Hoagy Carmichael Comes to Bedrock

 In the fall of 1960, The Flintstones premiered on television and soon became a cultural phenomenon. It wasn't long before a second season was commissioned, and for the first episode of this new set, Hanna-Barbera chose to do something that the series had yet to do: feature a celebrity guest appearance. As most of you probably know, this role went to musician Hoagy Carmichael, who got to sing alongside Fred and Barney in the episode, "The Hit Songwriters." Being that this was the first time the show ever did such a thing, a lot of press was generated by his appearance. Here are a few newspaper excerpts previewing the episode, featuring quotes from Carmichael and some rare photos of him in the HB studio!

First up is a piece from The Hutchinson News, dated September 2nd, 1961. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any author attributed to the story.

Hoagy Plans On Stoneway

    Did you know cavemen made music too?

    Yes, you'll soon find out that Tin Pan Alley started all the way back in the Stone Age. This fall's first installment of "The Flintstones," that animated study of Neolithic manners, will give a full description of the song business back there then. Guest star of the episode is a prehistoric tunesmith named Hoagy.

    If you're wondering why this Bedrock musician looks familiar, he's patterned after a certain Machine Age Hoagy, named Hoagy Carmichael. The modern-day Hoagy is providing the voice of his Neanderthal counterpart, and has penned a song for the show titled "Yabba Dabba Do," with lyrics by Fred Flintstone.

    The handsome, greying Carmichael has high hopes for "Yabba Dabba Doo." "With Fred Flintstone singing the song," said Hoagy (Carmichael, that is), "I wouldn't be surprised if it got on the Pilt Parade's top ten. After all, it's written in rocks-trot tempo."

    Having Hoagy play Hoagy is somewhat of a departure for Hanna-Barbera, producers of "The Flintstones," who have never used living guest stars before. But they figured a good-natured spoof of the music business needed a real live composer. Hoagy, with his famous voice, was the natural choice.

    The only hitch in the operation was a jurisdictional problem. Carmichael had to join ASCAP. It stands for Antediluvian Society of Caveman, Authors, and Petractadyls.

Next is a piece that showed up on September 10th in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. This was one of several writings that appeared in a feature titled, "Look and Listen With Rowe." Some of this piece is identical to the above story, so for the sake of brevity, I decided to cut that section out.

    HOAGY CARMICHAEL will appear—in spirit, so to speak—as a guest of The Flintstones when ABC's animated series starts its second TV season at 8:30 Friday night.

    Via the art route, Hoagy is back in the Stone Age and working as a songwriter in the company of Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. The song is "Yabba Dabba Do."

    The cartoon feature also will have Hoagy Carmichael dabbling, uncharacteristically, in rock 'n' roll and a world of champagne music with a bubble-blowing baby elephant. Now what Saturday night TV cornball could be the object of that satirical punch?

    Also promised is a new set of atrocious lyrics for the nostalgic classic that is Carmichael's "Star Dust."

    "Sometimes I think this sort of outlandish treatment is good for a song and the people who love it. It gives them an opportunity to get a little outraged." That's Hoagy Carmichael's dry-witted analysis of the situation.