100 years of the British phone box: a design icon on screen Ring in the centenary celebrations for the iconic telephone box with a round-up of some of its most memorable cinematic supporting roles. 22 May 2021 Local Hero (1983) Making its first appearance on Britain’s streets 100 years ago, the telephone box is often celebrated as one of our quintessential landmarks. On film, however, it tends to take on a more subversive role. As a space of secrecy for illicit negotiations or a means to conceal conversations, the on-screen phone box is a gateway to crime and desire. It’s all a far cry from the intentions behind Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s K2 design with its bright vermillion tint, which replaced the original 1921 design in 1924 and was intended to make the booths stand out in case of emergencies.