Bernard “Barney” Rubble is the diminutive blonde-haired caveman husband of Betty Rubble and adoptive father of Baam Baam Rubble.  He is also best friends with his “bosom buddy” and “life-long pal” Fred Flintstone.  It is their friendship and sometimes lack thereof, that is the main crux of the cartoon.

Barney is much more easygoing than his friend Fred who is smarter than Barney in certain matters and dimmer than him in others.  Being gullible, Barney has followed Fred into many situations causing trouble for him and his family.

It is hard to say what Barney does for a living, although he has worked as a Repossesor and owned his own restaurant with Fred at one time. 

His hobbies are bowling, playing pool and poker, and creating machines to keep his “nimble little fingers busy.”