why is it that in TV shows everyone's phone # start with 555 ?

Question

anh y those number & not, say 888 or 222

Answer 1

Fictitious phone numbers

The phone company began encouraging the producers of television shows and movies to use the 555 prefix for fictional telephone numbers. In older television shows from the 1950s or 1960s, "KLondike 5" or "KLamath 5" was used, as at the time the telephone exchanges used letters. The Simpsons used a variation of this in some of their earlier seasons by having the phone number start out with KL5 (for example, Homer Simpson's Mr. Plow business used both KL5-3223 as the home number and KL5-3226 as the business number. Barney Gumble's Plow King phone number was KL5-4796 in the commercial sung by Linda Ronstadt). On American telephone dial pads, K and L are found on the number-5 button.

One of the main reasons the prefix exists is to avoid accidentally using real phone numbers in movies and television programmes - as there are many cases of people trying to call the numbers used. Unfortunately, in cases where the prefix isn't used, people with the same numbers receive many calls from people who have seen the movies. A perfect example of this situation is with the 2003 film Bruce Almighty. The makers of the movie opted not to use the prefix, and several people whose phone numbers matched one mentioned in the film were inundated with callers asking for "God." Another widespread example was the fiasco caused by Tommy Tutone's hit 1982 song "867-5309/Jenny," which actually is a valid number in many area codes and commonly receives calls asking for "Jenny".

The use of fictional 555 numbers is spoofed in the film Last Action Hero, as Danny Madigan who is in a movie, tries to convince Jack Slater of such, by questioning how all the possible 555 combinations would be adequate for the city of Los Angeles. Jack replies to this by saying, "That's why we have area codes."

Answer 2

because no real phone number starts with the prefix 555. Although, it is rumored that in a couple years people will hav 555 numbers because we r running out of phone numbers.

O, and by the way, not all numbers on TV shows start with 555, i 4get which show it was, but there was 1 sitcom where it didn't start with 555. And, some movies hav numbers that don't start with 555, but whenever they r put on TV the first 3 numbers r blurred out.

Answer 3

A great question. Had to look this one up (sorry), but very interesting answer...

Apparantly, you can not make any word out of three 5's in a row, meaning any combination of J,K,L for that number on the phone. You know, like 1-800-CALL-SAM. So, it was considered less risk for residents to be bothered by movie watchers that had seen the 555 phone number in a movie or on TV.

Answer 4

Well just like everyone said the 555 prefix is the only number you can use you know one time in a movie they used a different prefix and don't you know that person got calls out the a@# because they used their number very bad idea and the movie got sued for that !! so they use the 555 to stop those idiots who try to call the number themselves!!

Answer 5

I t was a code developed years ago to keep small children from dialing a number they thought they should call. There is only one prefix to my knowledge with 555. It is an old information number from AT&T prior to their breakup in the 1980's, 1(800) 555-1212.

Answer 6

Thus far 555 has not been used as a prefix anywhere in the US of A - - - therefore no danger of millions of television junkies calling a real actual number - - - which happened when a certain rock song featured a real phone number and caused utter chaos.

Answer 7

The phone companies started encouraging the producers of television shows and movies to use the 555 prefix for fictional telephone numbers, roughly during the 1970s. In older television shows from the 1950s or 1960s, "KLondike 5" or "KLamath 5" was used, as at the time the telephone exchanges used letters.

One of the main reasons the prefix exists is to avoid accidentally using real phone numbers in movies and television programmes - as there are many cases of people trying to call the numbers used. Unfortunately, in cases where the prefix isn't used, people with the same numbers receive many calls from people who have seen the movies or television programmes. A perfect example of this situation is with the 2003 film Bruce Almighty. The makers of the movie opted not to use the prefix, and several people whose phone numbers matched one mentioned in the film were inundated with callers asking for "God." Another widespread example was the fiasco caused by Tommy Tutone's hit 1982 song "867-5309/Jenny," which actually is a valid number in many area codes and commonly receives calls asking for "Jenny

Answer 8

When the 10-digit phone number method began in the US, all those with a 555 prefix were reserved for use in television, film, literature, etc. This prevented real telephone customers from being harrassed by people calling numbers they saw on tv.

Answer 9

Because there are no real 555 numbers...they don't want you attempting to call a number you hear on tv and reaching someone.

Answer 10

harmony,
a phone number that starts with 555 does not exist the only number used in some context like that is 867-5309 which is a song but there was no area code given so you are unlikely to actually reach the person they are talking about