The Gruesomes (fictional characters)

Infobox character
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name = The Gruesomes
series = The Flintstones


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creator = Hanna Barbera
residence = Bedrock

The Gruesomes are a family of fictional characters who appeared on "The Flintstones" television series. They debuted in 1964 during the show's fifth season. They are similar to other monster families who appeared on television during the same time period, including "The Addams Family" and "The Munsters".

A modern version of the family, renamed The Creepleys, appeared on the "Laff-A-Lympics" series.

Character history

Inspired by a previous Hanna Barbera monster family, Mr. & Mrs. J. Evil Scientist [http://www.toonopedia.com/jevilsci.htm] , the Gruesomes are a family consisting of married couple Weirdly and Creepella, son Goblin (a.k.a. Gobby), and uncle Ghastly, who is only seen as a hand in "The Hatrocks and the Gruesomes" and a shadow in "Meet the Gruesomes").

They first appear in an episode of "The Flintstones" titled "The Gruesomes". In this episode, Weirdly and Creepella Gruesome, along with their son Gobby, move into Tombstone Manor, which is next door to the Flintstones. Trying to be neighborly, Fred and Barney agree to babysit Gobby, whose strange pets make for a tortuously eventful evening [http://www.tv.com/the-flintstones/the-gruesomes/episode/60061/summary.html] .

The family reappears in the episode "The Hatrocks and the Gruesomes". The Hatrocks, who are hillbilly friends of Fred, come to visit but soon become an annoyance to everyone. Fred enlists the Gruesomes to scare them away, but they are unsuccessful. Fred finally discovers The Hatrocks' aversion to rock music, and uses it to chase them back to the hills. This episode is notable because Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Pebbles, Bamm Bamm, Dino, Hoppy and the Gruesomes sing "She Said Yeah Yeah Yeah", which is a takeoff of The Beatles' "She Loves You" [http://www.tv.com/the-flintstones/the-hatrocks-and-the-gruesomes/episode/60071/summary.html] .

After "The Flintstones" ended, the Gruesomes returned for a final appearance on "The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show" in 1971. In the episode "The Birthday Present", Wooly (Pebbles' pet elephant) takes the gift that Pebbles had bought for her mother and buries it in the back yard. Pebbles believes it is stolen by her neighbor the creepy Mrs. Gruesome, so she offers to babysit for the Gruesomes so that the kids can infiltrate the Gruesome mansion and search for the gift. Thinking that Mrs. Gruesome may have the gift with her, the gang then crashes a Gruesome family reunion, and Bamm-Bamm is mistaken for a cat burglar.

The Gruesomes are replaced in later spin-off series by The Frankenstones, another monster-themed family who move next door to the Flintstones.

A couple based on Weirdly and Creepella Gruesome appear in an episode of "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" titled "Snow Place Like Home". In the episode, Scooby Doo and the gang travel on a ski vacation to the spooky Snowy Mountain Chalet, which is run by a creepy-looking couple that make Shaggy and Scooby nervous. The gang discovers the resort is nearly deserted because it is haunted by an Ice Ghost, and they soon find out that the couple is being pressured into selling their resort by a slick businessman.

The Creepleys

In 1977, a family similar to the Gruesomes were introduced as part of the "Laff-A-Lympics" segment on "Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics". The Creepleys consist of Mr. Creepley, Mrs. Creepley, and their son Junior Creepley. They are members of the Really Rottens team.

They appeared in the 1978 "Laff-A-Lympics" series published by Marvel Comics.

Appearances in other media

The Gruesomes appear in two different comic books. They first appear in "The Flintstones #24" (published in 1965 by Gold Key Comics), and then had their own back-up feature in "Cave Kids" (a series starring young versions of the Flintstones, similar to the later Flintstone Kids animated series).

The family also star in "The Flintstones" children's books and coloring books [http://www.trussel.com/prehist/flint.htm] .

Cultural impact

The Canadian punk rock band The Gruesomes took their name after the animated family.

External links

* [http://www-gatago.com/rec/arts/animation/41175288.html Early 60's Hanna Barbera]
* [http://bedrock.deadsquid.com/gallery/guests.php Flintstones Guest Appearances]
* [http://www.comicvine.com/comic/laff-a-lympics/2955/&i=7808 "Laff-a-Lympics" comic book series]
* [http://www.thegremlin.com/hb.model.sheets.html Mr. and Mrs. Creepley model sheets]