This 1961 Transogram Company, Inc. game was donated to the Museum in 1991. The game is based upon an "adventure" television show that was telecast during prime time from 1960 through 1962.
The central character of the story is "Velvet Brown" played by Lori Martin (picture on the left side of the box). The cardboard box is 44cm x 22.75cm x 4.5cm. The television show was based upon a motion picture (1944) which stared a very young Elizabeth Taylor as Velvet.
While the original film story took place in England, the television series was set on a Midwestern American dairy farm. The story is about the 12 year old Velvet's desire to train her horse "King" to run in the Grand National Steeplechase.
The game board (pictured on the right) which is 43cm square by 2.5cm thick is really two games in one. On the right side is the "training area" with various "hurdles" that would impede "King's" progress to reach the "Grand National". The left side of the board is the Steeplechase course.
Included with the board are a series of 4cm x 1cm rectangular blue, yellow, green, red, or beige cardboard "hurdles". These are placed into slots on the board. Each "hurdle" has a name printed across the top. There are also wooden stands in which other cardboard "hurdles" are placed on the board.
Players are represented on the board by plastic markers. Action is decided upon by players using a 20cm x 12cm cardboard "spinner" with a metal arrow. This blue, red, and yellow "spinner" is shaped like a award ribbon and has a photograph of "Velvet" and "King" in the center.
Last update May 30, 2010