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COI at 75

The Central Office of Information (COI) produced and distributed thousands of films for use across Britain, the Commonwealth and the world. Paid for by you the taxpayer, the films couldn’t have been more varied: documentary, drama, news, animation, comedy -  even horror.

In this collection, 75 films mark the COI’s 75th anniversary, and reveal that sheer variety. Founded in 1946,  finally closing in 2012, the COI worked for virtually every corner of government meeting every possible information, publicity and propaganda need. Here you’ll find samples of the COI’s iconic public information campaigns - sometimes humorous, often horrific - but you'll also find much more… Here are films used to project a positive image of Britain abroad – film as 'soft power' - and films used to recruit its workforces and support our public services at home. When the ever-changing requirements of the state meet the ever-ready skills of our creative industries, the results are richly fascinating and endlessly debatable.

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Riding on Air Riding on Air

Documentary 1959 16 mins Location: London

A beautiful and evocative survey of cycling's golden years.

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The Fatal Floor The Fatal Floor

Public Information Filler 1974 1 mins

Typically hard-hitting public information film about the threat posed by combining a rug and a freshly polished floor.

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Handkerchief Drill Handkerchief Drill

Public Information Filler 1949 1 mins

Another of Richard Massingham’s snappy public information fillers finds the oafish everyman’s personal hygiene in question again.

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The Smoking Machine The Smoking Machine

Documentary 1964 16 mins

Documentary warning children about the drawbacks of cigarettes – not least their addictiveness.

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District Nurse District Nurse

Government sponsored film 1952 27 mins Location: Wadhurst

Never a dull moment for a rural district nurse in the early days of the NHS.

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Race Relations Board Race Relations Board

Public Information Filler 1969 1 mins

New law targets discrimination in housing and employment in this eye-opening public information film.

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Worn Tyres Can Kill Worn Tyres Can Kill

Public Information Filler 1972 1 mins Silent

A couple goes out for a drive, but their car has clearly seen better days - and so have its tyres.

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Jet-propelled Germs Jet-propelled Germs

Documentary 1948 1 mins

One of several highly entertaining films from Richard Massingham about the dangers of uncontrolled sneezing.

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His Fighting Chance His Fighting Chance

Government sponsored film 1949 10 mins

Eleanor Roosevelt and Michael Redgrave narrate this optimistic post-war film on the rehabilitation of disabled people with polio.

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Return to Life Return to Life

Documentary 1960 29 mins

John Krish’s deeply compassionate documentary on the resettlement of refugees in Britain; made to mark World Refugee Year 1959.

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The Sewing Machine The Sewing Machine

Public Information Filler 1973 1 mins

The Sewing Machine is a disturbing, 60 second road-safety film in which a mother, who sits at her sewing machine inside her house, warns her daughter to stay on the pavement, to no avail.

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Space Invader Space Invader

Public Information Filler 1982 1 mins

Kitsch public information filler inspired by the classic arcade game

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Lonely Water Lonely Water

1973 2 mins

Terrifying public information film presenting the horrific consequences of playing in or near rivers, ponds and other water hazards.

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Blood Is Life Blood Is Life

Documentary 1957 16 mins

There will be blood: a public information film that engages the mind and tugs the heart.

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Out of True Out of True

Instructional 1951 41 mins

An innovative drama-doc, one of the first to deal seriously with clinical depression

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London Line No. 373 London Line No. 373

Cinemagazine 1971 15 mins Silent Location: Westminster

A Ghanaian fashion student and a Nigerian squash player are among the African community making a life in 70s Britain in this edition of the magazine show.

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Green Cross Code - Splink Launch Green Cross Code - Splink Launch

Public Information Filler 1 mins

A former Doctor Who returns to Earth to deliver a road safety message

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Coi: Seat Belts - Human Cannonball Coi: Seat Belts - Human Cannonball

Advert 1978 1 mins

A circus act – of sorts – combines with gallows humour in a shatteringly effective reminder to "clunk, click" even on the shortest trip.

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Insaaf Insaaf

Government sponsored film 1971 43 mins

An extremely unusual, deeply fascinating public information film - targeted at the South Asian community and filmed partly in Urdu.

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Furnival and Son Furnival and Son

Government sponsored film 1948 19 mins Location: Sheffield

Super location footage enlivens this drama-documentary on Sheffield's steel industry.

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Life in Her Hands Life in Her Hands

Instructional 1951 55 mins

Kathleen Byron - of Black Narcissus fame - stars in one of the most ambitious recruitment films ever made.

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What's in a Number What's in a Number

Documentary drama 1948 1 mins

National insurance made amusing by the eccentric Richard Massingham.

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Smoking and You Smoking and You

School programme and Educational film 1963 11 mins

The anti-smoking campaign starts here, with the first ever anti-tobacco film – and very impressive it is too.

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Nursing in the NHS: Spanish Nurses Recruitment Nursing in the NHS: Spanish Nurses Recruitment

Promotional 2002 8 mins

Nurses needed: this early 21st century recruitment video makes fascinating viewing today.

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The Referee The Referee

Animation & Artists Moving Image 1976 4 mins

Wrestling as a metaphor for race relations in this short aimed at Britain's South-Asian community

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Moslems in Britain - Places Moslems in Britain - Places

Documentary 1964 23 mins Location: Woking

Visit the places important to London's Muslim community in this informative short documentary.

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Moslems in Britain - People Moslems in Britain - People

Documentary 1964 24 mins

A series of interviews about life in the capital with Muslims living and studying in London

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Fair Rent Fair Rent

Documentary 1947 11 mins Location: Aberdeen

Power cuts, housing shortages and exorbitant rents – Aberdeen man Norrie Williamson goes head to head with his greedy landlady

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West of England West of England

Industry sponsored film 1951 10 mins Location: Stroud

The Stroud valleys of Gloucestershire in glorious Technicolor - and with a Laurie Lee script.

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Strangers Strangers

Animation & Artists Moving Image 1973 1 mins

Who needs to talk to strangers when you're the only one who can understand the garbled mewling of your best buddy cat, Charley?

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Night Call Night Call

Fantasy 1977 27 mins

Stylish 70s road safety film with a sting in the tail.

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Women in Industry Women in Industry

Public Information Filler 1948 1 mins

The Ministry of Labour exhorts women to return to industry – the post-war production drive depends on them.

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Dover, Spring 1947 Dover, Spring 1947

Documentary 1947 11 mins Location: Dover

Dover gets a makeover in this offbeat and pointed public information film.

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Waverley Steps Waverley Steps

Documentary 1948 31 mins Location: Edinburgh

Beautifully evocative impression of a Sunday in early postwar Edinburgh.

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AIDS: Iceberg AIDS: Iceberg

Public Information Filler 1987 1 mins

Simple and devastatingly effective, a key advert from the UK's first major AIDS awareness campaign.

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Aids - Monolith Aids - Monolith

Public Information Filler 1987 1 mins

Portentous imagery and John Hurt’s grave voiceover define this key film from a £5 million campaign to combat the AIDS epidemic.

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Parade No. 112 Parade No. 112

1973 9 mins

Follow the remarkable intercontinental process of 1970s steel manufacture, from Liberian iron ore to titanium jewellery.

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Uganda Asians Uganda Asians

Non-Fiction 1972 4 mins

How will Britain respond to the plight of thousands of refugees?

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Charley in New Town Charley in New Town

Animation & Artists Moving Image 1948 8 mins

Charley says (no, not that one) that Britain’s new towns are great

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How to Use the Telephone How to Use the Telephone

Government sponsored film 1948 19 mins

Hold please. Enter a distinctly British bureaucracy as the post-war Civil Service learns to be civil on the telephone

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Dying for a Smoke Dying for a Smoke

Animation & Artists Moving Image 1967 10 mins

What the Devil made you start smoking?

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Firework : Eyes Firework : Eyes

Public Information Filler 1974 1 mins

Stark 70s firework safety film which mixes the everyday and the uncanny

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Green Cross Code - He's Great Green Cross Code - He's Great

Public Information Filler 1976 0 mins

David Prowse (the frame of Darth Vader) appears as the iconic Green Cross Code Man, heaping praise on a young GXC expert.

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Talk about Work Talk about Work

Instructional film/TV programme 1971 15 mins Location: Liverpool

Ken Loach makes Public Information Film shock!

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Instruments of the Orchestra Instruments of the Orchestra

Performance 1946 18 mins

One of Benjamin Britten’s best-known pieces, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, was composed for this film.

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Playing with Fire Playing with Fire

Public Information Filler 1947 10 mins

You're asking for trouble when you play with fire - and this public information film is the stuff of nightmares

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Modern Day Nightingales Modern Day Nightingales

School programme and Educational film 1978 5 mins

Gripping glimpses of modern nursing - on the frontline at Guy’s Hospital.

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Road Test Pedestrian Road Test Pedestrian

Public Information Filler 1974 1 mins Location: London

Frank Thornton – Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? – gives a pedestrian a road test in this snappy public information film.

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Never Go with Strangers Never Go with Strangers

Documentary 1971 18 mins

Is this the scariest public information film ever? This hard-hitting warning against 'stranger danger' was considered too distressing to be broadcast on television.

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Searching Searching

Public Information Filler 1974 1 mins

John Krish’s haunting fire prevention film prowls through a carefully designed burned-out shell of a set.

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Your Children's Play Your Children's Play

Children's 1951 20 mins

Need some post-war parenting advice? Then this is the film for you.

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Atoms at Work Atoms at Work

1952 11 mins Location: Harwell

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Harwell's nuclear research establishment and the peaceful applications of atomic energy.

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Festival in London Festival in London

Documentary 1951 10 mins Location: Lambeth Br

Experience the futuristic delights on offer at London's South Bank during the Festival of Britain

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Simply Metric Simply Metric

Public Information Filler 1973 14 mins

Wouldn't budge an inch for a centimetre? This guide to the new-fangled system of metrication may change your mind.

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Something Completely Different Something Completely Different

1974 4 mins Silent Location: Doune

Join John Cleese and the cast of Monty Python and the Holy Grail on location in Scotland

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Morecambe and Wise - Be Wise Don't Drink and Drive Morecambe and Wise - Be Wise Don't Drink and Drive

Public Information Filler 1963 1 mins

Ernie tells Eric to ‘be wise’ and not drive home after their Christmas party

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Glenda Jackson Glenda Jackson

Cinemagazine 1971 14 mins

Glenda Jackson talks about acting for theatre and for the camera

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Understanding Aggression Understanding Aggression

Documentary 1960 23 mins

Eye-opening drama-doc, originally used in psychiatric nursing training.

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Road Safety - Think Bike Road Safety - Think Bike

Public Information Filler 1978 1 mins

Think once... think twice... think bike! A memorably two-fisted public information filler.

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Play Safe - Frisbee Play Safe - Frisbee

Public Information Filler 1978 1 mins

Notorious British safety film in which young Jimmy makes the fatal mistake of trying to retrieve his Frisbee.

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An Ordinary Life An Ordinary Life

1985 29 mins

“I’d much rather work at a computer than make wicker baskets” – disabled people hit the mainstream in 1980s Britain

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The Good Housewife "In Her Kitchen" The Good Housewife "In Her Kitchen"

Public Information Filler 1949 3 mins

Short public information film showing housewives' efficient and hygienic methods of food storage

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Aberdeen Oil Boom Aberdeen Oil Boom

Government sponsored film 1972 5 mins Location: Aberdeen

Aberdeen's local fishermen turn into wildcatting oilmen in a lively report from the early days of the North Sea oil boom.

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Pedal Cyclists Pedal Cyclists

Public Information Filler 1947 2 mins

A witty, eccentric guide to safety on two wheels under the watchful eye of a pedalling angel.

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So We're Different but ... So We're Different but ...

Documentary 1976 31 mins Location: Coventry

Teachers and pupils of 3 schools in Trafford, Stevenage and Coventry make the case for the acceptance of difference without discrimination.

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London Line Colour No. 16 London Line Colour No. 16

Cinemagazine 1968 14 mins Silent Location: Surbiton

What do "I'm Backing Britain", electronic music and nuclear lighthouses have in common? Nothing at all, but they're all here in this 60s TV magazine show.

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Dusty No. 6 : Dusty Says Keep Britain Tidy Dusty No. 6 : Dusty Says Keep Britain Tidy

Animation & Artists Moving Image 1978 0 mins

Dusty the kangaroo catches a shadowy figure in the act of dumping an old mattress in this campaigning cartoon

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African Student Families African Student Families

Cinemagazine 1975 10 mins Silent Location: Westminster

Cinemagazine London Line looks at the support available in London for African students and their families.

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The People at No. 19 The People at No. 19

Documentary drama 1949 18 mins

Reported cases of sexually transmitted disease took a sharp rise during and after WWII, as back on the home front people like Joan from number 19 were indulging in extra marital promiscuity ... An archive government warning film.

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Only a Fool Breaks the Second Rule - Pile-up Only a Fool Breaks the Second Rule - Pile-up

Public Information Filler 1975 1 mins Silent

A mysterious stranger foreshadows Death, but is good enough to give a handy driving safety tip along the way

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Children's Heroes: Alvin Stardust Children's Heroes: Alvin Stardust

Public Information Filler 1975 1 mins

Are you out of your tiny mind? Then let glam star Alvin Stardust be your lollypop idol

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Matches Matches

Animation & Artists Moving Image 1973 1 mins

Home safety is child's play if you have the feline guardian angel of the 70s on hand

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Apaches Apaches

Documentary 1977 27 mins

One of the most disturbing public safety films depicts six children being picked off one-by-one by deadly farming machinery.

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Milton Keynes - A Village City Milton Keynes - A Village City

Cinemagazine 1973 8 mins Location: Milton Keynes

"The most exciting thing going on in Europe, if not the world": welcome to Milton Keynes circa 1973.

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Demise of the Old Penny and Threepenny Bit Demise of the Old Penny and Threepenny Bit

Public Information Filler 1970 1 mins

Dig down the back of the sofa for your lost shrapnel: old coinage is phasing out as Britain prepares to go decimal.