2006-07-02 13:03:21 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Television
Because 666 would be wicked!
2006-07-02 23:35:20 · answer #1 · answered by Rose D 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's because the prefix 555 is not a real number. If they used an existing number, the "crazies" out there may phone the number and make the owners of the number go nuts with all the stupid phone calls. There was a song out about 20 years ago and the writers had used a real phone number not knowing the consequences. The owners of the number were bombarded with calls from people who listened to the song...
2006-07-02 13:09:55 · answer #2 · answered by meagain2238 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone who has replied above is only partially correct. There are, in fact, some phone numbers that begin with 555. Only 555-0100 through 555-0199 are now used solely for fictional use. All other numbers are real phone numbers.
2006-07-02 13:28:32 · answer #3 · answered by Von Kempelen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the past they would use actual phone numbers for specific areas, which would then turn out to belong to people who would be constantly getting calls becuase someone had seen the number in a movie. 555 does not exist as any exchange, anywhere.
2006-07-02 13:06:10 · answer #4 · answered by The Doctor 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The phone companies got fed up with customers complaining that their number was used in a show and they had loads of phone calls because of it, some people will watch a show and confuse the show with reality. So, they will phone the number and expect to speak to the character.
The phone companies, the film industry & all the lawyers, police etc agreed to use a certain type of number which were not in use so that real life phone customers would not be disturbed because the numbers did not exist
2006-07-02 13:13:11 · answer #5 · answered by madamspud169 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Though I can't be certain... In America, the litigious society that we live in today, if Hollywood arbitrarily decided to put a REAL phone number in any of its movies, and one day that random number would be assigned to someone. You can bet money that some goofball out there would be calling. In fact, more likely many goofballs would be calling... Ultimately causing the owner of that real number to file a multi-million dollar law suit... and most likely winning it s well. 555 is a fictitious area code, that simply does not exist in the USA today.
Oh, and for the record - the person answering not long before me making reference to "867-5309" - Yep, now it's an advertising ploy in the minneapolis area for "Benjamin Franklin - the punctual plumber!" - Using that song in their radio advertising!
2006-07-02 13:11:02 · answer #6 · answered by loving father 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They hafta have something, don't they? The combination 555 is never assigned to real-life numbers. It was specifically assigned to movies for this reason. Remember that '80's song,"Jenny (867-5309)" and what happened after it came out? Some poor sap had to get his number changed 'cos some jerky pop fanatics kept calling him and asking for Jenny! Same reason...
2006-07-02 13:07:54 · answer #7 · answered by coorissee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They started out that way because 555 wasn't an exchange yet. It is now and the habit just never went out of style.
2006-07-02 13:14:12 · answer #8 · answered by mamaturtle2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because no real phone numbers in the US start with 555
2006-07-02 13:06:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because there is no 555 numbers in the United States, that way no one will actually be able to call someone with the same number as the one on tv or the movie...
2006-07-02 13:06:47 · answer #10 · answered by AdamDrew 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cause there's no such exchange. Movie makers made a deal with the phone companies years ago not to use this so when they use it a million people won't call a real customer. Maybe. I think I made that up. Sorry
2006-07-02 13:06:34 · answer #11 · answered by mjwsterile 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋