Prop Talk by The Original Prop Blog

My friends at Prop Store have a very big presence with Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim in 2015…  in addition to their impressive exhibitor booth (#1140, replete with hero-class original production props, costumes, and artwork), Brandon Alinger (Chief Operating Officer) and Stephen Lane (Chief Executive Officer) are participating in several high profile discussion panels to the packed crowds at the Anaheim Convention Center.  I took time today attend the Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy panel, which consisted of Lucasfilm executive editor J.W. Rinzler, Brandon Alinger, and Delia Greve, senior editor at Becker Mayer.

The panel discussed the creation of the book, Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy (see trailer here), which delved into the costumes created for Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.

Brandon did most of the talking over the hour, taking the audience through a slide show presentation that touched on some of the findings and discoveries outlined in the book.  He discussed his time spent at the Lucasfilm archives and efforts interviewing key personnel who worked on the films.

From the concerted effort to avoid buttons and zippers, colors, and finding inspiration in the ordinary and unexpected, it was all quite entertaining.

Even from the start, they were challenged in determining “what is a costume?”, in order to set the scope of the work.  In the end, they decided a costume was something that could be worn.

More time was spent on the costumes worn by background characters (i.e. stormtroopers, snowtroopers, Bespin guards, flight suits, etc.) than the lead characters, with some exception made for Darth Vader and particularly Boba Fett.

The talk definitely painting a picture for the audience of how things were tracked and organized in the Archives (or how this was maybe lacking during production), and underscored the fact that the main hero costumes from the very first film are currently lost to time, and not in the Archive.

I’ve known Brandon for over a decade now, so it is quite gratifying to see him find success with his passion for Star Wars and have the ability to use that gift to help memorialize the history of these important pop culture artifacts in an official capacity.

I made an audio recording of the discussion, which you can listen to here:  LINK

Below are some of the photos I took during the presentation:

Jason DeBord

Troika Brodsky, special guest. This is the eighteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog.  Troika Brodsky is a hobbyist who has, over the past ten years or so, amassed the largest personal collection of Lord of the Rings props, costumes, and other material from the film trilogy.  The collection will be auctioned by Julien’s Auctions (see official site) on December 5th as their “Trilogy Collection: Props & Costumes from Middle-Earth” auction event.  The collection will also be part of a public exhibition at Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons (MOSI) in Kildare, Ireland from October 23rd to November 17th.

Troika took the time to talk with me today for the latest Prop Talk podcast interview for the Original Prop Blog and its audience.  You can follow him on Twitter at @RingsProps…

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #018 (length one hour fifteen minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-18-0101513.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

Special thanks to Troika for participating in today’s Prop Talk podcast.

Jason DeBord

Jeff Pirtle, special guest. This is the seventeenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. Jeff Pirtle is Director, Archives and Collections, NBCUniversal.  NBCUniversal is celebrating their Centennial, and involved in a number of projects that give people glimpses of never-before-seen props, images and more from the NCBUniversal collection. Jeff Pirtle has been working on pulling key items to share on Universal’s Centennial Tumblr as well as for the Centennial celebration overall.

Mr. Pirtle recently took the time to talk with me for the latest Prop Talk podcast interview for the Original Prop Blog and its audience.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets. The seventeenth guest of this program is Jeff Pirtle.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #017 (length 37 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-17-050912.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

Learn more about NBCUniversal and their centennial celebrations and activities:

universal100.tumblr.com

nbcuniversalarchives.com

vam.ac.uk

We also discussed an article published in Entertainment Weekly years ago, which I had archived on the Original Prop Blog at the time:  Entertainment Weekly Feature: “The Things They Carried”

Below are some of the sample images from the Tumblr site, as discussed in the podcast:

Special thanks to Mr. Pirtle for participating in today’s Prop Talk podcast.

Jason DeBord

Mike Schultz, special guest. This is the sixteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mike Schultz, known as “The Shark Guy” has done extensive research into the “Bruce” prop sharks made for and used in the classic Steven Spielberg film, Jaws (1975). This special edition of ‘Prop Talk’ was recorded on site at Comic Con 2011 in San Diego.

Mike has worked as a pastor, a hospice counselor, a carpenter, a State Correctional Officer, and a 911 operator for the City of Ozark, Missouri.  Throughout his life he has developed his skills in designing and sculpting, with sharks capturing his imagination, in particular finding inspiration in Jaws.  His efforts include memorializing the details of the prop sharks used in Jaws in the form of his research and reproductions.

I met with Mike at Comic Con 2011 in San Diego for a special edition of the Prop Talk podcast interview for the Original Prop Blog and its listeners.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets. The sixteenth guest of this program is Mike Schultz

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #016 (length 29 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-16-072611.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

You can learn more about Mike Schultz at www.SharkCityOzark.com.

I’d like to thank Mike for taking the time to share with the Prop Talk audience.

Jason DeBord

Dan Hill, special guest. This is the fifteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Dan Hill is Warehouse Manager for Prop Store, Los Angeles.  This special edition of ‘Prop Talk’ was recorded on site at Comic Con 2011 in San Diego and reflects the spirit of fellow hobbyists getting together and having fun at the annual pop culture event.

I met with Dan at Comic Con 2011 in San Diego for a special edition of the Prop Talk podcast interview for the Original Prop Blog and its listeners.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets. The fifteenth guest of this program is Dan Hill.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #015 (length 26 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-15-072411.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

You can learn more about Dan Hill via the official Prop Store website and Facebook page.

Thanks again to Dan for the fun “Holiday Special Comic Con Edition” Prop Talk podcast.

Jason DeBord

Laura Woolley, special guest. This is the fourteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Ms. Laura Woolley is President of The Collector’s Lab, which provides “individualized, high-level professional and appraisal services to private collectors, institutions, insurance companies, museums, and wealth management professionals”.  Ms. Woolley has extensive experience working for and with the premiere auction houses operating in the entertainment memorabilia field, and also serves as an appraiser to the Antiques Roadshow.  Ms. Woolley is a Certified member of the Appraiser’s Association of America and has completed the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) examination.

Ms. Woolley has graciously taken the time to feature in the latest Prop Talk podcast interview for the Original Prop Blog and its audience.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets. The fourteenth guest of this program is Laura Woolley.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #014 (length 1 hour 18 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-14-063011.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

You can learn more about Laura Woolley and The Collector’s Lab from her official site, www.TheCollectorsLab.com:

Special thanks to Ms. Woolley for participating in today’s Prop Talk podcast.

Jason DeBord

Darren Julien, special guest. This is the thirteenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. Darren Julien is the President and CEO of Julien’s Auctions.  Julien’s Auctions specializes in entertainment memorabilia and celebrity estate auctions, spanning movies, television, and popular music artists.  This weekend, Julien’s Auctions sold their first piece for a price in excess of one million dollars – one of two jackets worn by Michael Jackson in the Thriller video produced for his milestone album by the same name.

Mr. Julien took the time to participate in this Prop Talk podcast interview for the benefit of the Original Prop Blog audience.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets. The thirteenth guest of this program is Darren Julien.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #013 (length 1 hour 3 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-13-062811.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

You can learn more about Julien’s Auctions from their official site, www.JuliensAuctions.com:

Sincere appreciation to Mr. Julien for talking with me today for the Prop Talk podcast.

Jason DeBord

James Comisar, special guest. This is the twelfth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Mr. James Comisar is the curator of the most comprehensive collection of original television artifacts in the world – wardrobe, props, sets, set decoration, vehicles, and more, spanning 60 years of popular culture history.  He is a principal expert in this field and specialist in authentication, preservation, investment, restoration, and other important aspects of pop culture memorabilia and ephemera collecting.

Mr. Comisar was kind enough to take the time to share with readers of the Original Prop Blog and listeners of the Prop Talk podcast.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie and television props, costumes, and other assets. The twelfth guest of this program is James Comisar.

Please note that this recorded interview is intended exclusively for the Original Prop Blog and it cannot be repurposed or used in any other form without prior written consent from Mr. Comisar.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #012 (length 1 hour 35 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-12-061211.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast (made available for free).

The Comisar Collection website can be found at www.MuseumOfTV.org:

As announced in the interview, The Comisar Collection & MuseumOfTV.org now has an official Facebook page, which will host a wealth of information, photos, videos, and more.  This can be accessed via the link below:

I really appreciate and extend thanks to Mr. Comisar for taking the time to share with the audience of the Original Prop Blog.

Jason DeBord

Brian Muir, special guest. This is the eleventh ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog.  Mr. Brian Muir is a veteran in the film industry, working as a sculptor on an incredible number of movies, including Star Wars: A New Hope, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, numerous James Bond films, Harry Potter films, and more.  Notably, Mr. Muir is credited as the sculptor of the iconic helmet for Darth Vader early in his career.

Mr. Muir has his own website – www.brianmuirvadersculptor.com – and has also published an autobiography, In The Shadow of Vader (which is available direct from Mr. Muir and via Amazon UK).

Mr. Muir was kind enough to take the time to share with readers of the Original Prop Blog and listeners of the Prop Talk podcast.

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie props, costumes, and other assets. The eleventh guest of this program is Brian Muir.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #011 (length 44 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-11-052811.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast.

Supplemental

In our dialogue, we discussed a few photos and drawings, provided below, for those interested in relating the images to the interview (not all referenced, click images for higher resolution):

“C3P0 A” (Ralph McQuarrie Concept Illustrations, from The Best of the Lucasfilm Archives)

“C3P0 B” (Sculpts by Liz Moore, from The Making of Star Wars)

“C3P0 C” (from The Making of Star Wars)

“C3P0 D” (from The Making of Star Wars)

“CZ3 A”

“CZ3 B”

“CZ3 C”

“Death Star Droid A” (Art of Star Wars Exhibit 1995)

“Death Star Droid B”

“Muir A” (Brian Muir sculpting the Death Star Droid head; CZ3 and Darth Vader sculpts in background)

“Vader A” (Early Concept Sketch – Similar to Final CZ3)

“Vader B” (Early Ralph McQuarrie Concept Illustration)

“Vader C” (Illustrations by Costume Designer John Mollo, from Star Wars Chronicles)

“Vader D” (close up from photo above)

“Vader E” (Ralph McQuarrie Illustrations from The Best of the Lucasfilm Archives)

“Vader F” (Ralph McQuarrie Concept Artwork)

“Raiders A” (Indy vs the Cobra)

“Temple A” (“Heart” Scene)

“Temple B” (“Gong” Scene)

“Alien A” (Space Jockey from Alien)

Special thanks to Brian for sharing about his life and career, and artistry in contributing to many favorite films.

Jason DeBord

Ed Zine, special guest. This is the tenth ‘Prop Talk’ podcast by the Original Prop Blog. Ed Zine is a Darth Vader collector and enthusiast as well as an author.  Ed has done significant research into the original Darth Vader costumes made for the Star Wars films, most specifically those made for The Empire Strikes Back.

One of the two costumes he owns is being offered for sale by Christie’s in their “Pop Culture: Film and Entertainment” sale event on November 25th, and he took the time to talk about the costume and its history and provenance.

He is here today to talk to us about the Darth Vader costume attributed to The Empire Strikes Back and consigned for sale in this month’s Christie’s auction in South Kensington (see “Christie’s Entertainment Memorabilia Auction November 25th In London, Catalog Available Online”).

This article hosts the next in a regular ongoing series of full-length audio podcasts featuring one on one interviews with interesting people who participate in and/or affect the hobby of collecting and preserving original movie props, costumes, and other assets. The tenth guest of this program is Ed Zine.

Below is a streaming audio player with which you can listen to episode #010 (length 29 minutes) – press the play icon to start the audio program:

"Prop Talk" by The Original Prop Bloghttp://www.originalprop.com/blog/podcast/original-prop-blog-prop-talk-podcast-10-110910.mp3 | Open Player in New Window

Episodes can now be downloaded directly via the Apple iTunes Store for your convenience, to listen at your leisure via a computer or portable device (iPod, iPhone, Zune, etc.). Click the portal below to be redirected to the iTunes store:

Note: It now takes less than 24 hours or so for the iTunes Store to update with the latest podcast.

I would like to thank Ed for granting The Original Prop Blog this interview, as well as sharing his personal story.

Jason DeBord