When I was a kid, the telephone company in my town in central Illinois was called General Telephone....which later became GTE.
Bonnie
Bonnie
"Operator, I've Been Disconnected!"
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 BonnieR325 |
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Waits tables at the Purl Roadhouse
Posts: 291 (07/12/08 05:08 PM) Waits tables at the Purl Roadhouse |
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Derwenz |
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Holds season tickets for the Indians
Posts: 1224 (07/12/08 05:31 PM) Administrator &
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Bonnie,
When I was little, my parents lived in Granada Hills in the northcentral San Fernando Valley. They also had General Telephone in Granada Hills. We had a party-line for awhile, and my folks hated it. They also hated General Telephone service. When we upped sticks and moved to Northridge in 1962, we had Pacific Bell, with which my parents were much more happy. My family and I still live in Northridge but, much farther north and, on the border with Granada Hills. Verizon serves this part of Northridge. But, we have Time Warner Cable, for our phone, cable, and Internet service. And, I have issues with them, too! Steve 
Last Edited By: Derwenz
10/04/08 05:31 PM.
Edited 1 times.
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lavender023 |
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Waits tables at the Purl Roadhouse
Posts: 261 (05/05/09 01:06 AM) Moderator &
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For some reason. I only discovered this thread now. I love it! I remember when we had rented phones from the phone company and they were so reliable. They were
almost indestructible. I can't tell you how often we have to buy new phones now. When we were kids, it was rare to find a colored phone in anyone's
house and that was the 50's. It was well past the Homefront era, but my favorite phone was the phone company's blue princess phone. I loved the phone
but my husband got rid of it because it was very easy to put the receiver back on the phone uneven and then it was as if it was off the hook. I have seen the
princess phone in blue, pink and yellow in a catalogue I frequently get and it is between $39 & $60. I can't remember off hand but I dream whenever I
look at it. We always had a black desk phone as a child. I love on TV shows when people have to ask the operator to ring their party. I love on Lassie when it
shows Jenny the operator and the phone switchboard equipment in her living room.
As far as Ozzie & Harriet, one of their sponsors was Hotpoint (With Mary Tyler Moore as the little elf in the ads) so their kitchen was usually the latest style. I love Ozzie & Harriet and have been watching it a lot lately. It is on the FamilyLand channel. They also carry The Loretta Young Show, the old 1950's Dragnets, The Lone Ranger & Annie Oakley. The oldest Nelson shows are my favorites but it was still good when the boys grew up. |
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Derwenz |
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Holds season tickets for the Indians
Posts: 1643 (05/05/09 04:19 PM) Administrator &
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Lavender,
I'm glad you finally discovered this fascinating topic! I started this thread after realizing how much of a roll the telephone played in movies of the 1930s, and 1940s. And, those old phones really had "stage presence." So many varieties were in use, as well. This thread is a testament of that. What I find most remarkable, is the length of service that many of these models saw. I can remember, as a kid during the 1960s, seeing the classic Western Electric 302 "Lucy Phone" as well as, the pedestal types in use in the homes of some of my parents' friends. Those old phones were certainly built to last. Back in the 1990s, I had a friend who still had a Western Electric 202 pedestal phone in his house! And, when the ringer-box indicated an incoming call, it clattered out that wonderful old ring you just don't hear anymore, with these cheap cordless jobs and their synthesized pulse-tones. As I think we discussed earlier in this thread, phones were rented by the customer from the phone company and, as a result, built to last. Like you, I get very frustrated with these crappy modern phones; You're lucky if you manage to squeeze three years of life out of them. Back in January, we bought a Uniden cordless phone, with an extension, at Costco for under $40. A couple of months later, the number 4 on the keypad of the main phone, decided it didn't wanna work anymore! I remember the princess phone. My parents had one in their bedroom, as a extension. Theirs was pink. But, I, too, can remember in my earliest childhood years that the only color available in a phone, was black. Back during the '30s and '40s, black was by far the most common color. However, other color options were available. In some old movies I've watched, I noticed white (or Ivory). This color could be had, for an extra charge. Other colors, were green and red. But, these colors were often reserved for official uses. After starting this thread, I began to pay more attention to the phones used as props on Homefront. They mainly used the western Electric 302, and the old-style payphone, with the separate earpiece - very authentic for this era. In one episode, Ginger is speaking on a Western Electric late-model 102 pedestal phone with the "spitcup" mouthpiece (and, again, YES - that's what it was called!). Lavender, do continue to check out this board! There may be a few other interesting discussion threads you haven't discovered yet! And, thanks for dropping by again! Steve
Last Edited By: Derwenz
05/05/09 04:22 PM.
Edited 1 times.
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