Why was there a red wall phone in Who's The Boss? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Hawkee · 06-14-2021, 04:02 AM

When I would watch Who's The Boss I always wondered why the kitchen wall phone was a red colored wall phone because I always thought colored telephones were weird and the set designers could've gotten a regular beige colored wall phone to use for the kitchen in Who's The Boss. Was colored telephones all the rage in the 80's?
Bestie

Novera · 06-14-2021, 04:46 PM

Yeah I remember at the time a lot of people were getting colourful phones (in real life/not just on tv).

AT&T had a series of pastel ones that you'd see on TV all the time that replaced the classic black or beige model. Like on Family Ties they had a pastel yellow one that always stuck out to me. Below is an image of a popular model (which are antiques now!) and their various colour options. I remember seeing the green one a lot myself growing up!

So seeing the red one WTB wasn't odd to me at all, since almost everyone in my family were buying similar colourful phones.

Hawkee · 06-15-2021, 02:09 AM

So that's why Who's The Boss had a red colored wall phone? Those telephones always reminded me of the direct dial telephones motels used to have and I thought they looked cute
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Novera · 06-15-2021, 05:38 PM

Oh I don't think it was a conscious decision from the writers or producers like "hey we have to have a red phone", I assume it was just the set designer choosing red because it matched the kitchen design. A lime green or pastel yellow phone wouldn't have blended as nicely! I miss those old phones though, they were so sturdy and a real bell being rung inside (vs. a small speaker making a chirp noise)

06-14-2021, 04:02 AM	#1
Hawkee Michael Fassbender Fanatic Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jan 17, 2016 Location: California Posts: 10,818	Why was there a red wall phone in Who's The Boss? When I would watch Who's The Boss I always wondered why the kitchen wall phone was a red colored wall phone because I always thought colored telephones were weird and the set designers could've gotten a regular beige colored wall phone to use for the kitchen in Who's The Boss. Was colored telephones all the rage in the 80's? Bestie
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06-14-2021, 04:46 PM	#2
Novera Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 14, 2020 Posts: 79	Yeah I remember at the time a lot of people were getting colourful phones (in real life/not just on tv). AT&T had a series of pastel ones that you'd see on TV all the time that replaced the classic black or beige model. Like on Family Ties they had a pastel yellow one that always stuck out to me. Below is an image of a popular model (which are antiques now!) and their various colour options. I remember seeing the green one a lot myself growing up! So seeing the red one WTB wasn't odd to me at all, since almost everyone in my family were buying similar colourful phones. Attached Images

06-15-2021, 02:09 AM	#3
Hawkee Michael Fassbender Fanatic Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jan 17, 2016 Location: California Posts: 10,818	So that's why Who's The Boss had a red colored wall phone? Those telephones always reminded me of the direct dial telephones motels used to have and I thought they looked cute Bestie

06-15-2021, 05:38 PM	#4
Novera Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 14, 2020 Posts: 79	Oh I don't think it was a conscious decision from the writers or producers like "hey we have to have a red phone", I assume it was just the set designer choosing red because it matched the kitchen design. A lime green or pastel yellow phone wouldn't have blended as nicely! I miss those old phones though, they were so sturdy and a real bell being rung inside (vs. a small speaker making a chirp noise)