Question:
Why, when people give out phone numbers in films, do they always start with 555?
Just noticed this the other day, though I can't remember what film it was where they gave a 555 number, but in an episode of McGyver it was a 555 number as well...
Is it a special set of american numbers that don't actually work?
Originally posted by Werdna1979
Is it a special set of american numbers that don't actually work?
Yes
Yes, it's long known that 555 numbers are used in ALL the movies and TV series, like X-Files, etc. They're reserved and do not work, they're all fake. There are jokes going around in regards to 555 numbers and it was even used on some game shows as a question, like Beat the Geeks :dork:
Even when 555 wasn't once used, like in the recent Panic Room, there was a whole thread at HTF discussing the number and it was a real pizza parlor that let them use it.
So, you're slow, but at least you already noticed, so not all is lost :lol:
I think that it's to stop the film studio getting sued by giving out real phone numbers
Originally posted by BigH
I think that it's to stop the film studio getting sued by giving out real phone numbers
Or psycho stalker "fans" calling it. For example conspiracy nuts like myself after watching X-Files, calling Mulder, thinking he was abducted and his phone disconnected by "them!".
like the pizza parlour idea, interesting advertising form.
I never noticed that thanks for sharing that :thumbs:
Originally posted by danielzavitz
like the pizza parlour idea, interesting advertising form.
Yeah, thats well clever - though I can't believe some people didn't notice the '555' thing before!
James
The phone number on the wall of the Job Centre in 'The Full Monty' is a real number and the owner had loads of phone calls because of it!. Maybe they gave him a free copy and he shut up?:p
Originally posted by Lenny Nero
Yes, it's long known that 555 numbers are used in ALL the movies and TV series, like X-Files, etc. They're reserved and do not work, they're all fake. There are jokes going around in regards to 555 numbers and it was even used on some game shows as a question, like Beat the Geeks :dork:
They made a joke reference to the 555 code in Last Action Hero, although apart from the Director and editor, I'm probably the only other person to see the whole film through:lol:
Well I liked it...:o
http://home.earthlink.net/~mthyen/
Interesting that the Paper Street Soap Company shares a number with Consumer Recreation Services :nuts:
Originally posted by Rollo Tomassi
http://home.earthlink.net/~mthyen/
Interesting that the Paper Street Soap Company shares a number with Consumer Recreation Services :nuts:
The Game and Fight Club! It's a conspiracy! Actually maybe since both movies have similar what you see is not really what it is kind if theme, maybe during making of Fight Club they used that on purpose, as an inside joke.
There was a car advert on UK television years ago that at one point had a close up of someone dialing a phone number and if you rang the number is was a recorded message about the car.
It was in the papers I was not sad enough to phone it.
It's not just phone numbers the studios are paranoid about - they'll also check to make sure that there's more than one person with the name of a particular character in a film, to avoid lawsuits.
A very good example is <I>Fight Club</I> - Fox could only find one Marla Singer in the phone book, so they actually got in touch with this woman and asked her to sign a disclaimer promising that she wouldn't sue! (This is a reason that character names sometimes get changed between original source material and film).
Almost any major blockbuster will attract some frivolous lawsuits, so they're just trying to minimise the inconvenience.
never noticed this either - have to pay attention from now on ;)
555-5555 Hotline (Kermit the Frog) & 555-5555 Doctor Harold's Sex Line
:lol:
Just noticed this the other day, though I can't remember what film it was where they gave a 555 number, but in an episode of McGyver it was a 555 number as well...
Is it a special set of american numbers that don't actually work?
Answers:
Originally posted by Werdna1979
Is it a special set of american numbers that don't actually work?
Yes
Answers:
Yes, it's long known that 555 numbers are used in ALL the movies and TV series, like X-Files, etc. They're reserved and do not work, they're all fake. There are jokes going around in regards to 555 numbers and it was even used on some game shows as a question, like Beat the Geeks :dork:
Even when 555 wasn't once used, like in the recent Panic Room, there was a whole thread at HTF discussing the number and it was a real pizza parlor that let them use it.
So, you're slow, but at least you already noticed, so not all is lost :lol:
Answers:
I think that it's to stop the film studio getting sued by giving out real phone numbers
Answers:
Originally posted by BigH
I think that it's to stop the film studio getting sued by giving out real phone numbers
Or psycho stalker "fans" calling it. For example conspiracy nuts like myself after watching X-Files, calling Mulder, thinking he was abducted and his phone disconnected by "them!".
Answers:
like the pizza parlour idea, interesting advertising form.
Answers:
I never noticed that thanks for sharing that :thumbs:
Answers:
Originally posted by danielzavitz
like the pizza parlour idea, interesting advertising form.
Yeah, thats well clever - though I can't believe some people didn't notice the '555' thing before!
James
Answers:
The phone number on the wall of the Job Centre in 'The Full Monty' is a real number and the owner had loads of phone calls because of it!. Maybe they gave him a free copy and he shut up?:p
Answers:
Originally posted by Lenny Nero
Yes, it's long known that 555 numbers are used in ALL the movies and TV series, like X-Files, etc. They're reserved and do not work, they're all fake. There are jokes going around in regards to 555 numbers and it was even used on some game shows as a question, like Beat the Geeks :dork:
They made a joke reference to the 555 code in Last Action Hero, although apart from the Director and editor, I'm probably the only other person to see the whole film through:lol:
Well I liked it...:o
Answers:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mthyen/
Interesting that the Paper Street Soap Company shares a number with Consumer Recreation Services :nuts:
Answers:
Originally posted by Rollo Tomassi
http://home.earthlink.net/~mthyen/
Interesting that the Paper Street Soap Company shares a number with Consumer Recreation Services :nuts:
The Game and Fight Club! It's a conspiracy! Actually maybe since both movies have similar what you see is not really what it is kind if theme, maybe during making of Fight Club they used that on purpose, as an inside joke.
Answers:
There was a car advert on UK television years ago that at one point had a close up of someone dialing a phone number and if you rang the number is was a recorded message about the car.
It was in the papers I was not sad enough to phone it.
Answers:
It's not just phone numbers the studios are paranoid about - they'll also check to make sure that there's more than one person with the name of a particular character in a film, to avoid lawsuits.
A very good example is <I>Fight Club</I> - Fox could only find one Marla Singer in the phone book, so they actually got in touch with this woman and asked her to sign a disclaimer promising that she wouldn't sue! (This is a reason that character names sometimes get changed between original source material and film).
Almost any major blockbuster will attract some frivolous lawsuits, so they're just trying to minimise the inconvenience.
Answers:
never noticed this either - have to pay attention from now on ;)
Answers:
555-5555 Hotline (Kermit the Frog) & 555-5555 Doctor Harold's Sex Line
:lol:
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