| 1 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1347045731034640100 |
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| 4 | [[quoteright:210:[[Webcomic/WapsiSquare https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lawyer_card_8793.gif]]]] |
| 5 | [[caption-width-right:210:[[SarcasmMode Sounds like a pretty good phone number to have in real life]].]] |
| 6 | |
| 7 | ->''"Act now. This offer is completely fictitious. Call 555-FAKE-NUMBER. That's 555-FAKE-NUMBER."'' |
| 8 | -->-- '''Creator/StephenColbert''', ''Series/TheDailyShow'' |
| 9 | |
| 10 | Virtually all US phone numbers on fictional media are made up of the following: |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Area Code — ''555'' — four random digits [[note]] Or in works set before the TurnOfTheMillennium, ''555'' — four random digits, as at that time, it was not necessary to dial the area code before making a local phone call. In the late '90s to early 2000s, the area code requirement was tacked on to avoid confusion, [[TechnologyMarchesOn as long-distance calling technology improved]], more and more people got long-distance plans bundled into their standard phone bills, and more and more people got cell phones, thus requiring more numbers in an area, which in many cases could only be accommodated by using multiple area codes in a city. [[/note]] |
| 13 | |
| 14 | "555" is an exchange number commonly thought to be reserved by the phone companies for use by TV and movies in order to prevent prank phone calls to real people. In fact, only 555-0100 through 555-0199 are now specifically reserved for fictional use, and the other numbers have been released for actual assignment. The 555 exchange was originally useful for this purpose because under the UsefulNotes/NorthAmericanNumberingPlan (NANP), which includes the United States, Canada, and several other nearby countries, it was reserved for various internal phone company service numbers, so calling one of the 555 numbers would not have reached an actual customer. In particular, in most areas in North America (AREA CODE)-555-1212 connects with directory assistance. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | Another fake number used back in the 1950s through the 1970s when most of Southern California was entirely one area code, 213, was to reserve the extension 1 plus the prefix in every prefix, so that the number 462-1462 or 733-1733 was never a working number. Eventually the 714 area code would be split off from 213 in 1953 and later 818 would split from 213 in the early 1980s, but Pacific Telephone continued the practice of reserving the prefix-1-prefix number in every exchange as a non-working number. A number of TV shows and made-for-tv movies took advantage of this fictional number feature. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Still another fake number, used into the 1970s, was possible because under the original NANP, the second digit of a seven-digit local number was not allowed to be 0 or 1, whereas the second digit of an area code was limited to 0 or 1. This allowed fictional telephone numbers such as 606-0842 in the eponymous song by Music/TheB52s. However, because of the need for additional prefixes and eventually additional area codes, this limitation was eliminated in certain large cities in the eighties and early nineties and throughout the NANP area in 1995. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | Some movies and TV shows have taken advantage of a technical requirement of NANP telephone numbers, that the first digit of the seven digit local number cannot be 0 or 1. So they'll give a number like 818-162-1353 or 213-079-1611. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | 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-XXXX could be a real phone number. [[http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/whoops-real-phone-sex-numbers-pop-video-game-6C10486274 Not everyone knows that.]] |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Some works used to use 311 as a fictitious area code. Now, however, many communities in Canada and the US use 311 as a short telephone number for non-emergency county or municipal services, as a counterpart to 911 for emergency services. |
| 25 | |
| 26 | A variation of this is IP addresses; media will commonly use addresses such as 127.0.0.1 (which refers to the local computer) or impossible addresses (an address in the most commonly used protocol, [=IPv4=], is essentially a 4-digit number in base-256, so any address with a "digit" 256 or greater is fake). Similarly, any hexadecimal character higher than F is fake (numbers in hex are represented with the characters 0-9 and A-F). And to top it off, there are certain IP addresses that are reserved for private networks and can never be assigned to internet-facing machines (see Real Life section for more info). |
| 27 | |
| 28 | Another variation is street addresses. A work may be set at an address that is (or was at the time of writing) outside of the range of possible address numbers for the given street. |
| 29 | |
| 30 | Still another is car license plates. If the licensing jurisdiction (e.g., a US state) is shown, the plate number may have a letter where a digit would be expected or ''vice versa,'' the plate number may be in a range not actually used in that jurisdiction, or a character may have a VanityLicensePlate with more characters than that jurisdiction allows (e.g., eight in California, which allows only seven). The point is moot where the licensing jurisdiction is [[FictionalProvince fictional]] or where its name is not visible. The latter is often the case in commercials for cars or car insurance. |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Manga and anime in general often use symbols like Xs, triangles, squares and circles in place of one or more digits of phone numbers. This can apply to license plates too. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Works set during an era when exchanges were commonly specified as names (say, during World War II) may use the exchange name "[=KLondike=] (or [=KLamath=])" (followed, or not, by a 5 depending on the exact time period), which works out to the same thing. Works actually ''from'' those eras normally don't; the songs "Beechwood 4-5789" and "[=PEnnsylvania 6-5000=]" are examples. |
| 35 | |
| 36 | This trope does 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. |
| 37 | |
| 38 | Compare to JennysNumber, which is also commonly used as a phone number. See also LoggingOntoTheFourthWall for the website equivalent. Whatever you do, don't confuse this with SixSixSix, though bonus points for works where that's the area code for TheDevil. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant No relation to]] ''Series/KamenRider555''. |
| 39 | |
| 40 | ---- |
| 41 | !!Examples: |
| 42 | |
| 43 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 44 | |
| 45 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 46 | * A liquor brand once ran a series of billboards that resembled personal ads, complete with real phone numbers. Those who called heard a recorded message about the product. |
| 47 | * There was a television ad in the 1980s about an old guy who drove a very old, reliable car. The point was that this brand of car would last forever if you serviced it fastidiously. If you didn't believe that, you were invited to call the old guy at his real phone number. |
| 48 | * Shell Oil did this back in the [[TheEighties 1980s]], having someone tell how much better its oil was in their car, and if people didn't believe him, were instructed to call the person's number. One of these ads had a number that turned out to be a local number, and it was a recording where the same guy tells that it really is better. |
| 49 | * [=LifeLock=], a company offering identity theft protection, not only offered a $1,000,000 guarantee that your identity would not be stolen, but also dared thieves to do so in its advertising. Todd Davis, the owner, [[TemptingFate placed his real Social Security number]] (457-55-5462) in commercials, averting this trope. Inevitably, within days of the commercial airing, [[http://www.wired.com/politics/security/commentary/securitymatters/2008/06/securitymatters_0612 someone was able to take out a $500 payday loan in his name.]] In fact, his identity was stolen [[http://www.wired.com/2010/05/lifelock-identity-theft/ 13 times over three years.]] |
| 50 | * A Rogers commercial had a woman start off saying, 'Hi. This is our family -- and that's our home number.' They cut to a shot of the number...which was a 555 number. |
| 51 | * In 1938, the E.H. Ferree Company of Lockport, New York introduced a new wallet sold at Woolworth and other department stores across the United States which included a replica Social Security Card to demonstrate how one could fit in the wallet. The card used the number 078-05-1120, which happened to be the actual Social Security number of Hilda Schrader Whitcher, the secretary of the vice-president and treasurer at E.H. Ferree. Despite the card being printed in red (real ones were printed in blue) with "SPECIMEN" written on it, a lot of people began using the number as their own, either due to cluelessness or to hide the fact that they didn't have one. Despite the number being retired a few years later (Whitcher was issued a new SSN), over 40,000 people have claimed that number as their SSN and 12 were still using it as late as 1977. |
| 52 | * A movie theater had one of these shown before the movie, with the phone number ''555-FILM'' being shown on a black background. Moviefone, the creator of the ''555-FILM'' phone number, aired this commercial at certain movie theaters. |
| 53 | * Volkswagen advertising shows a vehicle with Pennsylvania license plate [=RF7-3B19=]. In real life, Pennsylvania license plates for that class of vehicle have three letters followed by four digits. |
| 54 | * Television commercials for the former Bell System showed telephones with the telephone number 311-555-2368 indicated on them. |
| 55 | * A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lziT04meJs0 Dentyne Ice commercial from the early 2000s]] had a woman use the product to create frost on a subway window so she could write her number for a man on the platform. Said number was 555-1708. |
| 56 | [[/folder]] |
| 57 | |
| 58 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 59 | * In ''Manga/InitialD Fourth Stage'', the URL of the racing team Project D is "[=http://project.d=]". ".d" is not a valid real-life top-level domain. |
| 60 | * Another web-based example: ''Manga/CaseClosed'' has an e-mail address with a "#", which the author points out as invalid on the first page where we see it. |
| 61 | [[/folder]] |
| 62 | |
| 63 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 64 | * ''Animation/BoonieBears'': In the English version of Season 2 episode 1, Logger Vick calls the number 555-8111 to make money off having the forest destroyed and its land used for a new company that's going to be built. |
| 65 | [[/folder]] |
| 66 | |
| 67 | [[folder:Comedy]] |
| 68 | * ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' did a quick ad for Arthur Sotkins Funeral Service that touts "Ring 049-2187 if you're about snuff it and our funeral service will be at your door within twenty minutes." |
| 69 | * Creator/DaveChappelle: |
| 70 | --> Say you're watchin' a movie, and one character says to another, "Uh, what's your number, man?" What's the other character always say? FIVE FIVE FIVE, FIVE FIVE FIVE FIVE. You know why we gotta do that? Because stupid-ass people go to the movies, and then go home and try to call the characters that they just saw. "HELLO? IS INDIANA JONES HERE?" |
| 71 | * Creator/MitchHedberg threw in a few jokes about this: |
| 72 | --> ''I was at the Double Tree [hotel] and the lady at the front desk gave me her number -- it's zero! I tried to call her from here and some other woman answered. 'You sound older!'" |
| 73 | * Prank-call artists The Jerky Boys occasionally gave their targets a 555 callback number (or, at least, the calls recorded on their albums were edited to make it sound like they did). |
| 74 | [[/folder]] |
| 75 | |
| 76 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 77 | * In the "Sam Spayed" story in ''ComicBook/GarfieldHis9Lives'', he once has to call the number 555-1234. (He's not good at remembering numbers.) |
| 78 | * During John Byrne's run on ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'', the team's phone number is revealed to be, aptly enough, 555-4444. |
| 79 | * ''WesternAnimation/StuntDawgs'': In the comic, Airball grabs some papers off Needham's desk. One of them reads "Call Vanessa Vavoom, 555-2439". |
| 80 | * ''ComicBook/ScoobyApocalypse'': Thaumatrope Mining Co. has the phone number 555-7234. |
| 81 | * ''ComicBook/TheFlintstones'': A newspaper ad at Issue #9 reads "Call 555-cave -- cave renovations!". |
| 82 | * A ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' story in the ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' comics features High Bar Kindergarten School's ad with the phone number 555-[=ACME=]. |
| 83 | [[/folder]] |
| 84 | |
| 85 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 86 | * In the ''ComicStrip/BigNate'' story arc where Nate dates Kelly, her number is 555-2832. |
| 87 | * ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'': |
| 88 | ** One story line was about a "Date-a-Dilbert" service. The cartoonist thought it needed a real phone number, so he put his own number in the strip. It got hundreds of calls, mostly from women who really wanted to date a Dilbert. |
| 89 | ** In [[http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1996-09-03/ one strip]], Dogbert got a job as network administrator. The only ways to contact him were e-mail (which would obviously be impossible if the network failed) and a pager "number" that included a tilde. |
| 90 | * In ''ComicStrip/GingerMeggs'', one of Ginger's friends has a poster up saying "Missing since 4:00PM Ph: XXXX XXX XXX". The phone number is of a colleague of the cartoonist. |
| 91 | * [[http://garfield.com/usacres/vault.html?yr=2013&addr=130208 If you want to get rid of clastrophobia]] in the world of ComicStrip/USAcres, you'd have to call 555-4296. |
| 92 | * For a lark, Charles Schultz of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' once put Bill Melendez (animator of the Peanuts Christmas special) on a strip as Lucy's phone number. Apparently, the first person to pick up a call from a reader was his young daughter, and the person on the other end ended up dropping the phone in shock. |
| 93 | ** There's also the Peanuts character 5, which is actually short for 555. But it's not the phone prefix; his last name is the family [=ZIP=] code, 95472. (He has older sisters named 333 and 444, so 555 was simply next in sequence.) |
| 94 | * ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' had a strip where Jason and Marcus are surfing the Web by entering site's IP addresses rather than the domain names (no challenge in that!). All of the IP addresses are invalid (with a number over 256), except for one -- which is (or at least was at the time) the address for foxtrot.com. |
| 95 | * ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'': [[http://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1998/01/23 Jon's ad looking for a date has a phone number that starts with 555.]] |
| 96 | [[/folder]] |
| 97 | |
| 98 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 99 | * ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'': Calvin's parents' phone number is apparently 555-7186. Later, [[SeriesContinuityError it's shown to be 555-6846.]] |
| 100 | * In the ''Manga/DeathNote'' fanfic [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/561984?view_adult=true ''Autophobia'']], after getting burned in the explosion, Mello calls one of these numbers, deluding himself into thinking that the automated response is his [[spoiler:imaginary]] boyfriend, Matt. |
| 101 | * In ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/5529512/chapters/14801836 Harry Potter and the Golden Ring]]'' Batman has Harry call a 555 number to get in touch with him. |
| 102 | [[/folder]] |
| 103 | |
| 104 | [[folder:Films — Animation]] |
| 105 | * 555-5925 is the number to call Daffy Duck's supernatural detective agency in ''WesternAnimation./DaffyDucksQuackbusters''. Remember, that's the same as dialling 555-KWAK! |
| 106 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' gave a real number on the business card that Bob is given. While inactive at the time of original release, calling it as of the DVD release resulted in Mirage's voice telling you to enter the number on the website to access a DeletedScene not included on the DVD. |
| 107 | * Used in ''WesternAnimation/InsideOut'', on the "For Sale" sign at the beginning. |
| 108 | * In ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'', Doug's phone number, seen on a sticky note in Bellwether's office, is (805)555-0127 and Nick's benefits number seen on a tax form is 555-16-2239. |
| 109 | * ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'': The newspaper ad announcing the job offerings in the Monsters, Inc. mail room tells applicants to call 555-0199. |
| 110 | * In ''WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany'', Jenny's address is 1125, 5th Avenue. It's a real New York address, but the building is an apartment complex rather than the single residence portrayed in the film. Also, Creator/BetteMidler, the voice of Georgette, [[ActorAllusion lives in the penthouse of that building in real life]]. |
| 111 | * In ''WesternAnimation/EightCrazyNights'', Whitey mentions the only time he had sex was through a hotline, the number being 1-555-BOOBIES. |
| 112 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', all the phone numbers seen begin [[UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}} 416]]-555. |
| 113 | * [[https://www.smbplumbing.com A promotional site]] for ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperMarioBrosMovie'' lists the brothers' plumbing service's number as 929-55-MARIO. Subverted as the M makes this a 55''6'' number, and thus it's a functional phone number. Calling it gives you a response from either Mario or Luigi. |
| 114 | * ''WesternAnimation/MerryLittleBatman'': The emergency contact list Bruce packed in Damian’s utility belt contains 22 phone numbers, all of them beginning with 555-01 (and no area codes). |
| 115 | [[/folder]] |
| 116 | |
| 117 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 118 | * 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?]]" |
| 119 | * 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. |
| 120 | * 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. |
| 121 | * Inadvertent humor is provided in ''Film/TheArtOfWar'' when a cop reads out a list of phone numbers, all beginning with this trope. |
| 122 | * ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'' 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". |
| 123 | ** A prop replica of the keys to the [=DeLorean=] has an ID tag revealing Dr. Brown's present day number to be 555-1128. |
| 124 | * [[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. |
| 125 | * ''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. |
| 126 | * 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! |
| 127 | * 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. |
| 128 | * ''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. |
| 129 | * ''Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022'': There's a company called "Sweet Pete's Porta Potty" whose number is 213-555-0127. |
| 130 | * ''Film/{{Conjoined}}'': Alisa tells her number to her second date. It's 555-4657. |
| 131 | * In ''Film/CorvetteSummer'', Vanessa briefly works for an escort service that uses this. |
| 132 | * ''Film/DiaryOfAWimpyKid: Dog Days'': Holly's phone number is 555-42__. |
| 133 | * In ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'', [=McClane=] must stop a bomb by dialing "555 and the answer" to the riddle the villain just gave. |
| 134 | * ''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. |
| 135 | * In ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious2001'', Dom's cell phone number is 323-555-6439. |
| 136 | * 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. |
| 137 | * 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}}. |
| 138 | * The ''Film/{{Ghostbusters|1984}}'' use it as the start of their business number. |
| 139 | * 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. |
| 140 | * 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!"). |
| 141 | * 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. |
| 142 | * ''Film/HomeAlone2LostInNewYork'': Uncle Rob's number has 555 in it, as does a dumpster near his brownstone. |
| 143 | * In ''Film/IHopeTheyServeBeerInHell'', the number one of the characters asks someone to dial actually leads to author Tucker Max's real phone. |
| 144 | * 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. |
| 145 | * ''Film/TheKentuckyFriedMovie''. Dr. Klahn's Atomic Detonator is behind a door that says "For Service Call Ada Gronik 555-0712" on it. |
| 146 | * ''Film/LastActionHero'' [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this trope when Danny brings it up to Jack Slater to try to point out that they're [[TrappedInTVLand inside a movie]]. Naturally, it doesn't convince him. |
| 147 | --> '''Danny:''' "I'm willing to bet that everyone has a 555 number."\ |
| 148 | '''Slater:''' "So?"\ |
| 149 | '''Danny''': "There can only be 9,999 phone numbers that start with 555. How many people live in L.A.?"\ |
| 150 | '''Slater''': "Eight or nine million."\ |
| 151 | '''Danny''': "Ah-''ha!''"\ |
| 152 | '''Slater''': "That's why we have ''area codes''." |
| 153 | * ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' used the Class C private IP version (192.168.x.y). |
| 154 | * ''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. |
| 155 | * In ''Film/{{Meadowland}}'', the home and parents' work numbers listed on Adam's student file start with (555)555. |
| 156 | * In ''Film/MeanGirls'', the business card the mathlete hands to Cady has his phone number with a 555 in it. |
| 157 | * ''Film/NemesisGame'': One of the riddles Sara solves involves using the first letters of each word on a note to work a phone number to dial. The first three words are 'just keep letters', so the first three numbers she dials are 555. |
| 158 | * At the end of ''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). |
| 159 | * In ''Film/Partners1982'', Benson gives one of these numbers to Jill when she asks for his contact information. |
| 160 | * In the 2008 [[MadeForTVMovie TV film]] based on the 1959 play ''A Raisin in the Sun'' (and set in that time period), the for-sale sign outside the Youngers' new home lists the phone number as "KL 50148". |
| 161 | * A typical example appears in ''Film/TheRef'' when Gus gives Lloyd's number to Murray. |
| 162 | * 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. |
| 163 | * ''Film/SantaWho?'': When Peter does a news story about a Santa with amnesia, he asks anyone who knows who is to call 555-1234. |
| 164 | * 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. |
| 165 | ** 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]] |
| 166 | * ''Film/SierraBurgessIsALoser'': Sierra's number is 555-0147. |
| 167 | * Avoided in ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'', where the NSA operative gives her phone number as "273-9164, area code 415". (At the time this was a real number for the San Francisco branch of the [[IntimidatingRevenueService Internal Revenue Service]].) |
| 168 | * If you call the number given to Creator/DwayneJohnson's character at the beginning of ''Film/SouthlandTales'' (which goes to Creator/JohnLarroquette's character), you'll end up getting Larroquette's "actual" voicemail. |
| 169 | * In ''Film/StandClearOfTheClosingDoors'', the missing child poster Mariana makes for Ricky uses this number. |
| 170 | * ''Film/ThingsChange'': the phone number left by the showgirls begins with "[=KL5=]". |
| 171 | * Monument Taxi in ''Film/TrueLies'' has 555-2439. Another 800 number is written on their cars, too, for some reason. |
| 172 | * ''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. |
| 173 | * In ''Film/ZigZag2002'', every single stripper who works at the Monkey Cage has this number. |
| 174 | [[/folder]] |
| 175 | |
| 176 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 177 | * Literature/JunieBJones on Telephone Numbers: "Its name is 555-5555. It's hard to remember, because I keep forgetting the 5." |
| 178 | * Creator/WarrenEllis's novel ''Literature/CrookedLittleVein'': When told to call (555) 555-5555 for help, Mike demonstrates his detective skills by pointing out that the number won't work, as it's only used by Hollywood. To which the Chief of Staff responds, "We gave it to them. It works for us." |
| 179 | * Literature/SherlockHolmes lived at 221B Baker Street. This was a fake London address at the time of writing, but since then the street has been expanded and now 221 Baker Street is a real address and a Sherlock Holmes Museum/Gift Shop. |
| 180 | * Literature/NeroWolfe lived on West 35th Street, Manhattan; the number varied, but consistently put his house in the river. |
| 181 | * Literature/TheBabySittersClub could be reached at [=KL5=]-3231. |
| 182 | * [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden's]] phone number, shown in a picture of his phone book entry in the game, is (312) 555-4-WIZ. |
| 183 | * The front cover of the ''Literature/{{Goosebumps}}'' book ''Calling All Creeps'' has the tagline that says "'''Just dial 555-CREEP'''". |
| 184 | * An address example (sort of): Literature/HarryPotter boards the Hogwarts Express at a real train station, but the fictional Platform 9¾. |
| 185 | * This is used with the main character's phone number in Stuart J. Murphy's ''Freda is Found'', a children's picture book about what to do and things to know in case you get lost. It's probably used in a number of such books about this topic as well. |
| 186 | * In ''Literature/{{Curveball}}'', all e-mail addresses seen so far end in ".ttl", which is a nonexistent generic top level domain. |
| 187 | * ''Literature/JudyMoody: Girl Detective'': When a police-dog-in-training goes missing, the number to report information is given as 1-800-MR-CHIPS. Later in the book, however, a 555 number is given as being seen on a van for a plumbing company. |
| 188 | * 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. |
| 189 | * ''Literature/MiracleCreek'' has Potomac Mutual Insurance, which has the number 800-555-0199. |
| 190 | * In ''Literature/SavingMax'', one of Jonas's doctors has 555-4600. |
| 191 | * In ''Literature/TheManyHalfLivedLivesOfSamSylvester'', Sam and Shep find Billy's obituary, which gives a 555 number to contact his mom. |
| 192 | * ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid: Dog Days'': The number on the VIP Lawn Service poster starts with 555. |
| 193 | * Literature/JoelSuzuki works at Art's Guitars, which has one of these numbers. |
| 194 | * In David Feldman's ''Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?'' a cartoon accompanying the entry on why pay toilets no longer exist in the US depicts several stalls with BathroomStallGraffiti on the outside of the doors. One of the messages states "Call 555-6126 and tell Steve he's a jerk!" |
| 195 | * ''Literature/SirenNovels'': After [[spoiler:Carla Marciano]] is killed in ''Dark Water'', the local newspaper tells anyone with information to call the Winter Harbor PD at 207-555-3900. |
| 196 | * ''Literature/TheImpossibleUs'': Nick's phone number obviously violates the UK's real-life numbering conventions, while even Bee's is outside the allocated range. |
| 197 | * In the ''Literature/RealMermaids'' series, Jade's number is 555-1212. |
| 198 | [[/folder]] |
| 199 | |
| 200 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 201 | !!!'''In General:''' |
| 202 | * The UK telephone system has reserved certain phone numbers for fictional use. Big cities such as London, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Cardiff have blocks of numbers set aside for productions set in these locations - Cardiff, for example, has numbers in the (029) 2018 0xxx range and London has the (020) 7946 0xxx range. For other parts of the country, the unused area code 01632 is preferred. Some areas will use more well known area codes which have blocks of numbers reserved, such as Rochdale in ''Series/WaterlooRoad'' which has the Manchester area code, 0161. It's near enough to Manchester that it's plausible enough if you don't know that it's actually 01706, which if you're not local you probably won't. The aforementioned 01632 can also be seen. Blocks of numbers for mobile phones (07700 900xxx) and free phone numbers (0808 157 0xxx) also exist. More details [[https://www.area-codes.org.uk/01632.php here.]] |
| 203 | * It was also done in fake {{Creator/Nickelodeon}} commercials for ridiculous products, except using zeros instead of fives. |
| 204 | !!!'''Series:''' |
| 205 | * ''Series/TwentyFour'': |
| 206 | ** The show once uses the illegal IP address version. |
| 207 | ** In later seasons, characters read out real phone numbers that could be dialed. Fans of the show have reported dialing the phone and speaking to various cast and crew members. |
| 208 | * ''Series/ThirtyRock'' had the writer's room dig up an old, hilariously bad phone sex line commercial featuring a young Liz Lemon. The number given in the ad was "1-900-OK-FACE", which, on top of being ridiculously unsexy, isn't even enough digits for a real phone number. |
| 209 | * On one episode of ''Series/AmericasFunniestHomeVideos'', Tom, while waiting for the clips to start, says that one of the girls in the audience gave him her phone number. He began reading it out, starting with "555". |
| 210 | * ''Series/AreYouAfraidOfTheDark'' once features a story about a boy who was imprisoned by the "Phone Police" for making crank calls. When his friend tries to rescue him, he looks up their phone number in the phone book -- and is shocked that said number only has six digits. |
| 211 | * Parodied in the ''Series/Batman1966'' and ''Series/TheGreenHornet'' crossover. Bruce Wayne and Britt Reid go to a fashion show and Bruce asks a model for her measurements. She answers "555-555-5555". When Bruce quizzically asks if her measurements are really "five hundred fifty five, five hundred fifty five, five thousand five hundred fifty five?", the model corrects him and says that it's her phone number. |
| 212 | * ''Big Chuck & Li'l John'': In a comedy skit on the local Cleveland comedy show, Chuck calls John on the phone and has him running in a frantic search around the house to find a pen so he can write down a phone number. When John finds a pen John delivers the phone number he can call back on: it's 555-5555. |
| 213 | * ''Series/TheBill'' once used a "dotted decimal IP address" with a number in the 300s. |
| 214 | * ''Series/TheBlacklist'': In "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Braxton Luther Braxton]]", Reddington is captured by the military. He tells them to call a 555 number with a 202 area code, presumably the director of the CIA. |
| 215 | * ''Series/BreakingBad'': |
| 216 | ** Most of the actual 7-digit phone numbers begin with "1", which isn't done in North America. |
| 217 | ** Walter also buries [[spoiler:about $80 million in cash, which is stolen and replaced with a couple of bodies]] at GPS coordinates that he documents as his picks on a lotto ticket. Attempting to dig them up is not recommended, as the coordinates given (+34° 59' 20.00", -106° 36' 52.00) actually point to Albuquerque Studios -- which is about a mile away from a DEA station. |
| 218 | * ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. After a hiatus at the start of Season 3, Buffy comes across the Scoobies all tooled up with holstered stakes and walkie-talkies. The digital frequency readout on Xander's radio starts with 555. |
| 219 | * In one of ''Series/{{Cheers}}''[='=] standalone opening scenes, a radio ad for a court stenography course gives listeners a number to call starting with "five-double-five." |
| 220 | * ''Series/ColdCase'': |
| 221 | ** Lily gives her mobile no. as 555-0198 in "Sherry Darlin'". |
| 222 | ** "Saving Sammy" has 215-555-0196. |
| 223 | * Lampshaded in ''Series/{{Community}}''. [[MetaGuy Abed]] says that Jeff's 555- phone number "sounds fake". |
| 224 | * ''Series/CriminalMinds'' does this a lot. One notable example is in "Painless", where Morgan gives out Reid's phone number during a press conference as a prank. Reid's number is listed as 702-555-0103, "702" being the area code for Reid's native Las Vegas. |
| 225 | * Occurs frequently in forensic shows such as ''Series/{{CSI}}'', with the 555-01XX numbers showing up when the investigators or lab techs pull up phone records or analyze data from cellphones. Unsurprisingly, the fake IP (such as 172.168.'''355'''.27) and fake Hex (such as A'''G''':61:BA:17:2'''Z''':43) show up regularly on ''Series/CSICyber''. |
| 226 | ** Specifically, on ''Series/{{CSINY}}'', Danny's cell number is 212-555-0121, and Mac's office land line number is 212-555-0131. |
| 227 | * ''Series/TheDailyShow'''s favorite lawyer, Stanley Ragooch, has the phone number 555-GABAGOOL. |
| 228 | * In keeping with the IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming, ''Series/{{Degrassi|TheNextGeneration}}'' Community School's phone number is (416) [[JennysNumber 867-5309]]. License plates are all over the place - Principal Simpson has ASKK-080 and Coach Armstrong has [=COACH001=] (Ontario starts the regular number series at ''xxxx''-100, no lead zeroes and has a seven-character VanityLicensePlate limit) while Eli has a generic plate with no province (or state) caption. |
| 229 | * In one episode of ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', Mike writes a check and his ZIP code is shown as 910274 (six digits). [[http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/wikitubeface/desperate/dhcheck.jpg screen grab]] |
| 230 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 231 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E12TheStolenEarth "The Stolen Earth"]]: The Doctor's mobile phone number is given as 07700 900461, causing thousands to [[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1032510/Dial-doctor-2-500-Dr-Who-fans-try-ring-Time-Lords-mobile.html try contacting him using it]]. Appropriately, this number spells W--HO-. The 07700 9 range is reserved in the UK for fake mobile phone numbers to be used in fiction. Lower numbers of the 07700 range are used by a local provider in [[UsefulNotes/TheChannelIslands Jersey]]. |
| 232 | ** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E6Praxeus "Praxeus"]]: The phone number Adam uses when he sends Jake a text for help is 7700 900XXX, with a country code of +852. However, that code is for Hong Kong, where he was texting from, even though country codes are attached to numbers and don't change depending on where the phone with that number is calling from. |
| 233 | * ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'': A radio station had a number starting with "55K". |
| 234 | * ''Series/EarthFinalConflict'' had ''several'' domains bought out and fake websites assembled with background data and character notes. As the show was made during the late '90s, it was one of the first to make extensive use of this, but considering the [[Creator/GeneRoddenberry family]] behind it, it's not too shocking. |
| 235 | * The KACL studio number in ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' is 555-KACL. |
| 236 | * In the ''Series/{{Friends}}'' episode "The One With the Ick Factor", Ross gets a pager so that his ex-wife can contact him for the birth of their child. His number is 55-JIMBO or rather 555-4626. Throughout the episode, Ross gets wrong-number calls for a male prostitute whose number is 555-8626 ([[GagPenis 55-JUMBO]]). |
| 237 | * ''Series/FullHouse'': |
| 238 | ** One episode presents 555-6410 as the number for Steve, D.J.'s boyfriend. |
| 239 | ** In "Hole in the Wall Gang", Michelle tries to stall Danny by reciting her home phone number. She says 555-2424, but depending on what channel is airing said episode, the first two may be muted out. |
| 240 | %%* ''Series/{{Ghostwriter}}'' loves this trope. |
| 241 | * Invoked in one episode of ''Series/GilmoreGirls'', where Luke is messing with some annoying lawyers and tells them to contact his own lawyers at Dewey, Cheatum, and Howe, via phone the number 555-555-5555. |
| 242 | * ''Series/{{Glee}}'' showed why it's a good idea: Kurt's NYADA application was analyzed to find a number which fans called, finding a real household at the end. Oops. |
| 243 | * One episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' has Rose and Blanche campaigning a fundraiser telethon on TV. Rose's donation number is "555-GIVE", followed by Blanche's number: "555-EASY". |
| 244 | * In an episode of ''Series/HappyDays'', Ralph Malph is excited that a prospective date's number starts with Klondike 5--"Hey! I got a Klondike 5!" |
| 245 | * The ''[[ShowWithinAShow Tool Time]]'' number in ''Series/HomeImprovement'' is 555-TOOL. One season 4 episode includes the full version of the number, with area code 810, which was the actual area code for Royal Oak, Michigan at the time of said episode's writing. 810 is still used as the area code for Flint and parts of Livingston County and the Thumb, but Royal Oak is now in area code 248, which came into existence around the time season 7 premiered. |
| 246 | ** The Taylor family's address in Royal Oak is 510 Glenview Road. There is a street named Glenview in Royal Oak, but it is an ''Avenue'', and its addresses only go as low as the 2200 range (the 500 range is at Park Avenue or Pingree Boulevard heading north from the baseline at 11 Mile Road and at 5th Street heading south, and Glenview Avenue intersects neither). |
| 247 | * The Canadian sketch comedy show ''Hotbox'' uses a recurring gag in which all infomercials use the number "555-PISS" as the number to call. |
| 248 | * ''Series/ICarly'': 1-555-SEND-ME-A-SACK |
| 249 | * ''Series/ILoveLucy'' takes place in an apartment building whose address was 623 East 68th Street, which would be in the middle of the East River. |
| 250 | * In ''Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977'', David starts reading someone's number aloud by saying "555..." The rest of the number isn't heard. |
| 251 | * ''Series/{{JAG}}'': In "Heart & Soul" Mac says the number to her office phone is 555-0171. |
| 252 | * Referenced by ''Series/KamenRider555'' (as you might expect by the title); the {{Transformation Trinket}}s in the series are cell phones, activated by inputting a three-digit code then docking it onto a special belt. The main character's code is 5-5-5 (and is, in fact, a pun; cf. "Phi" (the Greek letter) and "Fives"). |
| 253 | * The ''Series/LawAndOrder'' franchise, filmed on the streets of New York City, uses the 555 phone numbers, and alternates between real and fake addresses, depending on the use. If it's a business address it will be a real number; a victim's house, the location will be a real number or a fake that's between two real numbers. If it's the site of a crime or something shady (like an illegal whorehouse), the address would put the place in either the East River or the Hudson. |
| 254 | ** Subtly lampshaded in one episode when the detectives themselves have this one pulled on them. The detectives have had a suspect's vital information given, and it lists an address. When an officer reads that address off to Detective Briscoe, he says a line to the effect of "The middle of the Hudson River." |
| 255 | ** Another perp's home address was the Police Academy. One even had the gall to use the business address for One Police Plaza as his address. Sometimes, criminals ''do'' think of these things. |
| 256 | * ''Series/LazyTown'': |
| 257 | ** In "Rockin' Robbie", Johnny B. Badd's phone number is "555-BBAD". |
| 258 | ** In "Chef Rotten Food", this is combined with RidiculouslyLongPhoneNumber with a phone number that's nothing but 5s that seems to keep going and going. |
| 259 | * In ''Series/LeCoeurASesRaisons'', Ashley's phone number is "555-0100". |
| 260 | * ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' uses this trope often, since many of the team's cons depend on cell phone communication. |
| 261 | * The ''Series/{{Lost}}'' episode "The Constant" used a London number beginning 020 7946 0, which is a range of numbers designated by the Office of Communications for drama purposes. This created a slight anachronism, as the 020 region code did not exist in 1996, in which half the episode took place. |
| 262 | ** Still, they've ShownTheirWork enough not to give a Londoner a Lanark phone number (the area code 01555 in the United Kingdom). |
| 263 | * An InUniverse [[http://www.businessinsider.com/mad-men-sent-out-logo-change-press-release-2013-6 press release]] from ''Series/MadMen'' reveals Sterling Cooper & Partners' office phone number is (212) KL 5-0112. |
| 264 | * ''Series/TheManInTheHighCastle'': Some phone numbers, such as the one on Sampson's work truck, begin with "[=KL5=]". |
| 265 | * ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' had Al calling a business number he called previous for a mail order to complain about the shoddy product he received. He asked for the number of the phone operator's supervisor, and received as reply "1-800-BITE-ME". When Bud got assigned to volunteer a virgin hotline, the number was "1-800-ZIPP UP". |
| 266 | ** When Al was calling his insurance company, their number was 1-800-HEAD ON. Also, when Kelly was the Verminator and had advertised an extermination company on television, their numbers were 1-800-LEGS UP and 1-800-R-U-DEAD. |
| 267 | ** TV case: Al's favorite show, ''Psycho Dad'', is seen on channel 83, a channel that was discontinued in 1982 along with channels 70 through 82. |
| 268 | * ''Series/{{Medium}}'' took the extra step of including Phoenix area code 602 (the show's setting) to all the 555 numbers seen on various characters' cellphones. |
| 269 | * ''Series/MidnightCaller'': When a caller's number is shown, it's usually this. The radio show's number is 555-TALK. |
| 270 | * In a week-long story arc during the Make Believe segment on ''Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood'' King Friday and Queen Sarah leave and put Prince Tuesday in the care of Betty Aberlin. King Friday gives the phone number of the place they will be staying as 111-222-3334. |
| 271 | * ''Series/{{Monk}}'' lampshades this to great effect in "Mr. Monk and the Big Reward", with the Scotland Yard inspector's first scene, prompting a small SherlockScan: |
| 272 | -->''[Rufus pulls up to the [=MacMillan=] Museum in what is supposed to be a flower delivery van]''\ |
| 273 | '''Inspector St. Clare:''' Excuse me! Any suspects, yet?\ |
| 274 | '''Rufus:''' I wouldn't know. I'm just delivering flowers.\ |
| 275 | '''Inspector St. Clare:''' No you're not. You're a private detective, like me.\ |
| 276 | '''Rufus:''' ''[scoffs]'' Me, a detective? That's uh, very funny by the way! I can't wait to tell the guys-\ |
| 277 | '''Inspector St. Clare:''' Look, you're selling it to me: that satellite dish on your roof, the number on the side, "555", obviously a fake. Now conclusion number 1: you're after the Alexander Diamond. Conclusion number 2: you haven't got a prayer. |
| 278 | ** Amazingly, another 555 number is used in the episode, but it's "real". |
| 279 | * A Creator/TerryGilliam-animated "commercial" on ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' features Shrill Petrol with the new miracle ingredient GLC 942-4075 (after 6 PM, 942-4047).[[note]]The GLC was the Greater London Council -- abolished by UsefulNotes/MargaretThatcher's government in (appropriately?) 1984 but subsequently replaced by the Mayor of London's Office.[[/note]] |
| 280 | ** From "The Mouse Problem", where an anonymous guest confesses to wanting to identify as a mouse: |
| 281 | -->'''Presenter:''' A most typical case here, whom we shall refer to as Mister A. Although his real name is this...\ |
| 282 | '''Caption:''' Mr George Jackson\ |
| 283 | 32A Milton Avenue\ |
| 284 | Hounslow, Middlesex\ |
| 285 | Tel.: (01) 246-8047 |
| 286 | * ''Series/Moonlight2007'': When Beth Turner gives her phone number, she starts with 555, but is then cut off by a scene change. |
| 287 | * At one point during the first Pirate Special on ''Series/MythBusters'', there was a fake infomercial for a cannon that Adam and Jamie made and one of these was scrolled along the bottom of the screen. |
| 288 | * A "[=KL5=]" phone number can be seen on a background poster in ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'', raising the question of how many members of the target demographic would even ''recognize that as being a phone number''. |
| 289 | * {{Subverted|Trope}} in an episode of ''Series/NewsRadio'': An elementary-school class is touring the station, and corporate boss and chronic wife-hunter Jimmy James spends the episode flirting with the teacher. Finally, as they're leaving, she gives him a piece of paper with a math problem on it, saying that solving it will give him her phone number. After she's out of earshot, Jimmy pulls the class' resident wunderkind aside and has him solve it; by the time he realizes it's "one of those phony TV numbers", everyone's gone and he throws it away in disgust. |
| 290 | * The fifth-season finale of ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'' uses the IP address 275.3.6.28. |
| 291 | * Tying in with the May 6, 2010 episode of ''Series/{{The Office|US}}'', the website for the [[http://schrutepi.com/ Dwight Schrute Detective Agency]] was put online complete with Phone (570) 555-0698, Mobile Phone (570) 555-0698 and Fax (570) 555-0245. The area code used was the real-life area code for the series' setting of Scranton, Pennsylvania at the time the episode aired, and is still the main area code for that part of Pennsylvania (though a second code of 272 has since been added). |
| 292 | * ''Series/TheOrville'': In "[[Recap/TheOrvilleS2E11LastingImpressions Lasting Impressions]]", regular character Gordon Malloy falls in love with a girl from 2015 who left a smartphone in a time capsule. He creates a simulation from her and when he gets her phone number so that he can simulate his own phone to call her, it's a 555 number. |
| 293 | * ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' does this with phone numbers, as well as with Social Security Numbers, which figure prominently into the plot. For obvious reasons, none of the ones shown on screen are real. Most, if not all, are in the form "000-XX-XXXX" or "XXX-00-XXXX", neither of which can be a valid number. One exception comes in the form of a recurring number (917) 285-7362, which is the voicemail of one of Finch's main aliases. |
| 294 | * ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel'': In "Echoes of Evil", Victor and Monty sell a "monster repellant" and the ad directs potential buyers to call 555-321-456. |
| 295 | * ''Series/PushingDaisies'', which is set in a [[TheFifties 1950s]] RetroUniverse, had an episode where Emerson Cod said his phone number was "[=KLondike=] 5-0155". |
| 296 | * ''Series/{{Reba}}'' has 555-0165, the number for one of Kyra's one-time boyfriends. |
| 297 | * On ''Series/ResidentAlien'', the Hawthorne family phone number, as seen on Max Hawthorne's "Have you seen this alien?" poster regarding the Harry Vanderspeigle alien, is a 555 number. |
| 298 | * ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': |
| 299 | ** The phone number for "Coffee Talk" (or was it "Coffee Tawk"?) was 555-4444. (However, the three 5s were replaced with coffee mugs and the said 5s that were called were bleeped out because that phone number was {{Defictionalized}}.) |
| 300 | ** During "Weekend Update" in the first season, there was a segment about contaminated marijuana (in which, unbeknownst to the network, the joint shown on camera was real). Chevy gave an address for viewers to send theirs in for testing. [[ExecutiveMeddling NBC made the producers]] give a fictional address that would have been in the middle of the Hudson. Nevertheless, some viewers sent some of their stash to the show (you can bet it was "tested" and found to be safe). |
| 301 | * ''Series/ScreamQueens2015'' has a security guard who tells her charges that if they need her, to call '''1-866-KLJ-0199'''. |
| 302 | * ''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. Website/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. |
| 303 | ** Turk was excited about the number because it spelled out "Call Turk", except the valid seven-digit portion only spelled out "Call Tur". J.D. being J.D., he promised Turk that he'd always dial that extra digit. |
| 304 | * ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' |
| 305 | ** The show typically prefixed its numbers with [=KL5=], but in one episode Elaine reveals that when a man she doesn't want to see again asks for her number, she gives a fake one that spells "No Elaine", which is one digit ''more'' than a phone number. |
| 306 | ** In one episode Kramer's phone number is 555-3455, which is one digit off from Moviefone, 555-FILM (3456). Moviefone's actual number is 777-FILM; presumably, the writers wanted to spare the actual 777-3455 from a flood of prank calls, since they (like Kramer) were presumably already getting lots of wrong numbers. |
| 307 | * The producers of ''Series/SexAndTheCity'' signed up for real phone numbers to use onscreen so they could avert this trope. |
| 308 | ** Carrie's address, however, would be right where Second Avenue crosses her street and thus doesn't exist in real life. |
| 309 | * As UsefulNotes/NewZealand has no official fictional numbers, ''Series/ShortlandStreet'' uses phone numbers in the empty (09) 429-9xxx range. The entire 429 number range is allocated to Great Barrier Island, but with just 550 people on the island, only the 4290 range is used. |
| 310 | * In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', Chloe Sullivan's phone number is 555-0164, ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'s phone number is 429-555-0169, ComicBook/BlackCanary's is 429-555-0132, [[ComicBook/GreenArrow Oliver]]'s is 207-555-0173, Zatanna's is 555-0134.[[note]]Area code 429 has not been assigned to any area within the NANP as of June 2022; 207 has been the area code for Maine since the NANP was created in 1947.[[/note]] |
| 311 | * A ''Series/SquareOneTV'' episode of ''Mathnet'' centered around the disappearance of [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Steve Stringbean]] before he gave a concert. When the kidnappers call, Steve sings, "Please do what these people say" to prove he's with them. After expressing some concern as to why he's singing, what pitches he's singing ("FFF-E-G-FE?") it dawns on the Mathnetters that the tones he's singing correspond to the tones of the numbers on a touch-tone phone, giving them the kidnappers' phone number. (And the three Fs translate to 555, of course.) |
| 312 | ** Another Mathnet episode also involving a kidnapping has them recieve a call of touch-tones -- they're given twelve tones that don't correspond to any phone number in service. But thanks to George using the power of combinatorial analysis (i.e.: George putting the letters each touch-tone represents vertically on little sticks and moving them up and down until they make out words) they determine the real meaning of the touch-tones: [[spoiler:BLEAK HOUSE NY - the kidnappers' location]]. |
| 313 | * In the version of the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E04PhantomTraveller "Phantom Traveler" (S01, Ep04)]] that aired on December 13, 2005, the number of Dean's phone is 866-907-3235. For a brief period after the episode aired, when you called this number you'd get the following message: "This is Dean Winchester. If this is an emergency, please leave a message. If you are calling about 11-2-83, page me with your coordinates." |
| 314 | * ''Series/ThirdWatch'': In one scene, Doc asks for a woman's phone number, but we hear only the last four digits as a [[SoundEffectBleep vehicle passes by]], preventing us (but not Doc) from hearing the first three. |
| 315 | * ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'': "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S5E19NightCall Night Call]]" uses the KL-5 variant. Miss Elva Keene's phone number is [=KL5-2368=]. |
| 316 | * ''Series/TheTwilightZone1985'': |
| 317 | ** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1985S1E1 Shatterday]]", Peter Jay Novins' phone number is Klondike 5-6189. |
| 318 | ** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1985S1E12 Her Pilgrim Soul]]", the Draytons' phone number is 555-1689. |
| 319 | ** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1985S1E18 Gramma]]", Dr. Arlinder's number is 555-3502. |
| 320 | ** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1985S2E2 Aqua Vita]]", the titular bottled drink company's number is [=555-AQUA=]. |
| 321 | ** In "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1985S3E9 The Call]]", Norman Blane sees a commercial for a classical music CD that he can order by phoning 555-4421. However, he dials 555-4412 by mistake and is connected with Mary Ann Lindeby. |
| 322 | * Invoked in the ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'' episode "818-jklpuzo", where "jklpuzo" is the mnemonic used for a phone number. This translates to 555-7896. |
| 323 | ** Producer Chuck Lorre even discusses this trope, and the difficulty in getting the phone number on air, in his essay-like VanityPlate at the end of the episode. Creator/{{CBS}} would eventually censor it from broadcast due to the number he [[TakeThat gives to the idiots who dial all these numbers]] as well as the [[ExecutiveMeddling executives]], 555-382-5968, which reads [[spoiler:"FUCK YOU"]]. |
| 324 | ** Throughout the run of the show, the writers experimented with a way to avoid the trope which they hoped would be less distracting: with the exception of the titular phone number of "818-jklpuzo", when a phone number is spoken in ''Two and a Half Men'', it's not a 555 number but, to make sure it's still not real, it doesn't have as many digits as a real phone number does. |
| 325 | * The "Broom Cupboard" episode of ''Series/TheUnit'' features a foreign phone number containing 5555. |
| 326 | * 165 Eaton Place, the Bellamys' house on ''Series/UpstairsDownstairs'', doesn't exist. For the exterior scenes in the show, the producers used the real house at 65 Eaton and painted a "1" next to the address (as well as the adjacent houses). |
| 327 | * ''Series/VeronicaMars'' is set in a fictional town whose ZIP code is 90909. In real life, the prefix 909 is unassigned, although it is between valid prefixes used in Los Angeles County. |
| 328 | ** Mars Investigation's phone number is 555-0137. |
| 329 | * ''Series/TheWestWing'' reverses this trope. In the second-season episode "In this White House," Ainsley Hayes reads the telephone number of an incoming call off her Caller ID as (202) 456-1414. This is in fact [[https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ the switchboard number at the White House]]. |
| 330 | %% * ''Series/TheWire'' averts this trope entirely. |
| 331 | * On ''Series/{{Yellowjackets}}'', the business card that Jessica Roberts hands Shauna to supposedly prove that she's a journalist with the ''Star-Ledger'' gives her number as a 555 number. |
| 332 | * In ''Series/YoungSheldon'' Season 2 Episode 21: A Broken Heart and a Crock Monster, when Sheldon looks through the ledger at the church donation records, John Alberts' account number is listed as 555-0120. [[note]]Assuming the donation record is for the current year (it is not listed anywhere), the episode would take place sometime during or after July, but earlier in the episode adult Sheldon said that today was a faculty & administrative day, this paired with the cold weather attire being worn would mean that it was not July and school was currently in session. Of course, it could be the fall semester and Sheldon was looking at the record for earlier that year.[[/note]] |
| 333 | [[/folder]] |
| 334 | |
| 335 | [[folder:Magazines]] |
| 336 | * A dating columnist once put her real phone number on the cover of a [[http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/features/26283/call-julia magazine.]] |
| 337 | * Magazine/NickelodeonMagazine has a format for E-mail addresses and domain names for their pranks: they use the .not suffix as a {{pun}} on .net, e.g., whatever@wherever.not or www.fakecompany.not. |
| 338 | * ''Rail'' magazine's humorous column "The Diary of Derek the Diesel" gave Derek the number 47548 -- in real life, number 548 was never carried by a Class 47 locomotive, with the sequence skipping from 547 to 549. |
| 339 | [[/folder]] |
| 340 | |
| 341 | [[folder:Music]] |
| 342 | * Renowned Russian rocker Boris Grebenschikov has a song about the phone number 2-12-85-06, which was a fake number... until the Russian area code system was changed and "2-" was added to a lot of numbers. There is now a washhouse in St. Petersburg that keeps getting calls from B.G. fans all over the country. |
| 343 | * Music/SouljaBoy's song "Kiss Me Thru The Phone", starts off by reading out a number. In the US, this number called a relevant recorded message. [[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/8127460.stm Fans in the UK were just bothering an innocent family]]. |
| 344 | * Music/{{ACDC}}'s "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" might seem like an example because its lyrics mention the phone number 36-24-36. However, it's a real number: The band are Australian, and phone numbers in towns outside the capital cities there were actually six numbers instead of seven back in the 1970s. |
| 345 | * 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 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. |
| 346 | * Music/DeLaSoul's "Ring Ring Ring" averts this: "You wanna call me? Take my number down. It's 222-2222. I've got an answering machine that will talk to you." The number is usually blanked out in TV and radio broadcasts of the song and its music video, because it's actually used by the ''Chicago Tribune'', among others. |
| 347 | * 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 Website/{{Wikipedia}} is rather unclear as to what those are. |
| 348 | * The incomplete form used for a website name in the ''Animaniacs'' song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpzuIDPwEU4 "LA Dot"]]"You can find me on my webpage spot: w w w dot dot dot" |
| 349 | * Glenn Miller's song "[=PEnnsylvania=] 6-5000" was the number of a hotel the band had performed at — the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City, which continued to use the number until its closure in 2021. |
| 350 | * "[=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. |
| 351 | * Of course, there's "867-5309/Jenny", the 1981 hit from power pop band Tommy Tutone. In most areas, the number is disconnected, in areas where the number worked, the call went to voicemails that usually made some reference to the song. Other noteworthy companies making use of that number included gym franchise company Retrofitness (who initially themed their gyms around 80s nostalgia, hence the usage of the number) and GEM Plumbing and Heating, respectively. |
| 352 | * Music/TheTime's hit "777-9311", which, similar to "Jenny", is how Morris Day is able to contact the girl he's mackin' on. |
| 353 | * Music/SirMixALot's "Baby Got Back" instructs the listener to dial 1-900-MIX-A-LOT. Calling it nowadays just gets you a disconnected number, but during the height of the song's popularity, you could hear Mix say pre-recorded messages for 99 cents a minute. When his label let the number go, several companies attempted to use it when it went back into circulation (mostly phone sex lines); it eventually was retired from the [[UsefulNotes/NineHundredNumber 900]] pool because of the song and people calling looking to talk to Mix. (And, eventually, most of the 900 numbers going the way of the dodo anyway, thanks to changes in both laws governing them and {{technology|MarchesOn}}.) |
| 354 | * "Light" by Music/{{KMFDM}} instructs you to call 1-800-ACCEPT-NO-IMITATION, which is probably far too many digits for a phone number anywhere, but is valid in the U.S. and Canada only because the switching system ignores all digits after the seventh. Dialing the number in the song is interpreted as 1-800-ACCEPT-N.[[note]]It's not unknown for a company to use words that have more than seven letters for marketing purposes—for example, the U.S. toll-free number for the Discover credit card is advertised as 1-800-DISCOVER (though when dialing it, the "R" [7] is ignored.)[[/note]] |
| 355 | * 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. |
| 356 | * In Darkbuster's "Gurley's Cellphone Number", the chorus repeatedly gives out the actual cellphone number of their bassist (the "Gurley" of the title), and the lyrics even revolve around how much he would love receiving calls from strangers at all hours of the day. |
| 357 | * "Red Frame/White Light" by Music/OrchestralManoeuvresInTheDark was about a red telephone box the band used to organise their gigs in the late '70s. The pay phone's number, 6323003, was recited in the lyrics but without the Wirral area code that would put callers through to the actual box. Anybody dialing the number without it would just get through to someone near where the caller lived. |
| 358 | * Mid-2000s rapper Mike Jones gave out his real phone number - (281) 330-8004 - on several of his hit songs. The gimmick helped him stand out, however briefly, amongst the crowd of Southern rappers in the era. At the height of his fame in 2005, the line would often be completely and hopelessly jammed (Jones' phone bill was nearly $50,000 a month because of the thousands of calls he got every day) but he would indeed chat with any fans that got through. |
| 359 | * Music/{{Logic}}, Music/AlessiaCara and Khalid's "1-800-273-8255" is a real phone number — specifically, the main number for the [[https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline]] until being superseded in 2022 by the three-digit code 988. (The title number ''is'' still active, though 988 is now preferred for obvious reasons.) 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. |
| 360 | * ''(619) 239-KING'' is Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper's special telephone number to report Elvis sightings. It's a San Diego number. |
| 361 | * Music/TheB52s' "6060-842" was an aversion - though the liner notes to their SelfTitledAlbum include a disclaimer advising against actually dialing the number and harassing someone. |
| 362 | * Music/BeastieBoys' "Ask For Janice", a SpokenWordInMusic interlude from ''Music/PaulsBoutique'', includes the phone number 718-498-1043 being recited as part of a fake ad - the group actually registered the number themselves since it wasn't currently in service, and hooked it up to an answering machine with an outgoing message purporting to be from a fictional clothing shop called Paul's Boutique. This would get a callback on "The Maestro" from their next album ''Check Your Head'': The song starts with a phone message from a fan who tried calling the number and cussed out the machine, apparently disappointed he didn't get to talk to one of the B-Boys themselves. |
| 363 | [[/folder]] |
| 364 | |
| 365 | [[folder:Pinball]] |
| 366 | * ''Pinball/SafeCracker''[='=]s backglass shows that to contact Bob's Getaway Rental, you'll have to call 555-FAST. |
| 367 | * Starting a mode in ''Pinball/DialedIn'' causes the phone on the playfield to receive a call. Each of the numbers it displays begins with 555. |
| 368 | [[/folder]] |
| 369 | |
| 370 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
| 371 | * ''Series/SesameStreet'': |
| 372 | ** In a mind 1990s episode, The Amazing Mumford sets up an instant magic hotline with the phone number 555-555-5555. |
| 373 | ** In a 2004 episode Snuffy gets a magic ukulele. The number to call to have it activated is 1-555-UKE. After he accidentally breaks the ukulele the hotline to get it fixed is 1-555-OOPS. |
| 374 | ** In the 1997 direct-to-video "Big Bird Gets Lost", Maria helps Big Bird remember both her (555-1234), and Granny Bird's (555-6789) phone numbers. [[SpontaneousChoreography With a line dance]]. |
| 375 | [[/folder]] |
| 376 | |
| 377 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 378 | * Creator/DouglasAdams used a seven-digit number for a measurement of probability in ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1978''. 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. |
| 379 | ** [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005 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. |
| 380 | ** In some editions of [[TrilogyCreep the six-book]] [[Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxyTrilogy 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. |
| 381 | [[/folder]] |
| 382 | |
| 383 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 384 | * In ''Theatre/TheCompleteHistoryOfAmericaAbridged'', the Conspirator Guy's [[MyCard card]] says: "For more information dial 555-1212." |
| 385 | [[/folder]] |
| 386 | |
| 387 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 388 | * Flash game ''5 Differences'' uses a 555 number for the funeral advertisement, but decrements it whenever a difference is found. |
| 389 | * ''VideoGame/TheAdventuresOfWillyBeamish'' both uses this and "real" numbers. Whenever someone leaves a phone number on the Beamishes' answering machine, it's a 555 number. But a phone booth in West Frumpton instead has normal phone numbers scribbled all over it, two of which are plot-critical. |
| 390 | * ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': Several signs around each city features these numbers on multiple adverts. Several of them are displayed as [=1154-223=], [=255-3667=], and [=8832-546=]. |
| 391 | * ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' features these with Zsasz when he plays his payphone killer game. Every payphone in Arkham City has a (455) area code and 555 prefix, and neither has a real world counterpart. |
| 392 | * In ''Big City Adventure 3: New York'', a poster in St. Mark's Place advertising "accurate psychic readings" gives the number 212-555-1234. |
| 393 | * A note posted in the laundromat in ''Big City Laundry'' which thanks customers for their business and for not overfilling the machines states that they can call 312.555.9394 if in need of assistance. |
| 394 | * ''Burning Fight'' has one background warehouse whose awning bears the number (123)-4567. |
| 395 | * 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. |
| 396 | * The side of a tow truck in ''VideoGame/{{Delicious}} 4: Emily's Taste of Fame'' says "Call 555 TOW TOW." |
| 397 | * In ''VideoGame/DepressionQuest'', a friend gives you the phone number for a great therapist: 647-723-5274. In real life, that phone number goes to [[http://www.therapytoronto.ca/contact_us.phtml The Toronto Therapy Network]], a directory of therapists in the Greater Toronto area. The therapist you see, Dr. Susan Melville, is fictional however. |
| 398 | * The old ''Literature/{{Fahrenheit 451}}'' text adventure (yes, it exists. Yes, Bradbury wrote a good chunk of it) had this as a plot point, complete with {{Zeerust}} flavor. Calling NYC-XXX was how Montag got in contact with certain members of the Underground. The game also included numbers which, when dialed, gave useful information, utter garbage, or fake "hints" that would get you killed if you tried them. |
| 399 | * The phone number seen on the newspaper clipping in the beginning of ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' and ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys2'' originally didn't start with 1-555, but 1-888 instead. This was changed so that the phone number wouldn't accidentally be a legitimate number. |
| 400 | * The original ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI'' has two secret phone numbers - one for finishing the game on God Mode, and another for [[spoiler:destroying the statues near Kratos's Olympus throne at the very end of the game, which requires about five minutes of solid smashing.]] The first phone number is given as a phone number, but the second only appears as what appears to be a bunch of randomly-placed numbers. (Follow them left to right and from top to bottom to get the number.) As of December 2017, twelve years after the game's release, both numbers still work. |
| 401 | * In the ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' series, if a ParodyCommercial has a phone number, it's probably a real toll-free number. At the time of the game's release, calling the number would get you a recording relevant to the ad, typically giving more detail on the product. |
| 402 | ** Played straight, however, in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' with Fernando's New Beginnings |
| 403 | --->'''Fernando:''' "Call cinco cinco cinco nueve dos nueve dos" |
| 404 | ** Played straight at one point in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'', when Carl is asked to plant some evidence and then give 555-[=WE-TIP=] a call. |
| 405 | ** Played straight again in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV''. Aside the abundance of 555 phone numbers on shop fronts, every cheat code in the game is a 555 number. |
| 406 | * A FreezeFrameBonus in the intro cutscene of ''VideoGame/GuitarHero III'', where your character circles a phone number that reads (815) 555-5555, which turns out to be the address for the band that you play with. |
| 407 | * The ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}}'' franchise: [[ScannableMan the tattoo on 47's head is a real barcode]]... from a dildo holder. |
| 408 | * In ''The Incredibly Mild Misadventures of Tom Trundle'' a backpack found in a ditch has a tag inside it. |
| 409 | -->If found, please call 555-5250 (ask for Jackie). |
| 410 | * ''VideoGame/TheJackboxPartyPack'' series: ''Trivia Murder Party 2'' in the sixth game has a mini-game called "Telephones" where the players have to use a rotary phone to dial one of several phone numbers before any other player as well as the timer, or they are killed by the game host-slash-SerialKiller. Befitting the deranged nature of the game, all of the numbers that can be dialed start with [[NumberOfTheBeast 666]]. |
| 411 | * ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs'' had a flyer on the wall listing a couple of pretend "555" phone numbers. Unfortunately, the numbers used an 800 area code, which meant they actually ''were'' valid phone numbers--and one was [[http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/whoops-real-phone-sex-numbers-pop-video-game-6C10486274 the number for a phone-sex line]]. |
| 412 | * One form of CopyProtection in the ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry'' games involved matching an image of a woman with her telephone number, which always began with 555. |
| 413 | * The ''VideoGame/ManicMiner'' cheat code "6031769" is said to have been author Matthew Smith's (Liverpool) telephone number at the time. |
| 414 | * In his ending in ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'', Taskmaster [[CutLexLuthorACheck advertises his mercenary training academy]] with the number given as 555-TASK. He still gets lots of signups though, as in the next 'panel' he's rolling in money. Presumably these numbers work in the Marvel universe. |
| 415 | * In ''[[VideoGame/MysteryCaseFiles Mystery Case Files: 13th Skull]]'', the tavern has a list of its employees' phone numbers in the office, and all of them start with "555-". |
| 416 | * In the ''VideoGame/NancyDrew'' computer games, all of the numbers you can call from Nancy's cell phone start with 555. Even the alphanumeric numbers for the 1930s telephone in ''Secret of the Old Clock'' convert to 555. Dial 1-555-MYSTICO and prepare to [[EasterEgg be amazed]]! |
| 417 | * In the cult NES game ''VideoGame/Nightshade1992'', the hieroglyphs in the villain's hideout allegedly say, "Are you reading this? Then so are your customers! Contact Sutekh at [[CardCarryingVillain 555-EVIL]]" |
| 418 | * ''VideoGame/{{Resident Evil 3|Nemesis}}'' takes place in the fictional "Mid-West town" Raccoon City. However, in the prologue, there's a billboard for "Grady's Inn", which gives an obscured phone number with a 212 area code. This would put Raccoon City inside Manhattan. |
| 419 | * In ''Revived Legends 2: Titan's Revenge'', a sign on a building in Greece says "FOR RENT: 555-152". |
| 420 | * In ''VideoGame/SanFranciscoRush 2049 Tournament Edition'', you are asked, as part of the process for creating an in-game account, to enter your phone number for tournaments (a feature that is now long-gone). If you enter 555 as your area code, [[DevelopersForesight you'll get a special message about it]]. |
| 421 | * The plaque on a machine in ''Shadowland: The Tower of Iron'': |
| 422 | -->Human Machine Interface - Genetic Redistributor.\ |
| 423 | Warning: Use by untrained personnel can lead to severe genetic damage.\ |
| 424 | Keep out of reach of children.\ |
| 425 | \ |
| 426 | For repair service, dial 1-800-555-9871. |
| 427 | * ''Franchise/SilentHill'': |
| 428 | ** The Bar in ''VideoGame/SilentHill4'' is a 555 number. |
| 429 | ** Every single dial-able phone number in ''VideoGame/SilentHillShatteredMemories'' is a 555 number. [[spoiler:Except Konami's help line.]] |
| 430 | * The first puzzle in ''VideoGame/SpyFox in Dry Cereal'' involves using a phone booth to dial a 555 number with a randomized 4-digit number at the end, in order to call Monkey Penny and enter the Mobile Command Center. |
| 431 | * ''VideoGame/{{Superliminal}}'': [=SomnaSculpt=]'s phone number is 1-555-SOMSCULPT. |
| 432 | * The [[SupplementalMaterial/TeamFortress2 Spectral Halloween Special]] for ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' includes a [[http://www.teamfortress.com/wizardcon/ hidden page]] resembling the classifieds for "The Teuford Reader". It includes several ads from characters such as the Scout, the Soldier and the Bombinomicom. Each of those ads uses a 555 number. |
| 433 | --> ''"'''DINNER IS SERVED, LADIES''' -- [[CallBack Grass grows, birds fly, sun shines,]] [[LastSecondWordSwap and girls, I am your Prince Frickin' Charming over here]]. '''Extremely''' handsome man, [[MoneyDearBoy lots of money]], sick body, seeks lady friend who's smart enough to know a frikkin' catch when she's got one. [[FlexingThoseNonBiceps I work out.]] Stop somebody on the street and describe me, and they are gonna tell you that you would be nuts not to date me. 555-1103. If you get a busy signal, that's just all the other ladies calling, so keep trying."''\ |
| 434 | \ |
| 435 | ''"'''NEW ROOMMATE WANTED''' -- '''What's up guy?''' My name is the Bombinomicom! I am an eldritch book of unfathomable evil. I am currently living in a big smelly castle with an idiot who can't read and a stupid wizard who treats me like his own personal bomb-making machine. Oh he is the worst. I get to decide who I throw the bombs at, you know? Anyway, give Bombinomicom a call. I am a real good conversationalist, and I got a lot of bombs too. It's pretty good. 555-1294."'' |
| 436 | * ''VideoGame/{{Uplink}}'' does both of these. It uses random phone numbers in almost all ranges (02, 05, 06, 07, 08 and 09 from memory) - the avoiding of 01 is almost certainly to force an appearance of non-residential numbers (the only use of telephone numbers is for individual people's voicemail systems). It also uses bogus IP addresses all the way down to 0 and up to 999. It does get one IP address right, though - your own gateway is at 127.0.0.1, the local host loopback IP. Its SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/{{Hacknet}}'' has the servers use realistic, if randomized, IP addresses. |
| 437 | * ''VideoGame/WallyBearAndTheNoGang'' featured a number that appeared on the title screen, 1-800-HI-WALLY, that kids can call to receive some pre-recorded messages of the titular character espousing some anti-drug advice. The number bizarrely remained active until October 2007, ''15 years after the game's release''. |
| 438 | * ''VideoGame/WarioWareTwisted'' has an unlockable telephone that you can dial. Once you get it, you may be awarded phone numbers every now and then to call -- but all of them have only four digits. |
| 439 | * In the licensed NES game ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'', a clue tells you to call Jessica Rabbit at a certain 1-800 number. (Of course, [[NoFourthWall this was an actual number that you, the player, were expected to call in Real Life so you could receive the necessary clues to continue the game]]. Many players, not knowing this, spent hours searching for an in-game phone that the characters could use. GuideDangIt indeed. And as ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd'' discovered, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz92prJ3XlM&t=4m20s The number is now a sex hotline]].) |
| 440 | * ''VideoGame/TheWorldNextDoor'' features a number of 555-65-7829 on a poster asking for any information on the students who recently went missing. |
| 441 | [[/folder]] |
| 442 | |
| 443 | [[folder:Web Animation]] |
| 444 | * Parodied in the ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' episode "[[http://www.homestarrunner.com/senormortgage.html Senor Mortgage]]" with the number 555-55-55855-55-5-SENOR-MORT-GAGE-TODAY. |
| 445 | ** An early version of an early Homestar cartoon advertising a (fake, at the time) album of Strong Bad's greatest hits featured a real phone number, 1-800-BAD-SONG. The Brothers Chaps had assumed that no one would actually try to call it. They changed the cartoon shortly after a Brooklyn-based limo company complained that people were calling trying to purchase the album. The new phone number is 1-800-555-SBSINGS. |
| 446 | ** WebAnimation/HomestarRunner has used a number of real e-mail addresses for the characters (generally ending in @homestarrunner.com) but at least one of Bubs's buisness cards lists his e-mail address as bubs@bubs.bubs. |
| 447 | ** Then there's the Web addresses, which they've been inconsistent about. A fake movie trailer listed www.whatthepfargtl.egg (a callback to an earlier episode in which Homestar believes the suffix for some site is "dot-egg, or dot-muffin or something") as its official site, but a later cartoon has Strong Bad registering virtualpizz.biz, a real domain that a fan snatched up quickly afterward and fortunately did not turn into anything untoward. |
| 448 | * In ''WebAnimation/GEOWeasel'', the number 1-555-000-0000 appears as part of an advertisement for an {{imaginary friend}}-killing gun. |
| 449 | * In ''WebAnimation/BigtopBurger'', the Zomburger's phone number as seen in their ad is 555-BURG. |
| 450 | [[/folder]] |
| 451 | |
| 452 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 453 | * [[Webcomic/ApricotCookies Apricot]]'s phone number is 324-555-1297. |
| 454 | %%* [[http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/comic.php?current=1259 Ishmael's mother's number]] in ''Webcomic/IrregularWebcomic''. |
| 455 | * [[http://www.viruscomix.com/page400.html This]] ''Subnormality'' comic: As North American area codes can't have 9 as a second digit, the number it uses [(590) 238-1665] isn't valid. |
| 456 | * ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'' goes all out: [[http://www.drmcninja.com the main site]] for this webcomic currently features his fake phone number (301-555-4982), fake fax number (301-555-4983), fake address (23 Haunted Wood Drive), but then subverts the trope by taking place in the very real Cumberland, Maryland. (After teasing readers to figure out where the doctor practiced, future stories featured the doctor purchasing an [=MTO=] sandwich from Sheetz and noting that "The real mayor of Cumberland gave my family a dog once.") |
| 457 | ** WriteWhatYouKnow: Although the 555 exchange is obviously fictional, 301 is indeed the area code for Cumberland, Maryland. |
| 458 | * [[http://wapsisquare.com/comic/thankforasking/ This]] ''Webcomic/WapsiSquare'' strip features an AmbulanceChaser named [[MeaningfulName Marcus P. Smooze]] whose number is 555-5555. |
| 459 | * In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', Sarah's number is [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2002-09-20 555-7272]]. Susan's number is [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=374 555-3239]]. |
| 460 | %% Whose number? |
| 461 | * In ''Webcomic/GirlsWithSlingshots'' unlucky guy Jim gets a number from a girl which contains area code 555. He doesn't realize that it's a fake. |
| 462 | * ''Webcomic/MenageA3'': Annie Conda shows [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer the usual response to DiDi]] by, umm, [[https://pixietrixcomix.com/menage-a-3/sorry-to-bother-you giving her a number here.]] In this case, the use of the 555 number must be a matter of dramatic convention rather than a sign that the number is invalid in-story. |
| 463 | * ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'': The phone number on the [[http://www.paranatural.net/comic/chapter-6-page-28 lost dog poster]] for the long dog is 555-1234. |
| 464 | * ''Webcomic/{{Selkie}}'': When Pohl gives his number to Todd, it's shown as [[https://selkiecomic.com/comic/selkie375/ 534-555-3474.]] The "534" places him in northern Wisconsin, where the comic is set. The "555" places him in fictionland. |
| 465 | * ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': [[http://www.sleeplessdomain.com/comic/interstitial-2 Interstitial 2]] shows a {{magical girl}} recruitment poster, with a phone number written using Roman numerals: V.V.V.-IX.VI.VI.IX. In Arabic numerals, that's 555-9669. |
| 466 | * ''Webcomic/{{Fillbert}}'': 1-800-555-0142 is the number in an ad on a math worksheet. |
| 467 | [[/folder]] |
| 468 | |
| 469 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 470 | * The email addresses used in ''WebOriginal/SpaghettiIce'' end with the reserved domain .domain instead of a real domain such as .com, .org, etc. |
| 471 | [[/folder]] |
| 472 | |
| 473 | [[folder:Web Video]] |
| 474 | * WebVideo/{{Kitboga}} is a scambaiter popular on Website/{{Twitch}} and Website/YouTube. One of his favorite tactics is to pretend on a call to be a rival scammer named Daniel using his own voice. In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDMSCfol3HM Scammer Wastes Entire Day Expecting My $2,000]]," a popup supposedly appears on Kitboga's computer with a 555 number that connects to Daniel the scammer for supposed free virus cleaning. |
| 475 | * ''WebVideo/LinusTechTips'': In "[[https://youtu.be/fCTieiaSMYA Why would you even...? Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Review]]", the ParodyCommercial's phone number is 1(800)555-[[Lol69 6969]]. |
| 476 | * WebVideo/ScottTheWoz's phone number as seen in the episode "UsefulNotes/NintendoDS: Touched at First Sight" is 555-555-5555. |
| 477 | * ''WebVideo/PokemonTalk'': The phone number for reporting the Lost Marshadow in the titular episode starts with 555-555. |
| 478 | * In ''WebVideo/RivalsDirect'' 2's home shopping parody, the phone number is 1-800-555-0127. |
| 479 | |
| 480 | * ''WebVideo/SuperMarioLogan'' averts this in "Bowser Loses His Voice!", where a real phone number is used for a service where one can talk to Charleyyy from ''Charleyyy And Friends''. According to a Discord user, the phone number is that of an adult hotline. |
| 481 | [[/folder]] |
| 482 | |
| 483 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 484 | * This is used as the basis of a joke in the ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'' episode "[[Recap/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriendsS1E8SeeingRedPhoneHome Phone Home]]". Bloo decides to phone a number involving "555" by using a phone imaginary friend (who was actually a man trapped in a costume), so when he dials the number by jumping on the numbers, he ends up jumping on the man's stomach three times in a row. Ouch! |
| 485 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'': The Wattersons' phone number is 555-0199. |
| 486 | * ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': The number that Mystery Girl gives Pearl is 301-555-0189. |
| 487 | * ''WesternAnimation/Rugrats1991'': |
| 488 | ** A ChristmasEpisode had the phone number for a hotline for anyone dealing with holiday stress or depression, 1-800-555-YULE. Confused, Angelica figured it was to talk to Santa, and just typed in 555-5555... and actually got someone; a representative from Cogs Unlimited. She decides to asks his advice about Christmas anyway, which he doesn't mind giving. |
| 489 | ** In the episode where Angelica thinks she's going to get a baby brother, she calls in to a psychology-type show that gives out the number 555-5555 (again). Interestingly, her finger bounces all around the keypad when punching it in. |
| 490 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' Averted quite cleverly in the Mars University episode. Gunther holds up Chrissy's telephone number and the first 3 digits are real. The 6th is a Greek lambda. |
| 491 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' |
| 492 | ** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E4BurnsBabyBurns Burns, Baby Burns]]" parodies this trope by having Chief Wiggum trace a call to get a phone number. "555- aw, geez, that's gotta be phony." |
| 493 | ** "[=KL5=]-3226" was used as Homer's number when working as Mr. Plow with Homer reading it as "Klondike Five", while Barney's number was "[=KL5=]-4796" (as sung in his ad) when he set up as the competing Plow King; singer Music/LindaRonstadt, however spells out "K L" rather than singing "Klondike". |
| 494 | ** In "The Last Traction Hero", Homer sees an advertisement for an attorney named Maxwell Flich, whose phone number is "[[ExaggeratedTrope 555-555-5555]]". |
| 495 | --->'''Homer:''' ''(while dialing for Flich)'' Wait, what was the number after the first three 5s, but before the last six 5s? |
| 496 | ** Lisa's e-mail address is smartgirl63_@yahoo.com. Backslashes in e-mail addresses are ''technically'' possible, but most e-mail clients won't be able to handle it. |
| 497 | ** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E14PrincipalCharming Principal Charming]]", the school's contact card for Homer Simpson lists his work number as [=KL5=]-6832, his home number as [=KL5=]-6754 and Moe's Tavern's number as [=KL5=]-1239. However, [[NegativeContinuity other episodes]] have used different numbers for Moe's Tavern, such as 764-8437 in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS7E17HomerTheSmithers Homer the Smithers]]" (where Mr. Burns tries to call Smithers by dialing in his name and gets Moe, who thinks he's another prank caller) or 355-1337 in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS17E1BonfireOfTheManatees The Bonfire of the Manatees]]". |
| 498 | ** The original broadcast of [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E11HomersTripleBypass "Homer's Triple Bypass"]] averted this trope by giving Dr. Nick Riviera the perfectly functional phone number 1-800-DOCTORB ("The B stands for 'bargain'!"). However, this number belonged to a real doctor, whose lawyers objected; the area code was changed to 1-600 for all future broadcasts. |
| 499 | ** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E14BrotherFromTheSamePlanet Brother from the Same Planet]]", Lisa gets addicted to a [[UsefulNotes/NineHundredNumber 900 number]] belonging to Corey, a TeenIdol. Corey's full number is 1-900-555-CORY. |
| 500 | * Used in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' in the episode "The Ultimate Enemy". Mr. Lancer is making a phone call to Fentonworks and dials "555-1221". |
| 501 | * Gigi's number in ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'', as copied down [[BathroomStallGraffiti off the bathroom wall]] by Harvey, is "555-0111". |
| 502 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Three Kings", when Creator/RichardDreyfuss gives Creator/RoyScheider his phone number, he starts off with 555. At which point Scheider just tells Dreyfuss that if he doesn't want to give him his real phone number, don't lie. |
| 503 | ** Creator/AlanRickman's answering machine: "Hello. You've reached Alan Rickman at 555-0122." |
| 504 | ** In one episode, Stewie gives out his email address, loismustdie@yahoo.com. The address was registered to someone working on the show and was set up to answer fan mail, although it's no longer in use. |
| 505 | ** Another episode had a scene in which Consuela, the Hispanic maid, was watching a Spanish infomercial. So naturally, "Cinco cinco cinco, cinco cinco cinco cinco!" |
| 506 | ** In ''The 2000 Year Old Virgin'', when Peter suggests writing to the [[MoralGuardians Family]] [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Television Council]] so Jesus won't have sex with Lois, an address is given on screen which in RealLife, would lead into the Pacific ocean. |
| 507 | ** Peter's Suit-Chute commercial has a 555 number flashing at the bottom of the screen. The viewer is led to believe it's a straight example of this trope until the CutawayGag ends, whereupon Peter explains that his failure to recognize that [[DiscussedTrope 555 indicates a nonexistent phone number]] killed his company and cost him $200,000. |
| 508 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In ''WesternAnimation/AbraCatastrophe'', the phone number for Vicky's Babysitting Service is 555-LOVE. |
| 509 | * In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', there is an episode where ComicBook/TheJoker says that after his laughing gas, people are even laughing at a phonebook. Harley Quinn proceeds to read a few entries; all the numbers, naturally, start with 555. |
| 510 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' had the number for turning in convicts be 555-555-5555. Lampshaded when Cindy gets a quizzical look hearing the improbably repetitive number. |
| 511 | * ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'': The number to call Don & Dawn Realtors is 555-0192. |
| 512 | * In ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', the Beagle Boys advertised a teleporting gas as insect repellant with a commercial giving the number 555-5555. |
| 513 | * In ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', Nancy Hicks-Gribble works for Channel 84, a subtle joke on how (prior to the 1980s) the highest channel that was issued to TV stations was 83. This could also be a joke on how [[DeepSouth backwoodsy]] Arlen is, given that low power UHF stations in remote areas are usually stuck with the less desirable high-numbered channels. |
| 514 | ** Also there was the time Hank tried to get Dale's social security number: |
| 515 | ---> '''Hank:''' All right Dale, for the last time I can't turn in this rental application without your social security number.\ |
| 516 | '''Dale:''' Fine. 555-55.\ |
| 517 | '''Hank:''' That's not even enough numbers.\ |
| 518 | '''Dale:''' 5. ''(beat)'' 5.\ |
| 519 | '''Hank:''' Okay, I'm leaving your name off, but you're still responsible for one-fourth of the rent. |
| 520 | ** Played straight a few times too, however. When Peggy decides to take guitar lessons, the number she calls is 555-8703, and when Hank sees an a for a new job the number is 555-1407. |
| 521 | * The writers of ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' didn't want to use a 555 number, so they made a number with one of the digits a Greek lambda (784-36λ9), going with the futuristic setting of the show. |
| 522 | * ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' goes the extra mile and makes a number that wouldn't be valid even if it wasn't a 555 number. Arnold's phone number is 555-123, which is one digit short of a real phone number. |
| 523 | * ''WesternAnimation/HigglytownHeroes'': Kip's mom's phone number is 555-0144. |
| 524 | * ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': Linda's phone number is 555-0142. |
| 525 | * In ''WesternAnimation/RegularShow'' all the telephone numbers in the episode "Cruisi'n" start with this. |
| 526 | * ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': |
| 527 | ** The episode "[[Recap/SouthParkS5E8Towelie Towelie]]" featured a ParodyCommercial for various Towelie merchandise. The number at the end was originally Creator/ComedyCentral's toll-free number presumably used for ordering the stuff, "1-800-4-COMEDY", but was changed to "1-800-555-TOWL" in reruns and [=DVDs=]. |
| 528 | ** In "[[Recap/SouthParkS3E12HookedOnMonkeyFonics Hooked on Monkey Fonics]]", Liane buys Cartman a Hooked on Monkey Fonics spelling aid that comes with a live monkey. The cassette advises calling 1-800-555-4500 to replace the monkey if it arrives dead in the box. |
| 529 | * The client calling Porky and his helper Dippy in ''[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Porky's Moving Day]]'' (1936, King) asks the operator for "Bunion-0, 0, 0, ''OHHHH!!''" |
| 530 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarepants'': |
| 531 | ** In one episode, a business card is shown with 555 as the area code, but the prefix itself is 123. |
| 532 | ** In the ''Employee of the Month'' computer game, the number to call Sublime Seafoods is 555-4444. [=SpongeBob=] lampshades this. |
| 533 | * ''{{WesternAnimation/Tiny Toon Adventures}}'': |
| 534 | ** The [[CreditsGag gag credit]] for "Fox Trot" is: |
| 535 | --> ''[[Creator/StevenSpielberg Steven's]] Car Phone #:'' |
| 536 | --> ''555-5555 ($1.95 Per Minute)'' |
| 537 | ** The episode "Tiny Toon Music Television" featured one of these at one point. However, it was a toll-free 555 number, and was made right around when toll-free 555 numbers were made available publicly. It went to an "adult entertainment" line, and the episode was removed from rotation for a time. Some edits just removed the number from the segment (which produces a minor PotHole as the characters refer to a supposedly onscreen number), while others removed the entire segment that had the number. |
| 538 | * The ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerryKids'' episode "The Vermin" has Jerry order a guitar off of TV, giving the number [[ExaggeratedTrope 555-555-5555]]. When Jerry dials, though, his finger pushes all around the number pad (similar to the ''Rugrats'' example above.) |
| 539 | * In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'', [[Music/AndrewWK Andrew W.K.]]'s party hotline's number is [[RidiculouslyLongPhoneNumber 555-5555-5555-555-555555555-5555-55-5-5-55-555-555-555555-55-55555-55-55.]] |
| 540 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': In "Moby or Not Moby", Captain Ahab has a "Have You Seen This Whale?" sign asking people to call 555-harpoon. |
| 541 | ** The sixth episode of [[WesternAnimation/Animaniacs2020 the reboot]] originally contained an aversion where a phone number displayed on screen to help Brain take over the world turned out to be an adult hotline. It was later edited out so the entire screen was blank, and then re-edited to restore the text but change the number to 1-800-555-0199. |
| 542 | * ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'': In "Pledge Pledge", Mr. Thickly runs a fundraiser where he asks viewers to call "555-tazz" to make donations. They don't receive any donations. [[spoiler:It's revealed in the end that 555-tazz is Digeri Dingo's phone number and he's been keeping the donations for himself.]] |
| 543 | * ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': Marius' phone number is 555-0176. |
| 544 | * ''WesternAnimation/WhatACartoonShow'': In the title card for "Lost Cat", the lost cat sign has the phone number 555-1234 written on it. In the episode proper, the phone number is 555-9603. |
| 545 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In the episode "Here Comes the Pig", Lola's phone number is listed as 555-555-0101 |
| 546 | * ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces2017'': In "Smokey and the Racers", Peter Perfect advertises a Japanese product named steakasaki and the phone number for orders is 1-555-0123. |
| 547 | * ''WesternAnimation/BeCoolScoobyDoo'': In the episode "American Goth", a sign posted at an abandoned building tells potential buyers to call 555-0198. |
| 548 | * ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'': In "The Helpinki Formula", The Brain tries to sell a shrinking formula on TV. The ad gives the phone number 555-1234. |
| 549 | * ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'': In the "Sonic Says" segment about remembering your phone number, Sonic whispers Tails what to tell the operator. "555" is audible. |
| 550 | * ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndGuessWho'': The Kenathon has the message "Call now 1-800-555-0199". |
| 551 | * ''WesternAnimation/LetsGoLuna'': In "Leo Moves It", Dr. Flavio's phone number is 555-HIPS. |
| 552 | * In the Paramount Modern Madcap "TV Or Not TV" with Swifty and Shorty (here as Ralph and Percy), Shorty's residence is 30 West 55th Street in New York City. The address exists; it's a mixed development high rise a couple miles southwest of Central Park. |
| 553 | * ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'': "[[Recap/ThePatrickStarShowS1E3LostInCouchPatAThon Lost in Couch]]" includes a ParodyCommercial for furniture tours, hosted by Rube Goldfish. The phone number RBE-555-01GOLDFISH appears on screen. |
| 554 | * A variant pops up in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' episode "Him Diddle Riddle," where Townsville's geographical coordinates are given as 32 degrees north and 212 degrees west. Even if one chose to wrap that around the 180th meridian (there are only 180 degrees of longitude on each side of the Prime Meridian), that coordinate would land somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. |
| 555 | * ''WesternAnimation/MollyOfDenali'': In "[[Recap/MollyOfDenaliS2E2BunnyBabiesEveryMeowAndAgain Butterflies and Bunny Babies]]," Dr. Begaye's phone number is 555-0185. |
| 556 | [[/folder]] |
| 557 | |
| 558 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 559 | * As noted in the intro, there are in fact many actual phone numbers using the 555 exchange, the most widely used being the one assigned for directory assistance services. |
| 560 | * Cartographers have always had to worry about others plagiarizing and reselling their maps - the problem being that it's very difficult to legally prove if someone copies their work. [[http://apb.directionsmag.com/archives/4513-Times-Change-No-More-Fake-Streets-in-Rand-McNally-Maps.html There used to be]] a clever solution - the mapmakers would deliberately add a fake street in a nondescript area of the map. That way, if another map had the same fake street, it would give the original mapmaker solid proof of copyright infringement. (The practice has fallen out of use since a US federal court has ruled such "false facts" as ineligible for copyright protection.) |
| 561 | ** There were also "paper towns", an entire fictional community that would appear on a larger map. For example, the official state map of Michigan in the late 1970s included the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatosu_and_Goblu fake towns of Beatosu and Goblu]] in [[TheRival Ohio]][[note]]"Beatosu" = "Beat [[SpellMyNameWithAThe (The)]] Ohio State University", "Goblu" = "Go Blue", one of the chants of the University of Michigan[[/note]]. This strategy sometimes backfired when people would move to the area and Defictionalize the paper town (a more famous example is Agloe, New York). |
| 562 | * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserved_IP_addresses Several IP addresses are reserved]] for special uses. For example, no external address can have an IP of 127.0.0.1 as this is for loopback testing. The 192.168.x.x range is for local private networks, as are any addresses within 172.16.x.x through 172.31.x.x and 10.x.x.x (respectively, 256 class C subnets, 16 class B, and 1 class A). |
| 563 | ** Similarly, 192.0.2.x, 198.51.100.x, and 203.0.113.x (plus [=IPv6=] addresses starting with 2001:0db8) are reserved specifically for documentation, along with the domain names "example.com", "example.org", and "example.net". |
| 564 | ** If the source address does read 192.168.x.x, then it could be a case that [[TheCallsAreComingFromInsideTheHouse the messages are coming from inside the house]]. |
| 565 | ** While not reserved for anything in particular, it's a bad idea to assign certain port numbers different tasks than what they're commonly used for. Example: using Port 80 for anything other than HTTP requests as you'll break your accessibility to webpages. |
| 566 | ** This has carried on to [=IPv6=] addresses, the entire range of addresses starting with ''fd'' are reserved for local private networks. |
| 567 | * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_37 UHF Channel 37]] has never been used for broadcast TV in most countries because it would interfere with radio astronomy; it's sometimes used as a dummy channel in instruction manuals. That doesn't mean it won't be found on your cable or satellite TV box, though. |
| 568 | ** In some countries Channel 35 is conveniently reserved for local RF electronics (ie [=VCRs=] or game consoles, for compatibility with very old [=TVs=] that do not have composite video input). This makes it very convenient to use the channel for test/fake broadcasts. Likewise, channel 2-4 on VHF band I are often also used for this case since band I was all but abandoned even by the 80s. |
| 569 | ** In the present age of digital broadcasts, 37 is still reserved for radio astronomy physical transmissions. However, stations' display channels (called "virtual" channels) could be anything from 0 to 999. So technically, 37 could be used as merely a display channel. Channel 1, for example, which was discontinued in the late 1940s, is used as the display channel for KAXT, a low-powered station in Santa Clara CA, which physically broadcasts on channel 22. |
| 570 | [[/folder]] |
| 571 |
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