Car Phone

I am just now watching this movie for the first time and seeing that seen made me stop and wonder if they had car phones then. Glad I wasn't the only one that questioned this! I also thought ( didn't google to find out if they did until later) if they had existed only the extremely wealthy had them and it was a way of signaling the separation of the classes in the movie.

This doesn't entirely go against your theory but Perry White was shown using one in episode "The Evil Three". This was in "The Adventures of Superman" in 1953.

the cops had them in "pushover" (1954) and i believe radio telephones predated that film as well.

as we have "voice over internet" devices, "voice over radio" goes way back.

If you google 'invention of car phones', you'll find lots of sources, many with great photos, detailing the invention and evolution of mobile car phones -- going back to the early 1900's!

Here's one link that has particularly interesting info and pics:

http://weburbanist.com/2012/09/18/remember-millions-of-mobile-phones-in-the-1960s-you-should/

When I bought my first BMW in 1989, it was pre-wired for installation of a phone. I had a Panasonic unit ($1,500!) installed which included a tiny, really excellent hard-wired microphone, placed next to the driver's side visor. It could easily be used 'hands-free' as s speaker phone. When I spoke with clients and others from my car, they were often amazed at how clear and quiet the sound was when I called. Unfortunately, no current mobile phone set up in the car gives me anything near that quietness or dedicated reception. Having a dedicated reception/broadcast antenna made a huge difference. Too bad we don't easily have that kind of sound/reception quality today . . .

And, someone mentioned that having a car phone in the 1950's, as in this film, indicated that the person was of a higher social class. That's only true to the extent that those in upper income levels could more easily afford these phones. Beside being pricey, the huge radiophone transmitter cabinet had to be installed in the trunk of the car -- taking up more than half the trunk space. If you've got the bucks, you can have pretty much buy anything you want!!

Check out the exterior shot just prior to his phone scene. There is a GINORMAS antenna and magnet-coil thingie bent from the back of the car to the front. It must gave been some form of radio that connected to a phone switch back then. As with most wars, WW2 did leave a lot of technical goodies for civilians to use and buy in the aftermath.

The 1949 film "White Heat" has car phones in them when the Feds are tailing James Cagney's mom to find out where they are holed up.