The Flintstones spoof of Bonanza was the first time they didn't use a laugh track

It was more serious than you may think when the most popular show in the west was called upon to save The Flintstones.

By the fifth season of The Flintstones, plenty of TV shows had been parodied on the cartoon sitcom: Perry Mason, The Addams Family, Lassie, and Star Trek, to name a handful.

But only one show that The Flintstones spoofed up to this point made the show seriously consider dropping the laugh track, and in the end, ultimately, this spoof became so important, they decided for the first time in The Flintstones history not to use the laugh track.

That show? Bonanza.

When The Flintstones episode "Sheriff For a Day" aired in February 1965, Bonanza was the No. 1 show in the country and a very valued property of NBC. The dramatic Western had climbed to the top of the ratings over five seasons, finally finding its perfect time slot in the 1964–65 season, and sticking as the nation's favorite show for two years.

The Flintstones aired on competing network ABC, and during its first season, the animated series remarkably ranked 18th in the country, besting Bonanza, which was ranked 19th in 1960.

From there, though, The Flintstones slipped against more popular live-action shows in later time slots such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Beverly Hillbillies. These sitcoms dominated the ratings as The Flintstones hit rocky territory, slipping out of the Top 30 shows.

Then, out of nowhere, Bonanza became the new chief of the channels, the No. 1 show in the country. It only made sense for The Flintstones to take comedic aim at the Cartwrights, trying to lasso in some of their fans for a quick laugh.

In "Sheriff for a Day," the Flintstones and the Rubbles head out west and arrive in a cowboy town, where suddenly it becomes necessary to deem Fred sheriff. Characters named Ben, Hoss, Little Joe, and Adam Cartrock are introduced as the episode's heroes, voiced by veteran voice actors Henry Corden and Allan Melvin.

Of all the Cartwrights, Ben Cartwright most likely had the most distinct voice to mimic, as actor Lorne Greene was nicknamed early in his radio career as "The Voice of Doom" for a reason. Greene's deep voice made him the only Cartwright actor who did voice acting as well as onscreen roles throughout his career.

Kitty's Place was a nod to Miss Kitty, the owner of the Long Branch Saloon, on Gunsmoke!

Fans of classic TV in all its forms will notice many easter eggs throughout this Flintstones episode, from a watering hole called "Kitty's Place" (a nod to Gunsmoke) to Barney Rubble's appearance as "Deputy Barney" (a wink at The Andy Griffith Show). Big screen bonus: The plot is loosely based on the Gary Cooper Western High Noon.

"Sheriff for a Day" culminates in a shoot-out where the Cartrocks ride up on dinosaurs to save the day. And although The Flintstones never again cracked the ratings, it’s clear from what transpires next that the Cartrocks were written into the show and called upon to do everything they could to help lead more fans to the cartoon sitcom in its time of need. This is where the episode gets a little meta:

"Hey, look, Fred, it's those TV stars, the Cartrocks," Deputy Barney says.

"The Cartrocks!" Fred exclaims.

"Well, I reckon we got here just in time," Hoss says.

"How did you know we needed help?" Fred asks.

"We watch your TV show, The Flintstones," Ben says.

"We always help out," Little Joe says. "It's the way of the Western!"

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17 Comments

jtkrifkan2002 13 months ago
I remember "Bonanza", "Perry Mason," "Bewitched," "The Addams Family," "Lassie" and many other parodies, but as a big fan of both shows, I can't for the life of me remember The Flintstones doing a parody of "Star Trek". Any chance someone at MeTV has seen some of the artwork around the internet of Brian Matthews brilliant parody of both shows, "Stone Trek", (including a fan-produced image of Fred watching his favorite Sc-Fi show), and thought it really was from The Flintstones?
same 13 months ago
It must've been reality tv at the time when Hoss mentioned they watch their TV show also.
ScottMyers 35 months ago
As if to spoof this episode, Sheriff For A Day, add in the theme to The Virginian. I heard it when the Cartrocks made their appearance.
Moverfan 38 months ago
Have to admit I never noticed if that episode had a laugh track or not. But then, WKRP did a flashback episode where Andy explains to Mama Carlson just how he came to hire Venus Flytrap (you've seen it--the boys are playing Steal The Chair From The Booth at the beginning) and it took me some fifteen years to realize that they reshot all of Sylvia Sidney's scenes with Carol Bruce (Mr. Carlson's announcement of "If he goes, I go!" was followed by applause in the pilot).
LittleMissNoName 39 months ago
Deputy Barn also mimics Chester, another sly wink and nod to Gunsmoke.
Peter 39 months ago
I've seen this episode. That little dialogue between Fred and Barney and the Cartrocks was a cute 4th wall break.
LittleMissNoName 39 months ago
I still hear a faint laugh track in the background.
speedster16 39 months ago
FLINTSTONE producers took characters from hit tv shows and other celebrities ,to boost episode viewings,and it worked.That's why the cartoon was a major success.Still seen today in syndication.
cperrynaples 39 months ago
Bonus Question: What MeTV Saturday Western parodied Bonanza and what MeTV star did his own version of Ben?
cperrynaples 39 months ago
This comment has been removed.
I did remember that story, Stephanie! I wanted to see if you knew it! Also, i said "version of Ben", and clearly Backus was doing Mcgoo imitating Lorne Greene!
denny 39 months ago
I thought I had seen every episode of The Flintstones, but I don't remember this one with the Cartwrights like characters. Not sure how they parodied Star Trek since The Flintstones was off the air before ST debuted.
cperrynaples denny 39 months ago
Another mistake! Fred and Barney did go to the future in the last season but NOT into space!
dmagoon cperrynaples 39 months ago
In "The long, Long, Long Weekend", in the last season, the Flintstone and Rubble couple were sent by Gazoo to a Jetsons-like future, and took a trip to Mars, while "Time Machine", in the NEXT-TO-LAST season had them sent to several future times, though not into space.
cperrynaples dmagoon 39 months ago
EXACTLY! Fred & Barney never entered "the final frontier" nor did they go where no caveman had gone before!
dmagoon cperrynaples 39 months ago
BTW, Mars IS in interplanetary space.
Moverfan dmagoon 21 months ago
So is Earth, if you think about it...where else would it be?
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