60's Sound Effects

[Drusilla1S]

Why do men's shoes always have a clickety click sound in films and Tv programmes from the 1960's?

Did men have metal plates in their heels to protect their shoes in those days, or is it just naff sound effects?

[naz_nomad]

People used to (don't know if they still do) put metal pieces on the bottom of shoes to prevent them wearing out

In the Uk they are called BLAKEYS

[lankeela]

I remember going straight to the cobblers for blakeys to be put on new shoes whilst at school.

[The Big Gill]

Those were the days when leather-soled shoes were pretty much the norm - hence the protectors, as naz_ says (aka Segs). You can still get them.

[Backdrifter]

You're right - it makes me chuckle sometimes to hear the exaggerated-sounding CLICK CLICK of footsteps in 60s films and TV shows. Especially when someone is stalking or being stalked through a dark corridor - you'd get the click-clicking accompanied by that 60s "tension" music - dum dum DUM dum - [pause] - ching ching (maraccas) - [pause] - dum dum DUM dum DUM - [pause] - (big rattly percussion thing) - etc

[Mikeyd2]

I think there used to be artists that just used to do this for film soundtracks , surprisingly called "footstep artists" .

Now it comes under "Foley artists" and they do many many of the sound effects for films , Tv etc.
Have a go yourself here...

http://www.marblehead.net/foley/feet.html

[Rumford]

The big heel protectors were called Blakeys and there were smaller ones which were called Segs.