Chatter Telephone
Encyclopedia
The Chatter Telephone is a pull toy for young children ages two to six. Introduced in 1962 by the Fisher-Price
company as the "Talk Back Phone" for infants and children, the Chatter Telephone is a roll along pull toy. It has a smiling face, and when the toy is pulled, it makes a chattering sound and the eyes move up and down. The toy has a rotary dial
that rings a bell, and was conceived as a way to teach children how to dial a phone. The original version was made of wood, with polyethylene receiver and cord. In 2000, Fisher-Price changed the rotary dial for a push-button version with lights in an effort to modernize the toy, but consumers complained and the rotary version returned to the market the following year.
From its introduction through the 1970s, the Chatter Telephone was Fisher-Price's best selling product. It has been cited as one of the company's offerings that helped save Fisher Price in the 1990s following a failed attempt to market toys for older children in the late 1980s, and enjoys continuing popularity. It is available both as an authentic reproduction and in a modern form.
for Senator Jake Garn
to play with while on the STS-51-D
space shuttle mission. This offer was rejected as NASA felt there was insufficient time to test the toys for safety.
In 2003, the Chatter Telephone was listed as one of the 100 most memorable toys of the 20th century by the Toy Industry Association
.
In 2005, the Chatter Telephone was chosen as one of Dr. Toy's Best Classic Toys.
Chatter Telephone appears in the 2010 animated film Toy Story 3
as a minor character, assisting Woody
and his friends in their escape from Sunnyside Daycare. He is voiced by Teddy Newton
and speaks with a film noir
style.
The Powerpuff
hotline
somewhat bears a few resemblances to a Chatter Telephone.
The Chatter Telephone influenced a real-life art car created by Howard Davis for his telecommunications company.
Fisher-Price
Fisher-Price is a company that produces toys for infants and children, headquartered in East Aurora, New York. Fisher-Price has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel since 1993.-History:...
company as the "Talk Back Phone" for infants and children, the Chatter Telephone is a roll along pull toy. It has a smiling face, and when the toy is pulled, it makes a chattering sound and the eyes move up and down. The toy has a rotary dial
Rotary dial
The rotary dial is a device mounted on or in a telephone or switchboard that is designed to send electrical pulses, known as pulse dialing, corresponding to the number dialed. The early form of the rotary dial used lugs on a finger plate instead of holes. Almon Brown Strowger filed the first patent...
that rings a bell, and was conceived as a way to teach children how to dial a phone. The original version was made of wood, with polyethylene receiver and cord. In 2000, Fisher-Price changed the rotary dial for a push-button version with lights in an effort to modernize the toy, but consumers complained and the rotary version returned to the market the following year.
From its introduction through the 1970s, the Chatter Telephone was Fisher-Price's best selling product. It has been cited as one of the company's offerings that helped save Fisher Price in the 1990s following a failed attempt to market toys for older children in the late 1980s, and enjoys continuing popularity. It is available both as an authentic reproduction and in a modern form.
Cultural references
In 1985, Fisher-Price offered to donate a Chatter Telephone, Rack A Stack, and Activity Center to NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
for Senator Jake Garn
Jake Garn
Edwin Jacob "Jake" Garn is an American politician, a member of the Republican Party, and served as a U.S. Senator representing Utah from 1974 to 1993...
to play with while on the STS-51-D
STS-51-D
STS-51-D was the sixteenth flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the fourth flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. The launch of STS-51-D from Kennedy Space Center , Florida, on 12 April 1985 was delayed by 55 minutes, after a boat strayed into the restricted Solid Rocket Booster recovery zone...
space shuttle mission. This offer was rejected as NASA felt there was insufficient time to test the toys for safety.
In 2003, the Chatter Telephone was listed as one of the 100 most memorable toys of the 20th century by the Toy Industry Association
Toy Industry Association
The Toy Industry Association is a trade association that promotes the marketing of new toys, games, and puzzles. The organization usually has trade shows at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City during February. Consumers in general are not able to attend...
.
In 2005, the Chatter Telephone was chosen as one of Dr. Toy's Best Classic Toys.
Chatter Telephone appears in the 2010 animated film Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
as a minor character, assisting Woody
Sheriff Woody
Sheriff Woody Pride, or simply Woody, is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Toy Story franchise . He is voiced by Tom Hanks in the films, and by Jim Hanks in most other media.-Toy Story:...
and his friends in their escape from Sunnyside Daycare. He is voiced by Teddy Newton
Teddy Newton
Teddy Newton is an artist at Pixar Animation Studios. He has worked as a storyboard artist for 2 Stupid Dogs, The Iron Giant, and Dexter's Laboratory....
and speaks with a film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
style.
The Powerpuff
The Powerpuff Girls
The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken and produced by Hanna-Barbera for Cartoon Network...
hotline
Hotline
In telecommunication, a hotline is a point-to-point communications link in which a call is automatically directed to the preselected destination without any additional action by the user when the end instrument goes off-hook...
somewhat bears a few resemblances to a Chatter Telephone.
The Chatter Telephone influenced a real-life art car created by Howard Davis for his telecommunications company.
External links
- The official site of Fisher-Price for Chatter Telephone
- HOW TO - Make a "Chatter telephone" - a real phone from a Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone!