wife of caveman Fred Flintstone, daughter of Pearl Slaghoople, and mother of Pebbles Flintstone. Her best friends are her next door neighbors, Betty and Barney Rubble.
Wilma's personality is based on that of Alice Kramden, wife of Ralph Kramden on the 1950s television series The 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 be the one to bail out Fred when one of his schemes land him in trouble.
Wilma's maiden name is the subject of a continuity 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 firmly state her maiden name is indeed "Slaghoople", based upon the name of Wilma's mother in the original series, Pearl Slaghoople. Flintstones' writer Earl Kress explained the discrepancy as such: "Unfortunately, it's just as simple as [Hanna-Barbera] not caring about the continuity."