During the recording session for the FLINTSTONES episode "The Blessed Event," Jean
Vander Pyl (the voice of Wilma, and later baby Pebbles) really was pregnant. When she showed up at the studio, Joe Barbera said, "Jean, that dress on you, it makes you look pregnant." Jean looked at co-star Bea Benadaret (Betty Rubble) and then said, "Well, I am ..." Joe added, "Well, you didn't have to go that far, Jean. I know you want realism, but this is ridiculous!"

Jean was born on Oct. 11, 1919, in Philadelphia. She knew she was meant to be an actress from her first performance in a kindergarten play. After marrying advertising executive Carroll O'Meara, she built a career in radio shows. Her credits included OUR MISS BROOKS, BLONDIE, CORLISS ARCHER, AMOS & ANDY, and her best-known role as the mother, Margaret Anderson, on FATHER KNOWS BEST.

On television, she appeared in several episodes of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER.

When the new cartoon studio Hanna-Barbera put out a call for a female voice, Jean became an animation voice actor. Besides THE FLINTSTONES, she also lent her talents to ATOM ANT, HONG KONG PHOOEY, INCH HIGH PRIVATE EYE, THE JETSONS (as Rosie the Robot and Mrs. Spacely), MAGILLA GORILLA (as Ogee), SCOOBY-DOO, TOP CAT and YOGI BEAR.

Surprisingly, one of THE FLINTSTONES' sponsors was Reynolds tobacco; and all four lead actors of TV's first prime-time cartoon show (Alan Reed, Jean, Mel Blanc, and Bea Benadaret) were smokers. Jean ended up having to join Smoker's Anonymous. In 1995, she worked on some anti-smoking promotional advertisements before she became the last original FLINTSTONES cast member to die--at age 79, on Apr. 11, 1999--of lung cancer.

[THE MAGIC BEHIND THE VOICES, by Tim Lawson & Alisa Persons (2004)]

Aww, that was quite interesting too. She was also the voice of Ma Rugg on the Hillbilly Bears, and Winsome Witch her voice is also distinct. I don't remember seeing her on any Leave It To Beaver episodes.

Aww, that was quite interesting too. She was also the voice of Ma Rugg on the Hillbilly Bears, and Winsome Witch her voice is also distinct. I don't remember seeing her on any Leave It To Beaver episodes.

Jean appeared in the following LEAVE IT TO BEAVER episodes: "June's Birthday," "Wally and Alma," "Beaver and Kenneth," and "Farewell to Penny."

Other H-B voice actors who have appeared on LITB include Julie Bennett
(Cindy Bear) in "The Black Eye," Hal Smith (Yappee) in "Beaver Won't Eat," and
Tim Matheson (Jonny Quest) in "Tell It to Ella."

Thanks for the info I'll look for them on the show, I have seasons 1&2.

Jean Vander Pyl was a wonderful voice actress; I always enjoy hearing her in the various H-B cartoons even when playing bit parts.

Trivia note: She made a couple of live acting appearances on PETTICOAT JUNCTION in the 1960's although sadly in episodes after the death of Bea Benaderet (Kate on PJ and of course the voice of Betty Rubble).

And let's not forget her classic HBR Records album WILMA FLINSTONE TELLS THE STORY OF BAMBI.

I bought the complete series box set of Leave it to Beaver last year. As I watched the episodes I was pleasantly surprised to see Jean Vander Pyl pop up as a supporting player in a number of episodes. It was neat to finally see the face behind the voice. And it was a voice I literally grew up listening to. I grew up on HB toons and Jean voice was certainly prominent in those.

,,,in the fall of 1959 as a "utility voice" [Don Messick had his limitations when it came to simulating "housewives" and the like], working on "Quick Draw McGraw" (often as a female heroine) and "Snooper and Blabber" segments (as "Hazel", Super Snooper's honey-voiced telephone operator). Then, she provided the voice of Wilma in the original 90 second "demo reel" that sold "THE FLINTSTONES" to ABC and its sponsors in the spring of 1960...and continued with the series. She also knew how to sound like a little girl, and was also the voice of "Ogee" in "MAGILLA GORILLA".

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