"Yesterday's Future Tomorrows" is an on-line magazine about science fiction movies and television programs and how their Special Effects Props are made.

A serious indepth look at the craft published by semi-retired Hollywood Propmaker Richard A. Coyle.

 

Diplomas

My name is Richard A. Coyle and I'm the editor in chief of this new on-line magazine.
This is my "diploma" section where I thought I should display my credentials.
I don't know about anyone else but I like seeing diplomas on the wall of a doctor, lawyer or even
an auto mechanic before letting them lay a finger on either me or something I own.
When someone makes claims in a profession, it is well-advised that he (or she) be able to back
them up with data.
These are my "diplomas" and why I am qualified to talk about the props and working in
Hollywood.

 

 

B8 The Arizona Republic Sunday, June 5, 1988

Prop Makers stuns

Klingon raiders,

Trekkie traders

 

By Joyce Valdez

The Arizona Republic

 (A retyping of the Article in HTML)

(Scanned Copy of newspaper to the right) .......................................Larger scanned copy @ 300,000

At any moment one expects Richard Coyle to be beamed aboard the starship Enterprise.

A Star Trek convention Saturday at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Phoenix attracted the usual array 300 or so "Trekkies" but none as well-equipped to deal with an inner planetary emergency as Coyle.

 Coyle showed up at the convention wearing be official blue-and-gold tunic of an Enterprise medical officer and carrying a medical pouch equipped with the same high-tech implements that saved Captain James Kirk's life untold times in the old TV series which still boasts a cult following.

 In case of an invasion by warring Klingon's Coyle was packing a Phaser and a pop-up communicator into which he could mutter those immortal words "Beam Me up Scotty".

 Coyle, 39, has an advantage over other Trekkie's who are attending the two day gathering sponsored by Creation Conventions of Long Island NY, which organizes about 80 science fiction conventions a year. Coyle is an independent prop maker who has supplied an assortment of fake space gadgets to Hollywood productions, including two Star Trek valves.

 Coyle gave up a successful television repair business in Mesa in 1978 to begin selling his original designs at science-fiction conventions.

"The Star Trek conventions literally changed my life" said Coyle, whose mother and two children still reside in the valley.

 A representative of a company that was in charge of props for the Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan spotted his designs at a convention and asked him to create some space weaponry for the film.

 Coyle now has his own prop making business in Los Angeles, and has designed props for several TV productions, movies and the new Star Trek attraction at universal studios.

"This is a lot of fun", Richard Coyle said of his work.

 "When I do on a in interview (for a movie assignment) almost always, without fail, people run around the office shooting the phaser at each other".