Telephones In Second House - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Cincy Guy · 03-07-2014, 10:56 AM

Have you ever tried to count how many telephones the Cleaver family had in the second house (1959-1963)? I have counted three and maybe four. There is one on a table in what is apparently the family room or living room (where Ward might be seen sitting and reading and June is sewing). One is on the desk in Ward's den and another is on the wall by the kitchen door. I thought there might be another in the second floor hall, but usually if Wally or Beaver are summoned from their bedroon for a call, they usually come down the stairs and take it in the family room/living room. It does make you think that some seasons of the show could have been sponsored by Bell Telephone even though it was not.

tdr · 03-07-2014, 05:56 PM

I think it was generally the rule in family sitcoms, when they lived in a 2-story house, to have at least 3 phones, maybe 4-- all on the same line, of course. But I can't remember the 2nd Cleaver house having one upstairs. The first house did; though I can't remember a particular ep in which it was shown, and there were times one of them came downstairs just to pick up a call, such as when Wally got interested in Penny from dancing school in the first season.

But I remember My Three Sons had 3 phones-- kitchen, living room (by door) and upstairs in the hall. And The Brady Bunch must have had 4-- Mike's den, the living room, in sill between kitchen and family room, and in Mike and Carol's bedroom.

Scrabjan1 · 03-10-2014, 10:08 AM

In the first house there is a phone on the table in the upstairs hall by the boys' room. June uses it to call Ward to pick up Beaver at the market when he's seen on TV with Larry. I also believe that in All Girl Party Beaver is calling other boys in his class to see if they've been invited to the party. That phone was used a lot like in the one with Pudding getting locked in the bathroom. I think in the first house they just had the two phones, the other was in the living room.

Coffeecup · 04-13-2014, 11:40 AM

I never thought about the phones. In my house during the 1960's we had two phones. One in our kitchen and we had a guest house business so we had a one phone in a common/bkft room with that had a lock. If people wanted to phone we unlocked it and they made their call. It wasn't till the late 1980;s we got a 3rd phone. But looking at tv the phones were plentiful.

Scrabjan1 · 04-13-2014, 04:24 PM

We just had one phone growing up in the dining room on this really wobbly table with your rotary dial.

stevea · 02-21-2019, 09:13 PM

Sorry to comment on this old thread: the upstairs phone in the first house, in the hall, was there sometimes, and sometimes it wasn't there. It was one of those things that was there only when needed, kind of like the downstairs hall mirror in the second house.

In the second house, it was really odd to not have an extension on the second story. I'd have put one up there somewhere, and not had the living room one. Then Wally wouldn't have needed to hint to Ward or June to leave the room when he was talking to a girl.

Dude111 · 02-23-2019, 06:35 PM

Hmm I dont think I have ever seen one upstairs!!

Interesting........

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cincy Guy

....It does make you think that some seasons of the show could have been sponsored by Bell Telephone even though it was not.

Hehe I didnt think of that....Could be though!!

They did have alot.......

03-07-2014, 10:56 AM	#1
Cincy Guy Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 230	Telephones In Second House Have you ever tried to count how many telephones the Cleaver family had in the second house (1959-1963)? I have counted three and maybe four. There is one on a table in what is apparently the family room or living room (where Ward might be seen sitting and reading and June is sewing). One is on the desk in Ward's den and another is on the wall by the kitchen door. I thought there might be another in the second floor hall, but usually if Wally or Beaver are summoned from their bedroon for a call, they usually come down the stairs and take it in the family room/living room. It does make you think that some seasons of the show could have been sponsored by Bell Telephone even though it was not.
	Last edited by Cincy Guy; 03-07-2014 at 06:06 PM.

02-21-2019, 09:13 PM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,699	Sorry to comment on this old thread: the upstairs phone in the first house, in the hall, was there sometimes, and sometimes it wasn't there. It was one of those things that was there only when needed, kind of like the downstairs hall mirror in the second house. In the second house, it was really odd to not have an extension on the second story. I'd have put one up there somewhere, and not had the living room one. Then Wally wouldn't have needed to hint to Ward or June to leave the room when he was talking to a girl.
	Last edited by stevea; 02-24-2019 at 09:04 AM. Reason: corr.

03-07-2014, 05:56 PM	#2
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	I think it was generally the rule in family sitcoms, when they lived in a 2-story house, to have at least 3 phones, maybe 4-- all on the same line, of course. But I can't remember the 2nd Cleaver house having one upstairs. The first house did; though I can't remember a particular ep in which it was shown, and there were times one of them came downstairs just to pick up a call, such as when Wally got interested in Penny from dancing school in the first season. But I remember My Three Sons had 3 phones-- kitchen, living room (by door) and upstairs in the hall. And The Brady Bunch must have had 4-- Mike's den, the living room, in sill between kitchen and family room, and in Mike and Carol's bedroom.

03-10-2014, 10:08 AM	#3
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	In the first house there is a phone on the table in the upstairs hall by the boys' room. June uses it to call Ward to pick up Beaver at the market when he's seen on TV with Larry. I also believe that in All Girl Party Beaver is calling other boys in his class to see if they've been invited to the party. That phone was used a lot like in the one with Pudding getting locked in the bathroom. I think in the first house they just had the two phones, the other was in the living room.

04-13-2014, 11:40 AM	#4
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	I never thought about the phones. In my house during the 1960's we had two phones. One in our kitchen and we had a guest house business so we had a one phone in a common/bkft room with that had a lock. If people wanted to phone we unlocked it and they made their call. It wasn't till the late 1980;s we got a 3rd phone. But looking at tv the phones were plentiful.

04-13-2014, 04:24 PM	#5
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	We just had one phone growing up in the dining room on this really wobbly table with your rotary dial.