Re: Telephone Dialing in Old Movies

May 20, 2007 0 Replies


I watched a number of movies on TCM lately and noticed various


> telephone dialing patterns.... In some scenes seven digits were
> dialed, but > Or only four. I don't remember the name of the movie, but phone
> number 6258 is important. The wife tries to call her husband at his
> workplace (a school) by dialing the school PBX; he's not there, but
> the school operator says he's at 6258. Wife then dials 6258, and a
> strange female voice answers. Wife hangs up without say> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But, please remember that in smaller
> towns with only one phone exchange (example 620-331) oftn times we
> only orally give the last four digits when speaking with someone,
> although we are required to dial all seven to make a call. PAT]

True -- same thing happens with 979-798 here in Texas. But that wasn't what happened in the unnamed movie: in that case, the wife clearly (and nervously) dialed four digits on a rotary dial phone.


I wish I could remember the name of that movie. Anybody recognize it?


Neal McLain

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