Tomlin played Ernestine, a sharp-tongued, power-crazed telephone company employee. Ernestine’s trademark was to count the rings and greet callers with “A gracious good morning to you.” ...

I was [starstruck]!” Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda in a publicity still for ‘9 to 5’, directed by Colin Higgins, 1980.Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images ...

The job of telephone operator has long been dead but Ernestine lives on, as domineering as ever. Tomlin says Ernestine gave up on working for the phone company as soon as they had to woo customers ...