To the public, the human face of the telephone company was the operator. They were called everything from “Call Girls” to “The Voice with a Smile.” They were heroines in time of disaster, comfort to the lonely and afraid, and a polite voice to often grouchy customers. The telephone operator reflected the mores and fashions of their time, as these pictures show.

In 1946, more than 250,000 women were employed as switchboard operators for public service and businesses. To view more pictures of operators and to research this topic further, you can request access to the Telecommunications History Archives, Here.