The 1960s cartoon gave her maiden name as Pebble was first. That was before Pebbles was born as well.
This actually follows thru with the practice of naming your first child with the wife's maiden name, as Pebbles then had her mother's maiden name.
By the time of the movie thirty years later, to get Elizabeth Taylor to appear as Fred's mother-in-law, a character actually well established on the '60's cartoon, they had to do better than Pebble for her last name.
Even with the first name Pearl, there was no way Fred's torturous mother-in-law could be menacing with a name like Pearl Pebble, especially to get little kids to laugh at her when she tormented Fred.
Hence it was changed for the movie and only with the movie. Before that, if there was any indication of Wilma's maiden name, which other than that old boyfriend, I don't think there was, she was Wilma Pebble.
As it is, there was no way Fred was going to name his daughter Slaghoople Flintstone.
Even still, the mother-in-law has appeared in cartoon specials after the live action movie and her name has since been changed to match Liz Taylor's, tho her animated look of a large woman with Wilma's hairdo, tho now greyed, was kept.
I don't know if her name was ever mentioned in the '60's cartoon, or if Fred, Barney or Betty referred to her as Mrs. Pebble as well.
But I do remember the boyfriend who called Wilma by her maiden name of Pebble.
For the record, Betty Rubble's full and maiden name was Betty Jean McGranite.
reply
share
charling
10 years ago
Hmmmm.....
I could have sworn that Betty's full maiden name was Betty Jean McBricker but I admit I can't remember which episode I heard that. Perhaps the one where the Flintstones and Rubbles go to the soon to be torn down hotel where Fred and Barney met Wilma and Betty. I believe they all worked there when they were young.
reply
share
tvashtar2919
10 years ago
Wilma's mother was referred to as Mrs. Slaghoople numerous times throughout the cartoon series. Since it was never detailed out, like so much of background history of this series, the only logical explanation is that she had been remarried at some point. There are numerous episodes that follow no logic or even contradict other ones.
reply
share
Oddark123
8 years ago
The other alternative being one is her father's name, the other her mother's maiden name.
Given Pearl's temperament, I suppose it's possible there could have been a split somewhere when Wilma could have been using her mother's maiden name. Some people will do this to alter their kids last name if they split from their partner.
Communities left for being too closeminded: Gamefaqs, Home Theater Forum, Toonzone
reply
share