Show off your B5 collectibles

[Springer]

As the 25th anniversary of the airing of Sleeping in Light is Saturday November 25th 2023...

Must be dozens of these out there, so this is probably the equivalent of "Look, I can tie my own shoes!" -- One of the production scripts from 422 SiL, signed by all (aka: Two) of the main cast/crew that I've met in person. Yes, all Two of them. Better than last year, as then it was Zero. ?

Contents (hopefully no typos):
- White "final" script with some "blue" revision pages.
- Six (or 7) page legal document on names/locations.
- Memo about taking crew still photos for end credits.
- Four page One Line Schedule.
- One page actor schedule.
- One page shooting schedule April 18th 1997.
- Revised version from April 22nd.
- Eight (or 9) page shooting schedule for April 22nd.
- Fifteen pages of art (?) department sets and some notes.
- Three 11x17 pages similar to the above 15 pages, but no notes.
- One page JMS memo from March 24th about 422 and maybe (or maybe not) a 5th season. This memo is included in his B5Books SiL commentary.

I've never thought about buying a production script because aside from having a memento of something used on set, I'd assumed that everything would have been in JMS' scriptbooks, but it looks like they contain loads of production information! I may have to look into getting hold of one next time one pops up for sale. I see them from time to time on eBay.

...tried pasting a picture, but got the "Oops we ran into some problems - message too long" error so will try attaching it instead.

I find it does that if the image file is too large – try and re-size it to less than 1MB, that usually works for me.

 

[LateArrival]

I've never thought about buying a production script because aside from having a memento of something used on set, I'd assumed that everything would have been in JMS' scriptbooks, but it looks like they contain loads of production information! I may have to look into getting hold of one next time one pops up for sale. I see them from time to time on eBay.

I originally thought everything-there-was-to-know was in the scripts, but when I looked for references to the Jacqueline Kennedy swearing-in-scene from Chrysalis - it wasn't in the script, but obviously they filmed it that way so the information had to be somewhere.

Jan (Hi ? Jan!) could explain it better, as the various departments each contribute their own mountain of paperwork for each episode. Contents of any "production document" would vary, but should be listed on the selling page's details. Some have more (much more) material than others as the "document" I have for River of Souls came in a thick binder while SiL is tiny at 85-ish pages, and that binder is probably a fraction of what was available at the time. Sometimes Extra Stuff can be purchased separately - I snagged two of Tim Earls concept art pages for RoS from Ebay last year.

Could not find any/many current examples, possibly as Sellers removed things for the upcoming holiday when they aren't around to ship stuff, so might be different in 1-2 weeks. But below is a screen shot of a current listing for Confessions and Lamentations which has a script plus a shooting schedule. When I searched for Completed Items, saw that a shooting schedule for "Epiphanies" sold last month for $37-ish.



Unrelated from previous post: Was poking around the season 5 DVDs, and "Scene 102" -- where JMS is rolled off on a gurney -- can be found on disc six's special features at the end of the Gag Reel under the Universe of Babylon 5 section...

 

[Jan]

Similar to the above, here's a page of the Stage C set plans. Purchased from John Iacovelli's collection.

Springer, each production notebook will be different depending on whose it was. For instance, JMS' might have more memos from clearances on names and corporations. I've got some from the art department with more set plans and sketches of ideas. Also notes on safety meetings and things. The way it all comes together to tell us a story is amazing!

 

[Looney]

Where should we put the museum?

 

[Jan]

Where should we put the museum?

That's a fairly regular question. But the truth is, I'm seriously considering downsizing the collection. Haven't really decided yet...

 

[Garibaldi's Hat]

This is my B5 shelf in my cabinets, filled with the 6-inch action figures and 9-inch dolls, and some of the miniatures from the Babylon 5 Wars game. I do have the 9-inch Marcus figure elsewhere, plus the Micro Machines, trading cards, CDs, books, comics, magazines, autographs, posters, clothing, etc etc, collected over the past 30 years.

Anyway, does anyone else have any B5 collectibles? Hopefully the release of The Road Home will spur some new B5 merchandise to be made – I'll be looking out for any news of merchandise at SDCC.

View attachment 267

 

[Garibaldi's Hat]

HI folks, Newby here, love the collectables. I've got a nice collection too, and being added to. Had a big smile on my face when acquiring 'DINING ON B5', boy, one sort after book!, (does anyone have the story of Dr Franklin and G'Kar, it was sold with a video of 'T Lost Tales', from Best Buy, honouring the memory of them. That's one rare beast too!?), The first time I saw Dining On B5, was a bit pricey, second time, got outbid at the last second, DUE TO A STUCK PHONE KEY!, got sold for £110!, third time, perusing a certain website, had several for sale, all but one, V pricey, lucky I hesitated and clicked 'Buy Now'. Have had the book on my wish list for several years. Enjoying the music cds, great musician, Mr C Frank was. I watched 'T Road Home', saturday, recomend it to anyone who likes B5.

 

[Looney]

That's a fairly regular question. But the truth is, I'm seriously considering downsizing the collection. Haven't really decided yet...

Oh Jan please don't say such things. It does my heart good knowing things are in a safe place.

Welcome to the discussion Garibaldi's Hat. Oddly DINING ON B5 has never been a high priority for me. I'm sure I'll try to track one down some day, but I've never really gone after it. And I have no explanation. Normally that is the kind of things I would have obsessed over for years until I had it.

It is a tough thing to get excited about collectibles when so much of what you have is out of sight and mind in storage, which is my case. I also think it is in part to the fact that there are certain things I vigorously search for and obsess over and DINING ON B5 isn't one of them. ?

 

[Springer]

HI folks, Newby here, love the collectables. I've got a nice collection too, and being added to. Had a big smile on my face when acquiring 'DINING ON B5', boy, one sort after book!, (does anyone have the story of Dr Franklin and G'Kar, it was sold with a video of 'T Lost Tales', from Best Buy, honouring the memory of them. That's one rare beast too!?), The first time I saw Dining On B5, was a bit pricey, second time, got outbid at the last second, DUE TO A STUCK PHONE KEY!, got sold for £110!, third time, perusing a certain website, had several for sale, all but one, V pricey, lucky I hesitated and clicked 'Buy Now'. Have had the book on my wish list for several years. Enjoying the music cds, great musician, Mr C Frank was. I watched 'T Road Home', saturday, recomend it to anyone who likes B5.

Hello Garibaldi's Hat, welcome to the boards. I was lucky to get a copy of Dining on Babylon 5 from a member on here for a fair price, but yes I'd been looking for a copy for a while.

Now here's a weird thing – the comic that came with The Lost Tales when bought from Best Buy, I have this memory of owning that. If I did then I have no idea where it is now, so I can only conclude that I didn't ever buy it and I have a false memory of doing so. Weird, huh? Now I have read it online, and maybe I'm conflating that memory with the imagined memory of purchasing it off eBay?

Collection update: picked up some of the Women of B5 lenticular trading cards off eBay for a good price. They're really cool! Proper old school motion cards, and they've picked some neat scenes too, like Lyta doing her weird Vorlon thing to Sheridan in Thirdspace. Will look for more of these, think there are 18 in total.

 

[Looney]

Yeah I love that Women of B5 Set.

My weird story about my Best Buy Lost Tales Comic DVD is that the disc just stopped working over a couple of years. (I know I've told this story before.) I maybe watched it three times the first couple of years I had it. Then it sat on a shelf for a couple of years. Went to watch it after two years or so and the disc just refused to load on any player. Sooooooooo annoying!!!!! Not a mark on disc. Doesn't look like any physical issue at all, but it just doesn't work. I do have a replacement that does work.... At least it did the last time I checked, which was last year.

 

[LateArrival]

Found a picture from last year of some "script pages" that Clueless Me purchased from Ebay. Was part of a bundle that contained (maybe all of) the TNT Postcards, each signed by the actor featured on the postcard. Clueless Me was thinking "oooh.... signed small pictures... " and didn't pay attention to the other item, which apparently was some yellow-revision script pages from 122 Eyes that aren't in the cleanest condition since a bunch of people scribbled all over it.

Originally thought it hailed from the end of season 1-ish. But just noticed (being Clueless) that it seems to have both "Bruce Boxleitner" and "Micheal O'Hare" on it. Maybe the paper hung around for a while after S1?

 

[Springer]

Found a picture from last year of some "script pages" that Clueless Me purchased from Ebay. Was part of a bundle that contained (maybe all of) the TNT Postcards, each signed by the actor featured on the postcard. Clueless Me was thinking "oooh.... signed small pictures... " and didn't pay attention to the other item, which apparently was some yellow-revision script pages from 122 Eyes that aren't in the cleanest condition since a bunch of people scribbled all over it.

Originally thought it hailed from the end of season 1-ish. But just noticed (being Clueless) that it seems to have both "Bruce Boxleitner" and "Micheal O'Hare" on it. Maybe the paper hung around for a while after S1?

Interesting! Possibly it was all signed during the production of War Without End, which would explain why Michael O'Hare and Bruce Boxleitner have both signed it, but why on an 'Eyes' script?

 

[Looney]

I want to know who Steve is? My guess is Steve started getting signatures on the pages and they kept coming over time instead of all at once. And I would absolutely love to have all of those signed postcards. My address is....

DeAGOSTINI arrived today!!!!! THANK YOU SPRINGER!!!! (DM SENT)

 

[Springer]

I want to know who Steve is? My guess is Steve started getting signatures on the pages and they kept coming over time instead of all at once. And I would absolutely love to have all of those signed postcards. My address is....

DeAGOSTINI arrived today!!!!! THANK YOU SPRINGER!!!! (DM SENT)

Looks like Steve worked in craft services on set. Love that Bill Mumy calls him the 'snack man' in his dedication! Wonder if Jason Davis has interviewed this guy for his book...

 

[LateArrival]

I want to know who Steve is? My guess is Steve started getting signatures on the pages and they kept coming over time instead of all at once. And I would absolutely love to have all of those signed postcards. My address is....

DeAGOSTINI arrived today!!!!! THANK YOU SPRINGER!!!! (DM SENT)

?? Does the DeAgostini version have any differences/extras like the "Toplanti" version? I think "Toplanti" and it's German cousin "Die Zusammenkunft" just have a screen shot for Cast, a Mess of Subtitles, and English/German audio. And did your copy arrive intact? I thought that 99% of all damaged holders are sent your way so the rest of us can get undamaged items.

FYI: There is another DeAgostini out there in the UK (Ebay: 285535559646). Guess that would make three in the last month or so, but all three "Do Not Post to the US".

RE: Steve The Snackman. Tried looking that up when I read the pages last year, and Craft Services was as far as I got. But there is a Podcast where Steve The Snackman is interviewed...
https://www.babylonpodcast.com/2006/08/02/babylon-podcast-show-26/
Babylon Podcast #26: Interview with Steve “Snackman” Thorpe

 

[Looney]

Sorry! I've just had no time to do a comparison, but it is on my list. (There is no forgive me emoji.)

 

[Looney]

Okay so video finished and now I've taken a moment to compare. It does appear the De Agostini Edition Disc content is identical to TOPLANTI and its "GERMAN Cousin" though I would say the German disc is the original source given that the first spoken language option on the De Agostini and Toplanti is German. All have equal number of subtitle tracks. All are the ORIGINAL cut and have identical run times. All have two audio options, 1. German 2. English and tracks for English or German Hearing Impaired. Identical Menu structure and features including "Security Chief Michael Alfred Garibaldi" listed in the "Cast & Crew" Feature. I think that covers the meat of it.

So the only differences are on the physical art work. As you've seen the cover is created from the Special Edition artwork. Back cover is different. Has no UPC barcode and includes this little message "This DVD forms part of Babylon 5: The Official Fact Files collection. Not to be sold separately from the magazine." WHERE IS THE MAGAZINE?!!!!!! (That question is NOT specifically directed at you Springer. LOL)

The Disc itself is similar in appearance to the U.K. edition with a few differences, including the addition of Official Fact Files message.

Let me know if you have any further questions LateArrival. VERY HAPPY with this. I love having the alternate artwork with the message and one can never have too many original cuts. I might need to do a more extensive GATHERING video at some point.

 

[LateArrival]

Great information! Especially useful for people looking for the 1993 version on DVD. Possibles are the 50/50-ish UK or German versions as I've read some ended up with 1993 while others got the SE. Seems the odds are much better for the Turkish (Toplanti) and De Agostini versions. Possibly also versions which include Lots of Subtitles in addition to both German/English audio tracks, as perhaps it was more cost effective to re-use the 1993 version with existing subtitles than to produce an updated version for Poland, Turkey, etc.

And in other random things, tried taking pictures of the twelve postcards which came with the Snackman Script. Cards themselves seem ok but the plastic holders are a bit worse for wear, with the cards packed two-to-a-sleeve But better worn holders than having to store them in a sandwich bag! Oddly enough, there is both an Ivanova and a Lochley card. Will check to see if the Ivanova card has "TNT 5th Season" on the back like I believe the others do. From what I recall, purchased it for all the pretty postcards, and the yellow script pages came along for the ride.

 

[Looney]

Great information! Especially useful for people looking for the 1993 version on DVD. Possibles are the 50/50-ish UK or German versions as I've read some ended up with 1993 while others got the SE. Seems the odds are much better for the Turkish (Toplanti) and De Agostini versions. Possibly also versions which include Lots of Subtitles in addition to both German/English audio tracks, as perhaps it was more cost effective to re-use the 1993 version with existing subtitles than to produce an updated version for Poland, Turkey, etc.

And in other random things, tried taking pictures of the twelve postcards which came with the Snackman Script. Cards themselves seem ok but the plastic holders are a bit worse for wear, with the cards packed two-to-a-sleeve But better worn holders than having to store them in a sandwich bag! Oddly enough, there is both an Ivanova and a Lochley card. Will check to see if the Ivanova card has "TNT 5th Season" on the back like I believe the others do. From what I recall, purchased it for all the pretty postcards, and the yellow script pages came along for the ride.

I’ve slowly tried to collect all of the Postcards over the years, but the only one I have autographed is Andreas. Hopefully I’ll track them all down some day. That is a great purchase!

 

[Springer]

So the only differences are on the physical art work. As you've seen the cover is created from the Special Edition artwork. Back cover is different. Has no UPC barcode and includes this little message "This DVD forms part of Babylon 5: The Official Fact Files collection. Not to be sold separately from the magazine." WHERE IS THE MAGAZINE?!!!!!! (That question is NOT specifically directed at you Springer. LOL)

Ah, now, so there was only ever four issues of these DVD fact files released. I've got the magazines for issues 2, 3 and 4, but not issue 1 that came with the pilot, so I'll have to hunt that one down. Here's some pictures of the ones I've got.



Look at all this swag that was never put into production! (well, as far as I know...)



Nice little blueprint of the layout of the Zocalo



Normally these part works get a test run in a small regional area and are then paused before it's decided whether to release it nationwide or not based on sales. It can't have sold too well as this was the last we saw of it.



This picture intrigues me because it looks a bit different to how we saw Minbar on screen, more high-res and the building actually look like crystal now. Was this a one-off still shot rendered by Foundation Imaging or Netter Digital, or something fan-created?



The DVDs - they are just the discs from the first season boxset given their own cases with season 1 boxset artwork in different hues on the cover. I've kept issue 2 wrapped.