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Quiz about FYI  Public Information Films
Quiz about FYI  Public Information Films

FYI - Public Information Films Quiz


Do you think playing in fridges is fun? Or do you talk to strangers? If so, you may need to play this quiz on UK public information films.

A multiple-choice quiz by teadrinker. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
teadrinker
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
229,921
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
1779
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 90 (7/10), Guest 45 (7/10), Guest 125 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. 'To you, it's just a worn-out fridge. But to a child it's a caravan, a ship, a castle, even a bed... and a death-trap!' What advice was given in a 1971 film which would save children with over-active fridge-related imaginations? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In a 1945 public information film, Richard Massingham had pepper poured over him after being a 'real danger' by doing what? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. During the 1970s, Britain was entreated to wear seatbelts with which memorable slogan? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. 'If you see Sid, tell him'. But what were we supposed to be telling Sid about in 1986? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. 'Polish a floor and put a rug on it - you might as well set a man-trap.' Is this a genuine public information film?


Question 6 of 10
6. 'Not tonight love, I'm washing me 'air'. Why did a chap turn down a hot date during the 1990s for the better information of the public? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Many public information films have been made to encourage children to cross the road with care. Ex-Doctor Who, Jon Pertwee, gave us a handy acronym so that 'now we'll all remember the Green Cross Code'. What was this memorable word? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. 'It seemed to me we had made a real mess of things in our town. Still, if you can make a muck-up of things you can put them right.' How was an animated working-class stereotype going to sort out towns in 1948? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Now for a rather earlier and classier film made by the General Post Office to explain its doings. 'Night Mail' had a score written by Benjamin Britten and the voice-over is a poem by W H Auden. True or false?


Question 10 of 10
10. Voiced by comedian Kenny Everett, Charley was the star of many public information films aimed at children in the 1970s. Who or what was Charley? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 90: 7/10
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 45: 7/10
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 125: 8/10
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 86: 8/10
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 82: 5/10
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 86: 7/10
Oct 22 2024 : Guest 51: 6/10
Oct 08 2024 : Guest 90: 8/10
Oct 08 2024 : Guest 147: 4/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. 'To you, it's just a worn-out fridge. But to a child it's a caravan, a ship, a castle, even a bed... and a death-trap!' What advice was given in a 1971 film which would save children with over-active fridge-related imaginations?

Answer: Take the door off dis-used fridges

You could also get the council to take your fridge away, or smash the lock on the door. (A lock on your fridge? I know diets are hard work, but...) [I know really, no notes please!]. Newer fridges are not dangerous to dispose of, but you will not find many British people who can throw away a fridge complete with door.
2. In a 1945 public information film, Richard Massingham had pepper poured over him after being a 'real danger' by doing what?

Answer: Sneezing without a handkerchief

This film warned that sneezing was a serious matter, and was less amusing than pulling seats out from underneath unwary friends or balancing books on top of a door. Massingham is the founding father of Public Information Films: in 1938 he formed a small company which was to the first to specialise in information films.

He starred in and directed a series of odd, humorous shorts exhorting the careless to watch fuel consumption or use zebra crossings.
3. During the 1970s, Britain was entreated to wear seatbelts with which memorable slogan?

Answer: Clunk click every trip

'Clunk the car door. Click the seatbelt'. This advert ceased to be as effective when car doors became lighter, and no longer made a 'clunking' sound when closed. However it made a big impact in 1972, despite the fact that it featured the subsequently disgraced DJ Jimmy Savile with a special message for 'you ladies'.

The slogan still seems to be thoroughly stuck in the minds of all generation-xers, and was briefly revived as a slogan in the 1990s.
4. 'If you see Sid, tell him'. But what were we supposed to be telling Sid about in 1986?

Answer: British Gas privatisation

'Sid' was portrayed as the only person in Britain who did not know about the joy of purchasing shares in this previously nationalised company. The 'Tell Sid' campaign for British Gas ruined the lives of men named Sid throughout the UK for many years.
5. 'Polish a floor and put a rug on it - you might as well set a man-trap.' Is this a genuine public information film?

Answer: Yes

Oh yes. Those officially in power in 1974 may not have been able to do anything about miners' strikes, IRA bombings or 16% inflation, but they were certainly not going to leave us to trip over mats. It's always good to know what is really important in life.
6. 'Not tonight love, I'm washing me 'air'. Why did a chap turn down a hot date during the 1990s for the better information of the public?

Answer: The girl was smoking

This film showed two teenage girls chatting in a bar. One points out that if you blow smoke in a boy's face it means you fancy him. The other tries this method and is rebuffed with the oldest line in the book. This was a very helpful film for girls growing up in the 1990s, as it encouraged us all to take up smoking in order to give non-verbal cues to the opposite sex. I expect that was what the authorities wanted.
7. Many public information films have been made to encourage children to cross the road with care. Ex-Doctor Who, Jon Pertwee, gave us a handy acronym so that 'now we'll all remember the Green Cross Code'. What was this memorable word?

Answer: Splink!

This stood for: 'STOP, stand on the PAVEMENT near the kerb, LOOK all around for traffic and listen, IF traffic is coming let it pass, when there is NO traffic near walk across the road, KEEP looking and listening for traffic while you cross.' Oddly enough, this catchy and not at all overly-verbose advert made no difference to road traffic accident rates. I can only feel surprise that the road-death rates did not soar as children wandered into roads while trying to remember what the 'p' stood for. Or any of the other letters, for that matter.
8. 'It seemed to me we had made a real mess of things in our town. Still, if you can make a muck-up of things you can put them right.' How was an animated working-class stereotype going to sort out towns in 1948?

Answer: Build 'New Towns'

This film starred Charley, another staple of post-war public information films. No, not the cat. This one is a hard worker; a good bloke; a solid citizen who wants to improve life for his young family. He also looks unnervingly like my grandfather did in the 1940s. Charley helped to explain about the radical state reforms which took place after the war including the new National Health Service, and the changes in education provision.
9. Now for a rather earlier and classier film made by the General Post Office to explain its doings. 'Night Mail' had a score written by Benjamin Britten and the voice-over is a poem by W H Auden. True or false?

Answer: True

Benjamin Britten and W H Auden collaborated on a number of public information / advert / documentary / art films, of which the most famous is 'Night Mail', which is informative, beautiful, and famous as a poem in its own right. The GPO Film Unit ultimately morphed into Central Office of Information which is still scaring us sensible to this very day.
10. Voiced by comedian Kenny Everett, Charley was the star of many public information films aimed at children in the 1970s. Who or what was Charley?

Answer: A cat

Charley the cat could not speak, but his unintelligible mewlings were translated by his dim owner whom Charley prevented from a) Speaking to strangers, b) Falling in water, c) Playing with matches, d) Leaving home without telling Mummy first (presumably Daddy was too busy doing manly stuff to care) e) Getting too close to ovens, and finally f) Pulling tablecloths (no, really). First aired in 1973, they were still being shown in the 1980s. Personally, I was never able to take in the messages, but have been frightened of cats ever since.

Take care, don't have nightmares, and most of all, SPLINK!
Source: Author teadrinker

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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