Summary

Game name (and type): 'Film Stars' (guessing game)
Alternative type: chasing games, running games, dramatic games, role playing games, imitation game

Handwritten description of the guessing and chasing game 'Film Stars' written for Dr Dorothy Howard by Margaret Brown, a student at Double View Government Primary School, probably on 25 March 1955. Brown describes 'Film Stars' as a game often played at Double View Primary School, requiring at least three players and an open space. To play, players count-out to elect 'he'. Brown writes that 'he' stands two yards from the other children and calls out the initials of a film star. If a player successfully guesses the name of the film star, they must run to a designated location without being caught by 'he'. If they fail to outrun the chaser, they become 'he'. Brown notes that the game usually continues until all players have been 'he'.

One of a collection of letters describing a children's games written to children's Folklorist Dorothy Howard between 1954 and 1955. Dr Howard came to Australia in 1954-55 as an American Fulbright scholar to study Australian children's folklore. She travelled across Australia for 10 months collecting children's playground rhymes, games, play artefacts, etc. This letter, together with the other original fieldwork collected by Dr Howard during this period, is preserved in the Dorothy Howard Collection manuscript files, part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC), Archive Series 3. The ACFC is an extensive collection documenting children's folklore and related research.

Physical Description

Handwritten game description in pencil on lined paper. Features borders ruled in red pencil; text written on one side only.

More Information