Splink - Jon Pertwee (1976)

Jon Pertwee (the third Doctor Who) stars in one of the most (in)famous Central Office of Information films, using the mnemonic 'SPLINK' to educate kids in the correct way to cross the road. The slogan proved far too complex for children to remember - in a survey of 595 children, precisely none could recall what each letter stood for. (Alex Davidson)

You can watch over 1500 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the BFI Mediatheque. There are Mediatheques at BFI Southbank, London, QUAD, Derby and the new Central Library, Cambridge: http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/bfi-mediatheque http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/leisure/libraries/online/bfi_media.htm

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[MrElliotpaige]

I suppose the Doctor had to make this PIF to suppliment his UNIT sallery when the Time Lords marooned him.

[phillydisco]

I had to watch this one more than once, and I still had trouble remembering what the acronym stood for. Way too complicated. Splink Stink. :)

Easier just to tell the kids the cars are like Daleks, and if they don't see any, then run across.

[DoctorWhovianTARDIS]

Don't splink. They're fast. They're faster than you can believe. Don't even splink. Splink and you're dead.

[MrComedy01]

"YOU ARE THE DOCTOR! YOU ARE THE ENEMY OF THE DALEKS! YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED! YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED! YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!"

lol

[Fritzrgc]

Not sure when this was filmed, but when I learned the Green Cross Code about 1970 it was much simpler. Look left, look right, look left again. For a direction neutral version "Look for traffic in the near lane, look for traffic in the far lane, look for traffic in the near lane again" -- Its been 40 years & I still remember this simpler version of the Green Cross Code :)

[Saisinkolimonadin]

Looks like the Ministry of Acronyms didn't get much funding in the seventies, SPLINK is just terrible

[Pierce1364]

in this ad show i asw ur man from little britian was da presenter and he changed it to

Choose a safe place to stand.

Observe the traffic

Carefully walk across the road

Keep safe

COCK

[andyp1986]

@MistaVista1 I love how at the end he says, "Well now we'll ALL remember the Green Cross Code" Um...actually I don't think most of us would-..."SPLINK!" DAH! Okay, Okay! I'll remember!

[Cool2BCeltic]

Dr Who promoted the Green Cross Code for a while and then it was Darth Vader.

[enroy37]

If you don't SPLINK before you cross ,you'll get SPLAT!!!

[deadriclord678]

SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK SPLINK 

[MistaVista1]

Ok, surely they could have come up with a slightly better neumonic than

Safe

Pavement

Look

If

No

Keep...

[CaptainRhoo]

He is an utter legend.

[rojblake82]

I think the lad, with the brown top is Dexter Fletcher who was baby face in Bugsy Malone and later Dexter found fame in the children's show press gang for several years. The character Dexter Fletcher played in press gang, was Spike Thomas who fancied Julia sawalha's character Lucy I think her name was.

[uncled39]

While the kids were trying to remember what the letters in splink meant they were not looking at the traffic so many died or were injured. Many "no win no fee" claims ensued, much sadness.

[tf2whackyengineer]

Kids are going to try and remember this and then zone out in the middle of the road trying to remember what the next letter stood for.

Don't splink, splink and you're dead!

[KingLofiOne]

0:29 Sounds like he's saying "BLINK!"

No, Doctor. Baaaad Advice right there. Don't Blink. Blink and you're dead.

Also: Don't splink and you splat.

[cubs203]

splink!! o sry babe i got my splink all over you

[LaraElSupergirl]

PERTWEE.

FTW.

PERIOD.

[evebil123]

Hahaha he looks like Olivander from Harry Potter :P x

[j43ms]

@belmthemus

that's him!

[belmthemus]

@j43ms Was that not Todd Carty from eastenders and grangehill ?

[JaSt321]

keeps clicking on 0:28...

[RedbirdSims]

SPLINK

[LorChan1919]

Just... the face when he says "SPLINK!". It cracks me up.

[crackakillah]

SPLINK!

[matt2house]

just thinking now what would happen if the master showed up and the humans were using splink to look bothways.