Charley Says... Don't Do Stupid Shit Kids!

Anyone who grew-up in the Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, instantly hears in their head the chirpy voice of the kid in the "Charley Says..." public information films. Among the glut of public information films that appeared on our TV screens in the 1970s, the Charley Says series is probably the most well known and loved. Charley the ginger cat, served as the conscience of the unnamed little boy, in a series of near-misadventures.

The series was done in a cut-out animation style, and warned kids of dangers such as playing with matches, avoiding strangers, and pulling at a tablecloth so that the boiling pot of tea doesn't fall over on you! The little boy was voiced by the 7 year old neighbour's son of the producer Richard Taylor. The garbled voice of Charley the cat was voiced by comedian, radio broadcaster and TV personality Kenny Everett. The boy would translate for the viewers the lessons that each animation short was designed to warn kids about.
In total there were six Charley Says... public information films, that were all produced in 1973, and appeared on British TV right through into the 1980s. Richard Taylor the producer also made the trippy cult kids cartoon Crystal Tipps and Alistair for the BBC, which was first shown between 1971 and 1974. His animation company also made the Protect and Survive series of twenty Cold War public information films of the late 1970s and early 1980s, which were famously voiced by the actor Patrick Allen. In 2005 the Charley Says... series was voted 95th in the 100 Greatest Cartoons, in a Channel 4 poll. 
Falling In The Water: Charley warns of the dangers of playing near water, by nearly drowning! Luckily dad fishing nearby pulls him out of the river, he stupidly jumped into.
Matches: While playing blocks with the little lad, Charley spots that one of the blocks is actually a box of matches, and therefore warns of playing with them.
Charley's Tea Party: Charley tries to get some fish off the tea table, and ends up being scolded by a hot pot of tea. You can't any more British than a table laid for tea!
In The Kitchen: Charley warns of the dangers of going near hot "stoves", after being scolded by steam and spat at by hot fat from the frying pan of sausages.
Mummy Should Know: While playing behind their house, the lad and his cat are invited on a picnic, but Charley warns of telling your mum first before going off somewhere.
Strangers: The most well remembered of the Charley Says... Warning of not going off with stranger men who ask if you want to "see some puppies"!
Curious Alice: The 1971 Anti-Drug PSA - The trippiest and least effective anti-drug PSAs ever. This animation would make you want to take drugs, so you could enjoy it properly.
One Got Fat: A Very Creepy 1963 PSA - One of the most creepy PSAs ever made. A testament to this is the number of times the film has been used in various music videos in recent years. 
"Charly" was the 1991 début single by the British electronic act The Prodigy, taken from their début album Experience. The song sampled the Charley Says public information film, Strangers. Not only did the song bring the underground "acid" house rave scene into the mainstream, it spawned a series of bad copy-cat songs.