History Main / Hotline

* In the first novel of ''The Survivalist'' series by Jerry Ahern, the Soviet operator and US operator are allowed to engage in casual chitchat as a way of checking the hotline is working. Although [[LoveBeforeFirstSight he's never met his female US counterpart face-to-face]], the Soviet operator gives a LoveConfession when it becomes obvious that nuclear war is about to break out.

* ''The Survivalist'' series by Jerry Ahern has a phone line as the Hotline, and a Russian and American operator regularly exchange chit-chat over the line to make sure it's in constant working order. As World War 3 grows imminent, the Russian makes a LoveConfession to the female American operator whom he's fallen for without ever seeing her.

* In the first novel of ''The Survivalist'' series by Jerry Ahern, the Soviet operator and US operator are allowed to engage in casual chitchat as a way of checking the line is working. Although [[LoveBeforeFirstSight he's never met his female US counterpart face-to-face]], the Soviet operator gives a LoveConfession when it becomes obvious that nuclear war is about to break out.

* ''Film/OurManFlint'': Lloyd Cramden, head of the agency Z.O.W.I.E. (Zonal Organization for World Intelligence and Espionage), has a red phone that he uses to communicate with the President of the United States.

** An earlier episode subverts this. Jed's priest visits him in the Oval Office and asks where the red phone is. Jed informs him they don't have one and if he wanted to talk to the Kremlin he'd just ask his secretary to arrange a phone call.

Nowadays, after the Cold War, the Hot Line trope is more likely to be used between the UltimateAuthorityMayor or other ReasonableAuthorityFigure and a local {{superhero}}. Expect a CatchPhrase, often falling under "To the Batnoun!" The closest thing to this in real life is fire houses and fire brigades using red phones and the like to receive emergency calls from emergency dispatch centers.

* ''Series/GetSmart''. CONTROL have a hot line to the President on the Chief's desk. As per the ShoePhone RunningGag it's disguised as a steer horn (for a conference call, you talk to the steer's head mounted on the wall). In one episode, KAOS tap into the hot line and use a voice impersonator posing as the President to fire the Chief and replace him with the incompetent Maxwell Smart.

Nowadays, after the Cold War, the Hot Line trope is more likely to be used between the UltimateAuthorityMayor or other ReasonableAuthorityFigure and a local {{superhero}}. Expect a CatchPhrase, often falling under [[TotheBatnoun "To the Batnoun!"]] The closest thing to this in real life is fire houses and fire brigades using red phones and the like to receive emergency calls from emergency dispatch centers.

* ''ComicBook/BouleEtBill'': In one gag, Boule paints the family phone red. His father tries to use it, only to hear two people holding up the line asking about the weather in Moscow and Washington. He yells at them, then hears a knock on the door... and sees a CIA and KGB agent waiting to ask him some questions.