Have you seen this girl?

January 28, 2005 12:23 PM

Carol Hersee playing tic tac toe with a clown is one of the most widely-seen images on television. The demi-famous Test Card F, its history and purpose.
posted by Captaintripps (22 comments total)

I've never seen it. I doubt most Americans have.
posted by Doohickie at 12:26 PM on January 28, 2005

Hmm, I'll bite. Does widely-seen equal most popular?

(Never seen it either.)
posted by furtive at 12:32 PM on January 28, 2005

I love stuff like this. It's fun to think about the people behind elements of culture that we take for granted. (Even though I've never seen the test card either.) For example, the people at Barnes and Noble who stick the red discount stickers on books. I mean, somebody's gotta do it.
posted by tepidmonkey at 12:33 PM on January 28, 2005

Doohickie: There are a few billion people in the world who are not American.

furtive: I don't think so. I'm not sure how popular a test card could get.
posted by Captaintripps at 12:35 PM on January 28, 2005

Hey Carol, I've missed you! I haven't seen her in years. There are other test cards used in Scandinavia sans little girls and clowns but I distinctly remember seeing Carol or a girl much like her in Sweden in the early 80s. Maybe it was Carol?
posted by dabitch at 12:45 PM on January 28, 2005

This was awesome. I grew up in Great Britain, and was always a little curious about this image. Thanks for the link!
posted by jonson at 12:51 PM on January 28, 2005

There's also some more test card info here with a full list of BBC Test Cards.

Since Test Card F was used in over 30 countries (according to the sites that reference it) one would assume you did see her in Sweden, dabitch.
posted by Captaintripps at 12:58 PM on January 28, 2005

Carol Hersee playing tic tac toe with a clown is one of the most widely-seen images on television (in Europe.)
posted by DieHipsterDie at 1:18 PM on January 28, 2005

As an American, I firmly demand a feather-wearing Indian in my test patterns!
posted by neckro23 at 1:25 PM on January 28, 2005

Ask and ye shall receive.

posted by Captaintripps at 1:29 PM on January 28, 2005

Oh dear. Are you Americans serious?
posted by armoured-ant at 1:31 PM on January 28, 2005

dabitch: I made a screensaver out of test card images once, and I've got a Sverige-Radio one that might be what you're thinking of here. Incidentally, a slideshow of test cards makes a great screensaver.

furtive: As test cards go, I'd say F puts up a good fight for most popular/best known. The only other one that comes to mind is the RCA Indian. Network identification (NBC peacock, CBS eye for Americans, CBC explody-thing for Canadians) is more memorable because you see them more often, but those aren't test cards.

(Incidentally, a slideshow of test cards and network identification graphics makes for a great screensaver.)
posted by mendel at 1:35 PM on January 28, 2005

"Are you Americans serious?"

You mean in general, or regarding this particular subject?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:41 PM on January 28, 2005

That's awesome, Captain... While I hadn't seen this particular Test Card (Being a lousy American)... I had often wondered, though not too much obviously, why test patterns had those weird circles and crosses on them. It's been years since I've seen one, and humbly bid the test pattern farewell!!!
posted by Debaser626 at 2:15 PM on January 28, 2005

dabitch, maybe it wasn't.

Check the third card in this test card gallery
posted by linux at 2:16 PM on January 28, 2005

Some of the confusion could be because in the US they're called Test Patterns.
posted by paddbear at 2:23 PM on January 28, 2005

It's funny. The only test card/pattern I've ever seen on TV is the verticle colors with the black and white bars at the bottom. The test card with the Native American I know from the game Fallout (or Fallout 2, or both, can't remember which one has it as one of it's flash screens). So at least that image isn't dead.
posted by Hactar at 2:33 PM on January 28, 2005

Here in Belgium, the only of the BBC test cards I've ever seen is Test Card G.
posted by reynaert at 4:08 PM on January 28, 2005

Actually paddbear, according to a couple of the sites listed above, Test Cards and Test Patterns are different things.
posted by Captaintripps at 12:51 AM on January 29, 2005

mendel, oh my that Svergies Radio seems more likely, I do recognize that one. Though black and white seems much older. I have seen Carol though, on BBC. :)
posted by dabitch at 4:02 AM on January 29, 2005

For the nostalgic, Thames television idents in real. The boob-spoof (real) still cracks me up.
posted by dabitch at 4:50 AM on January 29, 2005

Ha ha ha, I never saw the boob-spoof, though I remember the form of those idents from old Danger Mouse episodes (or was that Bananaman, or both?).
posted by Captaintripps at 11:00 AM on January 29, 2005