Thanks for bringing back great memories of my time on the LD switchboard in the mid-60s. I still have my heavy graphite mechanical pencil for marking tickets.
I've worked a comparatively small PMBX. Things get automatic and after a bit you can clip along at a fair rate. I had the advantage that all the lines were private and secure, so no fees to collect. The actual work they're doing in this film is boggling :)
Or called on weekends. Years ago, I worked for a Canadian telecom, though not Bell. I used to work on Sundays and when my wife wanted to talk to relatives in Montreal, she'd call me at work and I would then transfer the call over my company's network, from my office in Toronto, to Montreal. This was before long distance competition and my company was not yet allowed to handle public long distance calls.
My mother-in-law and her sister had a system. Her sister had call-pack which allowed her to make local toll free calls. When my MIL wanted to talk to her sister, she'd ring her phone 3x, which was a signal for her sister to call her.
My older sister was an operator for Southwestern Bell in the 1960s. I don't know how she kept her sanity. Come to think of it, maybe this explains a lot.
@@vicepresidentmikepence889 very subjective. it depends on what you consider “better”. My father born in 1935 was blue collar worked hard and was able to provide for me and four siblings. Bought us a home. Mom was a housewife and looked after the kids.
America was working.No school shootings. No Men pretending they're women.I can go on and on.I am old enough to know. Give it time.People will have a implant in their body at birth. Big brother will want to know about you
Man, the technology supporting this (switching, billing, etc.) is nuts. And I also notice that they use "o" (as in the letter) not the number zero for area codes (7-o-2 not 7-0-2), wonder why is? Maybe because o is faster to say than zero?
Most Americans over a certain age still use the letter O when saying a phone number aloud. Is this not something you do? Plus the O also will dial the Operator so it serves a dual purpose.
Very good film, actually made between 1960 and 1963, judging by the automobiles at the start of the film.
Thanks Sherlock!
'61 Chevy
@@thomasm9139 I was going to mention that looked like about a '60s Chevy at the beginning myself....FRIEND
I thought the same. Cars from the early '60s.
Pleasant , something rarely seen in society now.
Watching the tedium of this job makes me appreciate computers even more!!
And yet, these tedious actions were quite efficient in getting the job done and, at times, did a job better than an automated computer. 😁😁😁😁😁
I love this kind of stuff! I love telephones and systems and clerical work and old how-to films.
That was intense! Who says women in the work place weren't extremely talented back in the 1950's and 1960's?
Love these "industrial" films. Great window to history.
Thanks for bringing back great memories of my time on the LD switchboard in the mid-60s. I still have my heavy graphite mechanical pencil for marking tickets.
The scene of her processing calls was incredibly satisfying to watch - especially with the added over voice narration.
Loved this ! Was a telephone operator myself from 1978 - 1998! Mostly international and overseas.
did you work on the TSPS system?
Thank you for this. My mother was a toll operator before I was born. This gives me insight on what she did.
That's awesome ... glad it helped you appreciate your Mom even more!!
I DO love a happy ending!! LOVE this film!
Quite a bit of work those operators did back in those days.
I've worked a comparatively small PMBX.
Things get automatic and after a bit you can clip along at a fair rate. I had the advantage that all the lines were private and secure, so no fees to collect. The actual work they're doing in this film is boggling :)
Back when you used to wait till 7:PM to make a call to get a much better rate on the call!
Or called on weekends. Years ago, I worked for a Canadian telecom, though not Bell. I used to work on Sundays and when my wife wanted to talk to relatives in Montreal, she'd call me at work and I would then transfer the call over my company's network, from my office in Toronto, to Montreal. This was before long distance competition and my company was not yet allowed to handle public long distance calls.
My mother-in-law and her sister had a system. Her sister had call-pack which allowed her to make local toll free calls. When my MIL wanted to talk to her sister, she'd ring her phone 3x, which was a signal for her sister to call her.
@@whatsamattayu3257 Yep, a friend's family did the same.
Are there plans on adding these to TMDB and Letterboxd? The community for niche media on the latter would love this.
My mom was like Linda and became a nurse instead. Ended up marrying a doctor, too. My dad 🙂
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
My older sister was an operator for Southwestern Bell in the 1960s. I don't know how she kept her sanity. Come to think of it, maybe this explains a lot.
My mother used to do this, starting in 1949.
50's? That was a '61 Chevy driving around.
Fascinating. 😁
16:37 "The bulletin shows Fort Wayne as an...'other' place." Can confirm.
😂😂😂
In this context it actually means that Fort Wayne is not Bell (AT&T) territory but rather GTE.
Wow can I hire some of these women? lol
Get into your "way back" machine, fly it back to 1960 to any city in the US, and then start looking at temp agencies.
After watching a 22-minute film, an operator was expected to master this sequence? Not a chance.
7:37 it almost sounded like "Witch-craft 2-4-9" from a little old witch customer trying to reach her friend.
I always wondered what Peppermint Patty did when she grew up.
Absolutely Mind-Boggling!!
Woman are so smart!
But some are brighter and more responsible than others!
Better times then
The USA had just come out of two world wars, where thousands of Americans died, and was currently in a cold war. TIMES DEFINITELY WEREN'T BETTER
Ain't that the bloody truth
@@vicepresidentmikepence889
very subjective. it depends on what you consider “better”. My father born in 1935 was blue collar worked hard and was able to provide for me and four siblings. Bought us a home. Mom was a housewife and looked after the kids.
America was working.No school shootings. No Men pretending they're women.I can go on and on.I am old enough to know.
Give it time.People will have a implant in their body at birth.
Big brother will want to know about you
@@kamakaziozzie3038 No school shootings
I assume being all business was part of their training. It was nearly like AI before AI. It was a very proficient system.
1:14 10 cents for a cup of coffee in the cafeteria.
“She’s a bit brighter than the general female population but she has to be” lol not sexist at all
Good grief!😮
Man, the technology supporting this (switching, billing, etc.) is nuts. And I also notice that they use "o" (as in the letter) not the number zero for area codes (7-o-2 not 7-0-2), wonder why is? Maybe because o is faster to say than zero?
Most Americans over a certain age still use the letter O when saying a phone number aloud. Is this not something you do? Plus the O also will dial the Operator so it serves a dual purpose.
@@cyberGEK Also, at that time, all area codes only had a 1 or a 0 as a middle digit.
I'm sure the T.S.P.S. electronic system was a lot easier to work at
Now if you must talk to a human being on the phone, they don’t speak fluent English. Thank God for email.
No such jobs no more.
Women are better at multitasking.
Was that a young Elizabeth Montgomery?
No, she was already making movies in Hollywood.
Good Heavens NO
Billy. I mean Isn't that a man's name
Sleep induction.
Not good time if you’re a minority back then.
Thank you for this wonderful gem!🙂💯💥👍🤍!
Glad you got to see it and -- that you love it! Thanks for being a sub too