Start An Exciting New Career - Become A Toll Telephone Operator

[fnelson487]

Now For Some Fun

Here is Lily Tomlin (Ernestine) at  her Western Electric 555 switchboard, terrorizing the subscribers.  Not too much different from my 556a except that mine had a whole lot of crossbar switching backing it up.  I worked at an independent phone company as as operator at the same time Lily was doing this on "Laugh In".  A lot of truth here.  Back then, the phone company had almost complete control over your electronic communication with the outside world.  Love this.

 

[fnelson487]

BTW

Love that Sarah Coventry!

 

[davey7]

My mom's aunts/cousins in Nebraska were the operators in their town and had the switchboard (I'll see if I have pictures) in their living room. They knew ALL the going's on and could even tell callers if so and so was home or not.