As anyone who'd come to this blog knows, Alan Reed was the voice of Fred Flintstone. He performed the role from the show's debut in 1960 until he passed away in 1977. Thereafter, the role was assumed by Henry Corden, who had sometimes supplied Fred's singing voice or filled in for Reed on kids' records and educational projects. I liked Henry and thought he did as fine a job as could have been done by anyone who wasn't Alan Reed. Unfortunately, he wasn't Alan Reed.
Mr. Reed did a lot of other things in his career besides holler, "Yabba Dabba Doo!" He wrote about his entire life in a autobiography that he hadn't finished at the time of his death. A few years ago, it was finished and published by Ben Ohmart, who's the man behind BearManor Media, publishers of many fine books on topics that interest people like you and me. Here's a link if you didn't get a copy and yearn for one.
Or if you don't feel like reading, someone will read it to you. You can now buy it as an audiobook read by veteran radio-theater producer Joe Bevilacqua and Alan Reed Jr. As the press release notes, "This 5-hour unabridged audiobook is enhanced with rare interviews with Alan Reed himself, an interview with Joe Barbera, and clips from Reed's radio, TV, and film career, including The Fred Allen Show, The Shadow, The Life of Riley, Life with Luigi, Duffy's Tavern, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Viva Zapata, Breakfast at Tiffany's and The Flintstones.
Sound good to you? Sounds good to me. You can order your own copy here. Go grab one while they have them in stock.