Shoephone | |
---|---|
His and Hers Shoe Phones | |
Seen in | All seasons and both movies |
Kind of device | Phone |
Organization | CONTROL |
Used by | Principally Maxwell Smart |
The Shoe Phone a frequently used gadget of Maxwell Smart, appearing from the first episode "Mr. Big", ringing during a concert at Symphony Hall in Washington DC. It has appeared in many episodes of the series, becoming a pop culture item that was often associated with Maxwell Smart. It's known to be the first idea of a portable phone, often creating humorous situations, or causing Max trouble. It appeared in all five seasons
Appearance
The Shoe Phone looks like an average dress shoe, but when Smart takes off the shoe's sole, a working telephone can be found inside. To make it fit into a shoe casing, the phone's mouthpiece is folded into the phone base.
Use
Maxwell Smart uses it to send and receive calls to CONTROL headquarters. Apparently, Max has a special direct line to the Chief's office available on his shoe phone.
Upgrades
In 1980, Max, now with PITS, is given a new shoe phone with touch-tone dialing and, in the other shoe, a matching answering machine. He also has a pair of boots fitted with the same equipment for use in the snow when he visits the Austrian Alps. [Movie: "The Nude Bomb"].
In the 1989 model, both shoes have phones in them and Max is now able to take two calls at once, switching between them using "shoe waiting" [TV Movie: Get Smart, Again!"].
Other Shoe Phones
On assignment at the Pomona Golf Course Max and the Chief communicated using Golf-Shoe Phones, although the cleats proved uncomfortable on the face and the Chief's shoe had to be plugged in before he could answer [Episode # 104: "I Shot 86 Today"].
CIA agent Quigley uses a Snow-Shoe Phone to report in from the Arctic [Episode #125: "Ice Station Siegfried"].
Max's son Zach, as an agent with the revived CONTROL in 1995, has a Sneaker Phone ["Get Smart (1995)" series].
Note that, although the above photograph shows Agent 99 with her own High-Heel Shoe Phone, she is unfortunately never seen using it onscreen.
KAOS also dabbles with the shoe phone idea; Siegfried is seen to use one on one occasion [Episode #48: "Cutback at CONTROL"] and another agent has a very uncomfortable-looking Boot Phone - with the receiver being lifted out of the boot itself [Episode #106: "To Sire, With Love, Part 1"].
See also
For information on the use of the show phone in the Steve Carell movie see Get Smart (2008).