Television Fillers What was Made 1960 to 1969 The following notes chart the progress of the of the production of Television Fillers during the period 1960 to 1969. Because records are incomplete this is not a comprehensive list of all the films that were made. If anyone has more information about productions please contact us know though the our Contact Us facility that can be found on the navigation bar.
Television Fillers that can viewed on line are highlighted in red 1960 records provide information about only three Television Fillers being produced in the year
Litter Crossword showed littered streets and countryside to the accompaniment of a humorous anti-litter message appealing to people not create litter. Made for the Department of the Environment NFA ID 9851 Take Death off the Roads was a message aboutroad safety made for the Department of Transport NFA ID N-720219
Road Hog: Don’t Be Rudewas about driving behavior on roads. It showed how much more pleasant roads could be with a little more courtesy, made for the Department of Transport NFA ID N-720220
It is very probable that more Television Fillers were produced during the year than these few.
1961
The year saw the production of 10 Television Fillers. The following five films were made for the Department of Transport
Drink and Drive – Hen Partytelevision filler aimed at women warning against the dangers of drinking and driving. NFA ID 15047 NA ID INF 34/563
Don’t Drink If You Drive urged motorists not to drink and drive.
Driving on the Motorway demonstration of safe driving techniques on the then new motorways NFA ID 15048
Road Junction provided advice to motorists about safe driving at road junctions.
Brakesa film warning against the dangers of driving with poor brakes. NFA ID 15044
The Home Office sponsored the next three films Door to Door Salesman was a crime prevention filler warning against being pressured into buying goods from door to door salesmen.Particularly aimed at those living alone at home. NFA ID 15046 Thefts from Handbags was a crime prevention filler warning women about thieves operating in crowded streets. NFA ID15035
Use a Fireguard was about fire prevention in the home. Television Filler warning people to use fireguards with open fires. NFA ID 15039
Up and Coming wasabout careers guidance facilities provided through the Department of Employment for young people leaving school. NFA ID 15036
Aside from dire warning of dangers Television Fillers would be used for what were essentially public relations exercises as in
Musicians In The Makinga television filler about the Royal Military School of Music. NFA ID 15010
Another use of Television Fillers was to act as a tool for recruitment as in the case of
Recruiting Teachersappealing to women with children to return to teaching. Since Television fillers were often shown in the afternoons it was thought likely that this might be a time to reach women in the home. NFA ID 15040 1962
only 4 television fillers are recorded as having been produced in this year, all of them for the Department of Agriculture . Farm Safety: Game of Chancethe penalties of taking conscious risks are emphasized in three stories of casualties. A heavy load falls, a slippery floor, alighting from a moving tractor. Made by British Films NFA ID 170997 Farm Safety: Beware of the Bull two fatal accidents caused by bulls are shown and their causes faulty equipment, ill designed and dilapidated quarters, general carelessness are examined.Made by British Films NFA ID 170998
Farm Safety: Why Tractors Overturndemonstrated how the factors of weight-distribution, drive, speed, momentum and ground hazards, in varying combinations, cab overturn a tractor. Made by British Films NFA ID 171000
Foot and Mouth Precautions warned the public to be aware of the need to have care when this disease was in the countryside. NFA ID 14731
1963
records are available for the production of only two television fillers both of them for the Department of Transport
Drink Drive :Morecombe and Wise (click here to view from BFI) made their appearance in a television filler about not drinking and driving. It was one of a number where celebrities gave their time to a good cause. Tagline: "Be Wise - Don't Drive If You've Been Drinking". NFA ID N-3090425
Pedestrian Crossing featured television personality comedian Ken Dodd who appeared in a road safety filler aimed at children and mothers about standing too near the edge of a pavement NFA ID 765008
1964 Drink Drive: Office Party was the only television filler made in the year. It was targeted at office parties. A man and a woman leave the party. the woman stops the man from driving and they take a taxi It was an animation production made by Halas & Batchelor produced for the Department of Transport NFA ID 9857 NA ID INF 34/622 1965 four television fillers were produced, all concerned with road safety for the Department of Transport Look..Signal… Manoeuvre gave advice to motorists about safe driving habits. Made by Pathe Films and directed by H Gladwin for Associated British Pathe NFA ID 66434 Drink Drive: Bus Driver was another television filler for this on going campaign NFA ID 13523
Look and Listen offered advice about the dangers of crossing busy roads. NFA ID 13466 Wear a Helmet urged motor cyclists to wear helmets NFA ID N-721054 1966
four television fillers were produced during the year.
Sam-Ice Cream Van a road safety filler targeted at children. Sam is sitting on the step of a house in a busy city street drawing a picture when a little girl attempts to dash cross the road to an ice-cream van. He stops her and takes her to a pedestrian crossing. Narrator says 'Be like Sam help one another and don't dash across the road, It was a warning to children about the dangers of crossing roads. Made for the Department of Transport NFA ID N-595571
The Home Office initiated two fillers Children and Ponds was a safety filler targeted at children and their Mothers. It was a warning to parents of young children about the dangers of garden ponds and makes suggestions on how to make them safe until the child is older. NFA ID N-229508 Car Thief: Lock Your Car was a crime prevention filler aimed at motorists. NFA ID 763795
Produced for the Department of Employment Earnings Related Benefits provided information about this new benefit.An animation filler about the need to keep your official earnings statement safe in case it is later needed to prove eligibility for benefits. Various people are shown handling their statements poorly. NFA ID 6916971
1967 The year saw the production of six Television Fillers four of them for the Department of Transport
Snap Into the Seat Belt Habit was concerned seat belt safety. It was a fore runner of the later television commercials campaign N-721036 Reginald Molehusband concerned his attempts to park his car. A filler about an accident prone character Reginald Molehusband, who learns to park safely. NFA ID N-109303
Wear Something Bright At Night was about the need for pedestrian visibility at night Made by World Wide Pictures Produced by Peter Bradford. NFA ID N-99338
Ambler Gambler Green was about the need for care on signalled road crossings. NFA ID 764113
Polythene Bag Danger a filler warning about the danger to children of polythene bags in the home and in shops it was made for the Home Office. NFA ID 9859
Household Remedies encouraging the public not to waste the time of GPs for minor ailments that can be treated with household remedies that can be purchased from a chemist. NFA ID 15428
The Department of Health had already made some Television Fillers about the dangers of smoking. This is the first for which there is a record.
Dying for a Smoke warned again about the dangers to health of smoking. It gave some basic facts about linking smoking with lung cancer. Why people start smoking, personal views on how to give it up and the resulting benefits.. Sportsmen George Best, Geoff Boycott and Mark Cox appear to warn of the harmful effects of smoking. Produced by Halas and Batchelor and directed by John Halas. NFA ID 162870 1968
Seven television fillers were made in 1968
Decimal Coinage was an early part of a major campaign that continued for several years about the introduction of decimals in place of traditional coinage. NFA ID 5549
The Department of Trade and Industry initiated Jo and Petunia and Fog: were two fillers about safety at sea for small boats. The two fillers were both animation films produced for the Department of Trade and Industry. NFA ID 801315
Fire Prevention: Guest House was about fire prevention for owners of guest houses. A Fire Brigade officer tours a burnt out building pointing out the possible causes of the fire that engulfed the building. Made for the Home Office NFA ID N-723920 Litter: Keep It to Yourself encouraged countryside walkers to take their litter home. Featured celebrity Roy Hudd NFA ID \n-3630947
Progressive House (click here to view from BFI) the Employment Service Office at Progressive House in Belfast, promising job opportunities across Northern Ireland for men like those seen in this short promotional film. Progressive House opened on Wellington Place in 1967 and is still home to the Progressive Building Society. This was a television filler' item. NFA ID 333915
Smoking and Health - Teenager warns about the dangers of making by young people NFA ID 18455
Fog provides advice to householders to avoid creating smog by only burning smokeless fuels when there is a chance of foggy weather. NFA ID N-103173
1969
The production of thirteen television fillers during the year was a considerale increase though it may have been the consequence of better record keeping. The Department of Transport initiated four films. They were
New Highway Code a cartoon promoted a new edition of the Highway Code that was important reading for all road users. NFA ID 9814
Pelican Pedestrian was about the use of the new Pelican Crossings by pedestrians. An animation film illustrating how to correctly use a Pelican Crossing. A Grandfather demonstrates how it should be done. NFA ID N-474679
Pelican Motorist was about the new crossings from the perspective of the motorist
Running for A Bus and jumping on at the last moment warned about the dangers of this practice. NFA ID N-720706
One of the responsibilities of the Home Office was child safety.
Tell Mummy was a good example of a child safety filler, a frequent subject for television fillers. It was produced and directed by Richard Taylor using animated cut outs of children’s drawings. A little girl tells a story of how she wanted to go on a picnic with some friends, and knew she had to tell her mum where she was going first. Her mum was busy on the phone and by the time she had asked permission her friends had gone. She was upset but her mum was pleased and promised to take her on a picnic with her dad as well. NFA ID N-91719 The theme of child safety was continued with Iced Ponds gave advice on the dangers of ponds. The film was aimed at children and their parents. NFA ID N-720223
The Department of the Environment provided the following message to the public about
Rate Rebates (click here to view from BFI) advice is doled out in this animated television filler, complete with catchy rhymes. Our hero proclaims himself to be skint when the rent is due, so his wife suggests asking neighbour Mr Jones, who also has four cute cartoon kids. It would be difficult to forget how to get a rebate in 1969 - this typical public information short is winningly memorable. Now replaced by council tax in most of the UK, rates still apply in Northern Ireland. NFA ID 333913
Another aspect of the Department of the Environment concerned
Frost Warning were television fillers aimed at householders during winter months NFA ID N-720227
while the subject of how to behave when weather conditions gives rise to situations when it is necessary to help to
The Home Office was concerned about other situations in the home Tufty : Home Safety Hints was an animation filler using, possibly for the first time, the squirrel character to convey the message.Four lessons on safety in and around the home were in a film intended for very young children NFA ID 93490
Another message was about the problem of
Burst Pipes advice on what to do in the event of a burst pipe in the house. NFA ID N-110215
When In the Country was made for the Countryside Commission and was one of many providing advice about what to do when visiting the countryside. A cartoon film demonstrating various points of the Country Code; driving and parking, noise, control of dogs, footpaths, fire, litter, respect for property and plant and animal life . Directed by Stewart Hardy NFA ID 321726
"Race Relations Board" (click to view from BFI) a television filler that explained the work of the recently created Race Relations Board. Produced in Hindu, Urdu and English. NFA ID 9611
"Jo and Petunia and the Coastguard" the couple enjoy watching a small boat tossing on the sea until they realise that it is in danger and rush to call the coastguard.
This completes the list of known Television Fillers made between 1960 and 1969. If anyone has any information about other television fillers that were produced please write in through the "Contact Us" facility on the navigation bar.