Your very good health (1948)
Long before the ‘Charley Says’ campaign of the 1970s and ‘80s, another cartoon Charley was used to explain the post-war Labour government's new legislative reforms. In this film Charley demystifies the new state-funded National Health Service, detailing the benefits a free-at -point-of-delivery health service will offer to everyone in England.
Endowed with an average man-on-the-street's everyday charm and armed with cheeky ripostes to authoritative commentary, the cartoon character designed by Joy Batchelor became the familiar face of official post-war propaganda, serving to anticipate and, it was hoped, overcome the British public's characteristic scepticism about government-imposed changes.
Directors: Joy Batchelor and John Halas
Duration: 9 minutes
Suggested credit: Your Very Good Health (1948) © The British Film Institute