Yabba Dabba Do! Or should that be Yabba Dabba D'oh!

Like the Flintstones before them, the Simpsons today make the leap to the big screen, but unlike the modern Stone Age family, they're staying in cartoon character.

	"The Flintstones" Click photo for larger image.

That's how "The Rugrats" stormed theaters in 1998 and again in 2000 when they visited Paris. Same with "The Wild Thornberrys," about the family of British naturalists who lived and worked in Africa, and when the Rugrats met the Thornberrys in 2003's "Rugrats Go Wild."

In fact, when Nickelodeon first talked about turning the Thornberrys into a movie, someone suggested translating them into live action. But producer Arlene Klasky knew the animals, which factored into a plot about elephant poachers, would have been a challenge, for starters.

"Oh, my goodness, I don't know how we would have shown those elephants," she told the Post-Gazette in 2002. Her partner, Gabor Csupo, added, "It would look strange to have that kind of danger for a kid."

In cartoon form, not so strange or dangerous.

The same could be said of "The Simpsons Movie," in which a lunkheaded move by Homer Simpson puts the entire town of Springfield in jeopardy. It has to do with a silo of pig droppings, a toxic lake and the lure of free doughnuts.

Also, it's highly unlikely that Arnold Schwarzenegger would have agreed to play the president of the United States in the movie, particularly one who cannot be bothered reading proposals placed before him.

Rest assured, Homer will look -- and act -- exactly as he does every Sunday night, as will Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, Moe, Milhouse, the Flanders family and the rest of the gang.

Cartoon families have been a part of television for decades, moving from prime time to Saturday mornings and back again, with reruns and DVDs in abundance. In the early years, many stole from "The Honeymooners," but Ralph Kramden might want to send some of today's cartoon characters to the moon.

"King of the Hill" Click photo for larger image.

Take "South Park." While it isn't considered a show about a family (though the boys form a band of brothers), viewers have, over the years, gotten to know the kids' parents and observe their home life.

Kenny's mother wears an "I'm With Stupid" T-shirt, his father drinks and they're so poor they serve bread sandwiches; Cartman's sweet-voiced single mother is the town floozy; Kyle's father is a lawyer and his mother is the neighborhood busybody; and Stan has a melodramatic geologist father, a protective mother, a cantankerous grandpa who calls him Billy and an abusive sister, Shelly, with an enormous orthodontic apparatus and pro-wrestling babysitting style.

"Family Guy," which airs Sunday nights on Fox, is another show known for sometimes offensive or crude humor.

It follows the antics of lovable oaf Peter Griffin and his wife, Lois, and their children: 16-year-old Meg, 13-year-old Chris and 1-year-old Stewie, plus the family dog.

The coming season will bring the show's 100th episode along with a nod to "Star Wars" and Stewie auditioning for the "American Idol" judges, who will make guest voice appearances.

In honor of "The Simpsons," a Kwik-E look at just some of the famous cartoon families:

'The Flintstones'

When it aired: The Hanna-Barbera cartoon aired for six years, starting in September 1960. The show lived much longer, thanks to reruns and spinoffs centered around the next generation of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm.

Family tree: Fred and Wilma Flintstone were a modern Stone Age family, living in the town of Bedrock with their pals Barney and Betty Rubble. The Flintstones had a pet dinosaur and, later, a daughter named Pebbles. The Rubbles adopted a superstrong boy, named Bamm Bamm.

Whey we loved it: The show was smart and appealed to both adults and children. It was fun to see how modern conveyances and appliances were reimagined, as with Fred's car or dinosaur-powered crane.

Leap to the big screen: In 1994, "The Flintstones" arrived with the promotional force of Bamm Bamm pounding his club. John Goodman played Fred, Rick Moranis was Barney, Elizabeth Perkins stepped into Wilma's heels and Rosie O'Donnell nailed Betty's giggle. Adding a touch of class: Elizabeth Taylor as Wilma's mother.

	"The Jetsons" Click photo for larger image.

Critics generally panned the movie but it made $341 million worldwide and spawned a 2000 prequel, "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" with a different cast. Its reception was lukewarm.

'The Jetsons'

When it aired: Twenty-four episodes aired from September 1962 to September 1963 on ABC on Sunday nights. Those reruns were a Saturday morning mainstay for ABC, CBS and NBC. In 1985, another 41 episodes were produced and 10 more added in 1987.

Family tree: George Jetson, who worked for Spacely Space Sprockets Inc., and wife Jane were parents to teenage Judy and school-age Elroy. The family had both a maid, Rosie the Robot, and a dog named Astro.

Why we loved it: The show provided a groovy window into the future, where everyone would zoom through the sky in their bubble-topped cars, shower and dress assembly-line style, zip off to school in pneumatic tubes and have robots as maids. Funny, it hasn't turned out that way.

Jump to big screen: A 1990 movie, which made $20 million in this country, showcased Tiffany (remember her?) who spoke for Judy and performed three songs. Before they died, George O'Hanlon recorded George's voice and Mel Blanc lent his famous, flexible pipes to Mr. Spacely.

'The Simpsons'

When it airs: Before it was a cult favorite and Fox linchpin, the Simpsons plugged gaps between skits on "The Tracey Ullman Show." The series launched Dec. 17, 1989, with a Christmas special called "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." It settled into its regular home with "Bart the Genius," in which Bart switched IQ test papers with a classmate and was branded a brainiac.

The Simpsons' adventures go epic in "The Simpsons Movie." Click photo for larger image.

Family tree: Marge and Homer Simpson have three children, Bart, Lisa and pacifier-sucking Maggie, along with lots of relatives, pals and strangers who wander into their lives.

Why we love it: Savvy satire, kooky characters, clever writing and episode titles ("Kill Gil: Vol. 1 & 2"), hip guest voices, loopy locations like the Kwik-E-Mart, wacky touches (Marge's blue beehive, for starters), topical shows -- Lisa converting to Buddhism in an episode featuring Richard Gere, Ned Flanders trying to clean up the airwaves -- and a never-ending supply of funny, fresh ideas. Homer turns the idea of Ozzie Nelson's befuddled TV dad on its head. D'oh!

Jump to big screen: It's taken 18 years for the leap and while it's not exactly Bart threatening to jump Springfield Gorge, the wait only fuels the anticipation.

"King of the Hill"

When it airs: It started in January 1997 and is still going strong on Fox. In the fall, it will be nestled between "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" at 8:30 p.m. Sundays.

Family tree: Hank Hill, assistant manager of Strickland Propane, and wife Peggy, whose skills range from Boggle to teaching Spanish, share their Texas home with son Bobby and niece Luanne, whose wedding factored into the May 20 episode.

Why we love it: A father and son who redefine the relationship (early on, Hank rescued Bobby from a big-boy fashion show), the wise and versatile Peggy, guest voices that include Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep and the reassuring sight of Hank and the boys drinkin' beer around the barbecue and shooting the breeze.

Jump to big screen: Still stuck in TV land.