Comments on: Who is the voice of the Operator?

Question: Who is the voice of the Operator?

miffed — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:20:32 -0800

Who recorded the canonical telephone operator messages? She was responsible for classic hits like, "We're sorry, your call did not go through," and "If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again."

I vaguely remember seeing her as a guest on a late night talk show when I was a kid. Letterman is most likely, but maybe even Johnny Carson? I'd love to find video of it.

By: Houstonian

Houstonian — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:47:36 -0800

Jane Barbe

By: Houstonian

Houstonian — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:51:24 -0800

Also Pat Fleet

By: Juffo-Wup

Juffo-Wup — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:46:32 -0800

You might get a bit of nerd overload from it, but you can hear all kinds of operators (recordings and not) on the "Group Bell" Phone Trips page. Lots of Jane Barbe, as well as several other recording voices and message styles used by the Bell System and the independents throughout the years. If I remember correctly, Evan Doorbell calls Jane Barbe in one of the files to discuss some other lady making recordings on newer Audichron equipment. I don't remember which file that's in but if I find it, I'll mefimail you. If you do decide to listen to some of these, I'd recommend skipping the realaudio files and going directly to the mp3s on their FTP download site.

Some of the files focus more on operator recordings than others, but the "Sounds of the Long Distance Network" series might be a good place to start (LDp00HQ.zip and up).

By: megatherium

megatherium — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:07:09 -0800

This allows me to get something off my chest. I absolutely despise that "If you want to make a call - " message, following that horrible shrieking sound. I'm on the phone and I am dialing numbers. Goddamn right I want to make a call. What the hell else would I be trying to do?

That is all. I feel much better now.

By: miffed

miffed — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:06:34 -0800

Amazing, thanks! That Phone Trips page is awesome.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:00:56 -0800

What the hell else would I be trying to do?

You might have accidentally replaced the phone on its base incorrectly, causing the line to inadvertently stay open. Nobody can reach you until you put the receiver back on the hook... thus the incredibly annoying noise emitted through the handset--this makes locating the offending phone much easier.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:08:22 -0800

Joan Kenley is a voice of voicemail, and is the voice of the operator in the Simpsons episode King Size Homer who says "The fingers you have used to dial, are too fat."