Prototype Schmoo Phones

Designed by Bell Telephone Laboratories with Henry Dreyfuss and produced in the Western Electric model shop at the Indianapolis Works. These phones were used in Field Trials in about 1959-60 in New Brunswick, NJ. The nickname, Shmoo, came from a character in Al Capp's L'il Abner comic strip.

The shmoo is a fictional cartoon creature created by Al Capp, which first appeared in the comic strip Li'l Abner on August 31, 1948. The character created a fad that lasted into the 1950s, including merchandise, songs, fan clubs, and appearances on magazine covers. The parable of the shmoo has been interpreted in many different ways, both at the time and in later analysis.