Copeland, John (Babylon 5 collection), 1993-1999

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Summary

Title:
John Copeland Babylon 5 Collection
Dates:
1993-1999
Abstract:
This collection contains a various assortment of action figures, books, set-related ephemera, awards won by the show, glassware, concept art, production stills, pictures, photos, statues, trading cards, two video games, all related to Babylon 5, including the entire series on VHS. In addition to the Babylon 5 collection, the series Crusader and Wild West are contained on VHS.
Extent:
59.5 Linear feet (31 folder boxes, 19 boxes)
Language:
and The materials in this collection are in English.
Preferred citation:

[identify item], John Copeland Babylon 5 Collection (2006.18.r), Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection was donated by Chapman alumni John Copeland, who produced the tv series Babylon 5, its' spinoff Crusade and the miniseries Wild West. The collection primarily contains Babylon 5 concept art, sketches, scripts, merchandise, and various ephemera and memorobilia related to the show, including the entire series on VHS. Aside from the Babylon 5 materials, the collection includes the Crusade and Wild West series on VHS, and a few concept cketches for the Crusade series.

Biographical / historical:

Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created by J. Michael Straczynski and produced by John Copeland. The show centers on the Babylon 5 space station: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262. The five seasons of the series each correspond to one fictional sequential year in that time frame. The pilot film premiered on February 22, 1993. The regular series aired from January 26, 1994 and ran for five full seasons. The show spawned six television films and a spin-off series called Crusade, which aired in 1999 and ran for thirteen episodes. This award winning series broke new ground in television as the first program to create all of the visual effects using computer animation.

Information found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5

Crusade is a spin-off TV series, from the creators of Babylon 5. Its plot is set in 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the made-for-TV-movie, A Call to Arms. These episodes center around a race called the Drakh, who have released a nanovirus plague on Earth. If this plague is not stopped, it will destroy all life on the planet within five years. To that end, the destroyer Excalibur has been sent out to look for anything that could help find a cure. Like Babylon 5, Crusade was intended to have a five-year story arc, however, conflicts arose between the producers and executives at TNT and production was cancelled before the first episode was broadcast.

Information found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusade_%28TV_series%29

The Wild West was a ten-part series of some 3500 photos, sketches, and paintings of myths of the American West between the end of the Civil War to 1900. Includes first-person narratives, anecdotes, newspaper accounts, journals, and letters covering Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Geronimo, Sitting Bull, Annie Oakley, Billy the Kid, and George Custer. John Copeland was producer on two of these episodes entitled: " Cowboys" and "The Chroniclers".

Information found at http://www.fandango.com/thewildwest%5Btvdocumentaryseries%5D_v54594/summary

John Copeland has produced over 220 hours of Prime Time television programming. Many of these productions were not only award winners, but also brought innovations to film and television production, including the first television series to combine state of the art 3D computer generated character animation with live action and visual effects. John Copeland has been declared as “the producer’s producer” because few in the industry can boast his comprehensive knowledge of the entire production spectrum. From traditional filmmaking techniques to the evolving landscape of new technologies, many of which Copeland helped pioneer, few have contributed as much in terms of shepherding quality entertainment to the small screen.

Information found at http://www.evergreenfilms.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=94&Itemid=59

Acquisition information:
This collection is a gift of Chapman alumni John Copeland.
Arrangement:

This collection is arranged by material type.

Physical location:
Leatherby Libraries
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Norm Lee '06, Gary Girod '11.
Date Prepared:
12/02/2010
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2012-06-06T14:08-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

There are no restrictions on the use of this material.

Preferred citation:

[identify item], John Copeland Babylon 5 Collection (2006.18.r), Frank Mt. Pleasant Library of Special Collections and Archives, Chapman University, CA.

Location of this collection:
One University Drive
Orange, CA 92866, US
Contact:
(714) 532-7719
speccoll@chapman.edu
Website