Safer, Fitter and More Confident
1970s Safety Tips
1970s Safety TipsCharley Says....
We teach "Golden Rules of Safety" in our kids programs. Although the "Charley Says" animations are somewhat dated the messages still hold true today.
Most people growing up in the 1970s will probably remember these adverts on TV and the disturbing messages.
It may seem a little on the basic side now but it obviously worked as the very fact we can remember these, the messages had a long lasting effect.
Charley Says was a series of very short cut-out animated cartoon Public Information Films for children, shown in the United Kingdom in the 1970s and 1980s for London's Central Office of Information.
Most of the topics dealt with everyday safety issues children face, such as not going off with strangers or not playing with matches. They featured a little boy called Tony (voiced by the seven-year-old son of one of the neighbours of producer Richard Taylor) and his cat, named Charley, voiced by Kenny Everett, who would "miaow" the lesson of the episode, which the boy would then translate and explain. Often Charley served as the boy's conscience, similarly to Davey and Goliath or Jiminy Cricket of Disney's film Pinocchio. When Charley and the boy did the right thing, they were rewarded with something for the boy and a fish for Charley, which he ate rapidly. However, on other occasions, Charley suffered the consequences of doing the wrong thing (e.g., in Charley's Tea Party he pulled a tablecloth and a teapot fell on him and scalded him).
The films were produced by Richard Taylor Cartoons who also produced Crystal Tipps and Alistair. They also produced the controversial Protect and Survive series, narrated by Shakespearean actor Patrick Allen.
Six films were produced:
Charley -- Falling in the Water
Charley -- In The Kitchen
Charley -- Matches
Charley -- Mummy Should Know
Charley's Tea Party
Charley -- Strangers
