History Main / FiveFiveFive

[[caption-width-right:350:[[SarcasmMode Sounds like a pretty good phone number to have in real life]].]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* The ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' series has portable toilets in some areas such as [[VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII Overflow]] and [[VideoGameTutorial S.S.D.D]] and Invasion from VideoGame/ModernWarfare2 with this number plastered on them: 555-DUMP.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* Creator/DouglasAdams used a seven-digit number for a measurement of probability in ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy''. Due to the Infinite Improbability Drive, the number turned out to also be the phone number of the Islington flat where Arthur met Trillian at a party. Unfortunately, Adams used the number of his own flat, also in Islington. The official script book contains a footnote that the tenant who lives there now has nothing to do with ''Hitchhiker'', and doesn't appreciate prank calls. Between a couple of updates to the UK area code system, the introduction of commercial competitors to British Telecom and the increasing popularity of cellphones it's rather unlikely that the number still works.
** [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy The movie]], in addition to updating the number (now 020 79460347) to reflect said changes to area codes, replaced the number with a straight example - 020 79460XXX is the range that Ofcom blocked off for fictional London numbers.
** In some editions of [[TrilogyCreep the six-book]] [[Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy trilogy]], Adams writes about how the whole story came to be. The anecdote concludes with a section called "How To Leave Earth." Adams suggests calling (in order) NASA, The White House, The Kremlin, and The Vatican, giving working phone numbers for each. What they all think of prank calls from [=H2G2=] fans is unrecorded.

* ''Film/ChipnDale'': There's a company called "Sweet Pete's Porta Potty" whose number is 213-555-0127.

* ''Film/Chip'nDale'': There's a company called "Sweet Pete's Porta Potty" whose number is 213-555-0127.

This trope does not apply, or at least [[CriticalResearchFailure should not apply]], to telephone numbers beginning with 555 in non-NANP countries where there is nothing special about such numbers. It does apply to telephone numbers or area codes reserved for use in works of fiction in non-NANP countries that have done so.

* Music/{{Slipknot}}'s song "The Heretic Anthem" featured the chorus: "If you're 5-5-5 then I'm 6-6-6", though the lyrics feature no real Satanic overtones and the use of the number was really just for shock value.
** Since 555 is commonly used as the exchange for phone numbers in movies and television, the line could be interpreted to mean that if you're trying to fit in and be acceptable, he's trying to be edgy and unacceptable.

* "[=BEechwood=] 4-5789" by the Marvelettes. Song co-writer Mickey Stevenson later admitted that, while they ''did'' check if the number was not in use, they only checked in the Detroit area, which supposedly resulted in a slew of calls asking for the Marvelettes to people who really had [=BE4=]-5789 as their phone number. Coincidentally, the number is one digit away from the below-mentioned "634-5789".
* Of course, there's the well-known [[AvertedTrope aversion of this trope]]: "867-5309/Jenny", the 1981 smash hit from power pop [[IAmNotShazam band]] Tommy Tutone. This is also [[JustifiedTrope an excellent demonstration of why the trope exists]]; the number has become almost unusable because anyone who has it constantly receives nuisance calls. A few scans of the number in every area code have been made: this [[https://web.archive.org/web/20120321052850/http://danstheman.com:80/Jenny.htm one-man effort]] in 2004, this [[http://www.oldskoolphreak.com/tfiles/phreak/jenny07.txt collaborative effort]] in 2007 and [[https://web.archive.org/web/20100224023159/http://rocketboom.wikia.com/wiki/8675309 an attempt]] at [[TheWikiRule a wiki]] whose last sign of life goes back to 2010. All three have found that most were disconnected (for obvious reasons), but most that worked went to voicemail, and most of those made some reference to the song (ie, "...and no, Jenny is not here." or sometimes "Hi! This is Jenny, leave a message.") At least one extension of the number is held by the company Retrofitness, a chain of fitness gyms. It uses the number for potential franchisees.
** Two extensions in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts are owned (and trademarked!) by local plumbing company Gem Plumbing & Heating. Their television and radio commercials prominently feature the number, but they aren't allowed to use the Tommy Tutone song or even a soundalike (their jingle that uses the number sounds like it was intentionally written to sound as little like "Jenny" as possible). Gem even sued a national plumbing outfit for using the same number for their toll free line. That case made [[http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/lawsuit-jenny-digits-article-1.252701 national news]] and greatly annoyed Tommy Tutone singer Tommy Heath, who called the whole thing ridiculous (courts ultimately found for Gem, since they had the trademark).
** Rumor has it that attracting crank calls was the ''purpose'' of the song: it was written to [[BreakupSong get back at the singer's ex]].

* Of course, there's "867-5309/Jenny", the 1981 smash hit from power pop [[IAmNotShazam band]] Tommy Tutone. Which is still a bane to anyone in the US with this number. A few scans of the number in every area code have been made: this [[https://web.archive.org/web/20120321052850/http://danstheman.com:80/Jenny.htm one-man effort]] in 2004, this [[http://www.oldskoolphreak.com/tfiles/phreak/jenny07.txt collaborative effort]] in 2007 and [[https://web.archive.org/web/20100224023159/http://rocketboom.wikia.com/wiki/8675309 an attempt]] at [[TheWikiRule a wiki]] whose last sign of life goes back to 2010. All three have found that most were disconnected (for obvious reasons), but most that worked went to voicemail, and most of those made some reference to the song (ie, "...and no, Jenny is not here." or sometimes "Hi! This is Jenny, leave a message.") At least one extension of the number is held by the company Retrofitness, a chain of fitness gyms. It uses the number for potential franchisees.

* ''Series/ColdCase'' has 215-555-0196 in "Saving Sammy".

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in the original ''Film/BlackChristmas1974,'' when one character convinces an [[PoliceAreUseless ignorant and bumbling cop]] that the number to her sorority house is "fellatio" 20880, or FE (i.e. 332-0880). Makes for some laughs later, when the sheriff, who [[YouKeepUsingThatWord knows what the word means]], reads the note.
* A typical example appears in ''Film/TheRef'' when Gus gives Lloyd's number to Murray.

* ''Film/TheMask'': Mrs. Kellaway's phone number, as shown in the picture of her which the cops find in the Mask's possession, is 555-9371.
* Claire's number in ''Film/FreeEnterprise'' is 555-1701. 1701 is the NCC number of the original USS Enterprise in Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}.
* In the Creator/LaurelAndHardy short "[[https://youtu.be/Kun950osLzw?t=143 Blotto]]", Ollie repeatedly tries to call Stan at "[=OXford-0614=]." It was Stan's [[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6oL3uTzYxEs/UDiTin1jDbI/AAAAAAAAAuc/eeig3qy-wIQ/s1600/stan+laurel+assegno+1929.jpg real phone number]] at the time!
* In ''Film/MeanGirls'', the business card the mathlete hands to Cady has his phone number with a 555 in it.
* In ''Film/IronMan 3'', Tony at one point accesses a remote computer using a borrowed PC. The IP address is clearly displayed briefly, and the first "digit" of it is in the 900s.
* In ''Film/TheGodfather'', a scene in the "Godfather Trilogy" or "Godfather Saga" versions has Michael call the Corelone Mansion at Long Beach (56)4-5620 -- calling it now just gives a non-working number recording. Later on, when the family goes to war, a possible mattresses address is 309 West 43rd St, a genuine NYC location.
* In ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious2001'', Dom's cell phone number is 323-555-6439.
* Inadvertent humor is provided in ''Film/TheArtOfWar'' when a cop reads out a list of phone numbers, all beginning with this trope.
* Many films that involve the White House, such as ''Film/AllThePresidentsMen'' and ''Film/TheAmericanPresident'', avert this by using the actual number of the White House's switchboard--456-1414.
* ''Film/ThingsChange'': the phone number left by the showgirls begins with "[=KL5=]".
* ''Film/TheKentuckyFriedMovie''. Dr. Klahn's Atomic Detonator is behind a door that says "For Service Call Ada Gronik 555-0712" on it.
* ''Film/{{Unbreakable}}'' opens with a train crash; the number to call for family members to check on survivors is 800-767-1482. Originally this number went to a recording telling people it was reserved for use as a placeholder number for use in movies and tv shows, but has since become used by a fake survey allegedly offering "free" boat cruises.
* ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork'': Uncle Rob's number has 555 in it, as does a dumpster near his brownstone.
* ''Film/BlackPanther2018'': The phone number appearing on the van used by [[spoiler:Killmonger and his crew to hide while they track T'Challa and Klaue]] in South Korea.
* ''Film/SierraBurgessIsALoser'': Sierra's number is 555-0147.
* At the end of the DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible ''Film/NightOfHorror'' they say the film was processed at "Pete's Quality Film Labs" and provide a phone number for it (it's no longer in service, in case anyone was curious).
* Averted with the 2019 UsefulNotes/{{Bollywood}} film ''Arjun Patiala'', when actress Creator/SunnyLeone gave out a number, [[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-49188935 it ended up being the actual number of a 26-year-old man]]. He is now taking legal action against the production company both to have his number bleeped out and to make sure an incident like this never happens again.
* In ''Film/CorvetteSummer'', Vanessa briefly works for an escort service that uses this.
* ''Film/DrStrangelove'': Group Captain Mandrake is trying to contact the President from a phone booth at Burpleson AFB in order to stop their bombers from attacking Russia. The booth's phone number is identified to the operator as Burpleson 3-9180.
* In the original release of ''Film/TheSantaClause'', the phone number of the mom of Scott's ex-wife's new boyfriend is given as "1-800-SPANK-ME", which turned out to be the number of an adult hotline when called. After a few parents complained about this, the scene was cut from future home video releases. In TV editions, her number is changed to 1-800-POUND, which isn't a real number, to keep the film's rating to TV-G.

* In ''Film/StandClearOfTheClosingDoors'', the missing child poster Mariana makes for Ricky uses this number.
* In ''Film/{{Meadowland}}'', the home and parents' work numbers listed on Adam's student file start with (555)555.
* ''Film/SantaWho?'': When Peter does a news story about a Santa with amnesia, he asks anyone who knows who is to call 555-1234.
* In ''Film/Partners1982'', Benson gives one of these numbers to Jill when she asks for his contact information.

* In ''Film/HocusPocus'', Max starts off "his number" as such, but doesn't finish it off with the last four, handing it to his LoveInterest Alison.

* In ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'', [=McClane=] must stop a bomb by dialing "555 and the answer" to the riddle the villain just gave.

* ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' has the distinction of using ''both'' versions. In 1985, the number for Jennifer's grandma is "555-4823". In 1955, "Doc" Brown's number is "[=KLondike=] 5-4385".
** A prop replica of the keys to the [=DeLorean=] has an ID tag revealing Dr. Brown's present day number to be 555-1128.
* ''Film/BruceAlmighty'' was a particularly interesting case. In the original theatrical version, the number left on Bruce's pager was a real seven-digit number that actually happened to exist in certain U.S. area codes. The studio realized its mistake soon afterward, and so on the DVD release and TV airings, the number on the pager was replaced with 555-0123 and all dialogue mentioning it was overdubbed. There was some shock and laughs when some called the original number and connected with a North Carolina church reportedly tended by a pastor named Bruce, as well as other Georgia churches and the private cell number of a Wisconsin pastor.

* Parodied in ''Film/TheHebrewHammer'': The Jewxploitation hero enters the first six digits of a number ("555-555..."), then struggles to remember the seventh ("Oh, yeah! 5!").
* In ''Film/TheAdventuresOfFordFairlane'', a girl asks for Ford's number. He gives her a 555 number and she complains that they only [[LampshadeHanging use those in movies]]. He replies, "Hey, no shit, honey--[[BreakingTheFourthWall what do you think this is, real life?]]"
* In ''Film/IHopeTheyServeBeerInHell'', the number one of the characters asks someone to dial actually leads to author Tucker Max's real phone.
* In ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'', the "fake" address Elwood gives for his driver's license is a real address. But the address is that of Wrigley Field.
* Used for laughs in ''Film/FatalInstinct''. Ned reads the entire business card of Le Hot Club out loud, pronouncing every word slowly and solemnly, including the phone number: 555-5555.
* Drawn attention to in the character Lucas Lee's movie-within-a-movie ''You Just Don't Exist'' in ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', where he is shown punching "555" into a phone booth keypad with the barrel of a gun.
** Avoided with Ramona's number, seen as 212-664-7665.[[note]]Also used in ''Film/{{Munich}}'', ''Film/DefinitelyMaybe'' and ''Film/TheAdjustmentBureau'', it's a real phone number that was acquired by Creator/UniversalPictures to avoid the fake 555 prefix.[[/note]]

* ''Film/DiaryOfAWimpyKid: Dog Days'': Holly's phone number is 555-42__.

* The video for Music/{{Genesis|Band}}'s song "[[Music/WeCantDance Jesus He Knows Me]]" featured the (parodied) televangelist's contribution hotline as '[[PhoneWord 1-555-GEN-ESIS]]'. Area code 555 is reserved for directory assistance purposes, though Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} is rather unclear as to what those are.

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': For quite some time calling Turk's new cell number actually brought fans to a phone on the set, giving fans a chance to provide feedback or even just have a friendly chat with the cast and crew of the show. It would later only play prerecorded messages, and the number was eventually deactivated by the time the show ended. Wiki/TheOtherWiki states on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Turk their page for Turk]] that the number has since been reassigned to a private cell phone.

As it happens, if the area code is "800", "888", "877", "866", "855", "844", or "833" (the NANP area codes for toll-free dialing), "555" is a valid prefix. So 1-800-555-(four digits) could be a real phone number. [[http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/whoops-real-phone-sex-numbers-pop-video-game-6C10486274 Not everyone knows that.]]

* ''Series/KamenRiderFaiz'' possibly lampshades this; the TransformationTrinket in the series is cell phones, activated by inputting a three-digit code then docking it onto a special belt. The title character's code is 5-5-5 (and is, in fact, a pun; cf. "Phi" (the Greek letter), "Fives", and "Faiz").

* Music/ChuckBerry asked the operator to get him "Norfolk, Virginia, [=TIdewater=] Four Ten Oh Nine" in "Promised Land". At the time the song was originally written and recorded in 1964, that would make the full number (703) 844-1009. By the time of Music/ElvisPresley's famous cover in 1974 the area code had shifted to 804, and Norfolk is now served by area code 757.

* In ''[[Literature/MrsPiggleWiggle Missy Piggle-Wiggle and the Sticky-Fingers Cure]]'', Penelope the parrot recites the advertising jingle "''Call five-five-five-two-two-three-oh, and see your dentist now. Say goodbye to cavities!" while under the influence of a magical illness known as the Winter Effluvia.

**Since 555 is commonly used as the exchange for phone numbers in movies and television, the line could be interpreted to mean that if you're trying to fit in and be acceptable, he's trying to be edgy and unacceptable.

* The video for Music/{{Genesis|Band}}'s song "Jesus He Knows Me" featured the (parodied) televangelist's contribution hotline as '1-555-GEN-ESIS'. Area code 555 is reserved for directory assistance purposes, though Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} is rather unclear as to what those are.

* Music/{{Logic}}, Music/AlessiaCara and Khalid's "1-800-273-8255" is a real phone number -- specifically, the number for the [[https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline]]. Since it is not a toll-free number outside North America, overseas releases add a disclaimer on international calling charges and may even list an equivalent local number.