<P> When the series went into production, the working title The Flagstones was changed, possibly to avoid confusion with the Flagstons, characters in the comic strip Hi and Lois . After spending a brief period in development as The Gladstones (GLadstone being a Los Angeles telephone exchange at the time), Hanna - Barbera settled upon The Flintstones, and the idea of the Flintstones having a child from the start was discarded, with Fred and Wilma starting out as a childless couple . However, some early Flintstones merchandise, such as a 1961 Little Golden Book, included Fred Jr., before it was decided on his removal . </P> <P> Despite the animation and fantasy setting, the series was initially aimed at adult audiences, which was reflected in the comedy writing, which, as noted, resembled the average primetime sitcoms of the era, with the usual family issues resolved with a laugh at the end of each episode, as well as the inclusion of a laugh track . Hanna and Barbera hired many writers from the world of live action, including two of Jackie Gleason's writers, Herbert Finn and Sydney Zelinka, as well as relative newcomer Joanna Lee while still using traditional animation story men such as Warren Foster and Michael Maltese . </P> <P> The Flintstones premiered on September 30, 1960, at 8: 30 pm, and quickly became a hit . It was the first American animated show to depict two people of the opposite sex (Fred and Wilma; Barney and Betty) sleeping together in one bed, although Fred and Wilma are sometimes depicted as sleeping in separate beds . For comparison, the first live - action depiction of this in American TV history was in television's first - ever sitcom: 1947's Mary Kay and Johnny . </P> <P> The first two seasons were co-sponsored by Winston cigarettes and the characters appeared in several black - and - white television commercials for Winston (dictated by the custom, at that time, that the star (s) of a TV series often "pitched" their sponsor's product in an "integrated commercial" at the end of the episode). </P>

Who sponsored the first season of the tv cartoon series the flintstones