@foolishowl@social.coop The other thing TV shows from that era show is callers staying on the line long enough for someone who doesn't happen to have the phone already in their hand to answer. There's a scene in Edge of Darkness where the phone rings, and the character casually finishes shaving, cleans up, pours a drink and then picks up the ringing phone. That seems ridiculous today, where callers typically give up after maybe 10 seconds, as if people might not be in another room with schmoo on their hands. Much the same could be said for doorbells, if people bother to use them at all.