Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!killer!vector!nobody From: laura_halliday@mtsg.ubc.ca Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Phones in the movies and on TV Message-ID: Date: 30 Jan 89 20:28:58 GMT Sender: chip@vector.UUCP Lines: 16 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 39, message 7 I saw something interesting in a TV show the other day. A lawyer, finding his client dead of a drug overdose didn't pick up the phone and dramatically say ``Operator, get me the police'' - he dialed 911 instead. This was the first time I've ever noticed a movie or TV character do this. Could this be the result of phone company pressure? I find it difficult to believe that producers would voluntarily give up a few seconds of drama unless they were forced to. The subliminal advertisers who place products in movies (e.g. Reese's Pieces in _E.T._) seem to be missing out on a new gold mine. Imagine the possible effect on AT&T's long distance business if the hero in a hit movie could be (conspicuously) seen dialing 10288 in the course of phoning somebody... - laura