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Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends about TV and whether they are true or false. Click here to view an archive of the TV urban legends featured so far.

TV URBAN LEGEND: The Flintstones did commercials for Winston Cigarettes.

Like I have noted before, integrated commercials within TV shows was the norm in the early days of television. However, it rarely got more surreal than with the Flintstones, the prime time animated program that began airing in 1960.

You see, one of their sponsors the first two seasons was Winston Cigarettes (just like the Beverly Hillbillies, as noted in this legend, as well).

So at the end of the show, they’d do commercials for the cigarettes. It is quite surreal seeing Fred and Barney sneak off to avoid yard work…

only for Barney to pull out a pack of Winston’s…

and the pair start puffing away…

Here, Wilma even gets into the act!

In Season 3, Welch’s became the primary sponsor and things got a lot more normal.

The legend is…

STATUS: True

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future urban legends columns! My e-mail address is bcronin@legendsrevealed.com