The Andy Griffith Show --- Its Phones and Show Discussion

[TelePlay]

In Season 1, Episode 21, we see what is going to be a kitchen wall phone, an inch or so in diameter hole in the wall next to the swinging door that one day will hold the 634-A wall phone spotted by WEBellSystemChristian and posted to start this topic at

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14653.msg134637#msg134637

and which will eventually, in Season 8, Episode 28, become a spot for the, now in color, Oxford Gray 554 with a dial blank posted at

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=14653.msg151958#msg151958

But in this early episode, we see the "hole" in the wall to be nothing more than a convenient spot to hang the fly swatter . . . 

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Actually, it looks like the phone replaced both the light switch and fly swatter; the phone appears to neither sit in the same spot the nail is or the switch. Both the fly swatter and light switch were removed by the time the phone was installed.

The Taylors really liked remodeling! Even the porch door moved to the adjacent wall by season 2 IIRC!

[TelePlay]

Actually, it looks like the phone replaced both the light switch and fly swatter; the phone appears to neither sit in the same spot the nail is or the switch. Both the fly swatter and light switch were removed by the time the phone was installed.

No, that photo I posted was cropped too close to the phone. I asked Barney to do a double check and here's a shot of him doing that. And they seem to have a dial blank in place.

Interesting that his is from the middle of the 5th season and three years later, they had a 554 hanging in that spot. Will watch to see if a 354 shows up between those two phones.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I doubt it, about the 354.

In TAGS, the phones were usually transitioned from a two-piece directly to a 500-style, so I doubt there was ever a phone in between those two.

[.....]

They changed out the dining room chairs as well.

[TelePlay]

Moving forward, Season 6, Episode 2 shows that while they have fully painted the kitchen in pastels, the old black wall phone remains. But, the living room shows a black 500 with a dial blank on an end table.

[NorthernElectric]

Moving forward, Season 6, Episode 2 shows that while they have fully painted the kitchen in pastels, the old black wall phone remains. But, the living room shows a black 500 with a dial blank on an end table.

They had the 500 in the Barney Fife, Realtor episode.  Here's a still from 8:18.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

Here's an interesting photo of a non-phone related subject on The Andy Griffith Show.

This is the Mayberry set from a bird's eye view. You can see the Courthouse, Church, the Hotel, Barbershop, etc, but you can obviously see that they're all facades! The church is nothing more than an empty hull backed with a few two by fours, as well as every other building in town! There was also a busy highway right next to the set, so the unnecessary traffic sounds you occasionally hear in an outside scene of the show aren't always just added in sounds, that was real traffic a couple hundred feet from the set!

This site has a lot of interesting pictures from behind-the-scenes on TAGS and pictures of Desilu 40 acres, where 'Mayberry' was built, as well as many other older shows!

http://www.retroweb.com

[NorthernElectric]

I think the 500 shows up in the living room in season 3.  Phones come and go in the living room at either end of the couch.  It looks like season 3 starts with a 302 (12:54 in episode 10) making occasional appearances, then what appears to be a 5302 (10:21 in episode 16), then finally the 500 (10:43 in episode 29).

[TelePlay]

I've noticed that throughout the show's history, the candlestick switched between a Bulldog transmitter and a daisy-style, but it's always had a semi-flush candlestick-style blank. It seems this one has a 202/302 style 41-A dial blank. Definitely not the right blank, and it looks ridiculous!

From Season 6, Episode 5 about 5:20 into the show, the "daisy" transmitter is seen with the "semi-flush" dial blank. In the first few seasons, I think they used an older stick that did not have a dial blank and may find a good front shot of that stick someday.

[TelePlay]

Here's a nice close up of Andy on that early kitchen wall phone, from Season 4, Episode 3.

[TelePlay]

Here's a nice close up of Andy on that early kitchen wall phone, from Season 4, Episode 3.

Well, this from S3 E4 12:00 shows what appears to be a replaced receiver cord, all 6 feet of it. Looks like they used a subset or line cord for some reason. It seems to have taken Andy by surprise and it is puzzling to Opie. Looks silly in use. Other photos posted above show a much shorter cord.

As I watch this show more closely for prop and set items, I find this show to be quite "sloppy" with respect to continuity and their use of the same prop or set piece in unrelated scenes and episodes quite interesting. I never used to do this with this show because the content of the first 5 years was so outstanding. Now I do both which doubles my entertainment value.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

That phone is an earlier version to the 633A 553A that we usually see; this one is an earlier style that is from the 1910s. The 633A 553A is the wall equivalent of a 151AL (dial candlestick with a Bulldog transmitter), while this one is the equivalent of an early manual candlestick, like a 20AP, SC, etc.

I'd like to have one of those for my collection!

[poplar1]

The phone is reply #40 iis either a  653A (or "1653A) (anti-sidetone) or 553A  (or 1553A) (sidetone) -- not a "634A" or "633A." The  other one appears to be a Kellogg with missing gongs. Note the sheet metal cover for the hook. Also, the "picture frame front" on it; the WE 333A usually did not have that design.

[WEBellSystemChristian]

The phone is reply #40 iis either a  653A (or "1653A) (anti-sidetone) or 553A  (or 1553A) (sidetone) -- not a "634A" or "633A."

Sorry, I'm always getting my models mixed up for WE wall sets.