Gary Gygax

Ernest Gary Gygax (July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) (IPA: ) was an American writer and game designer, best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D;) with Dave Arneson in 1974, and co-founding the company Tactical Studies Rules (TSR, Inc.) with Don Kaye in 1973. After leaving TSR, Gygax continued to author role-playing game titles independently, including another gaming system called Lejendary Adventure. Gygax is generally acknowledged as one of the fathers of the tabletop role-playing game. Gygax was the son of Swiss immigrant Ernst Gygax, and an American, Almina Emelie Burdick. His love of gaming began at the age of five, playing pinochle and chess as well as the imaginative games of any child, similar to live action role-playing. He played with Jim Rasch as referee/game master and John Rasch and Don Kaye as fellow participants. It was during this timeframe that Gygax began exploring science fiction with Ray Bradbury's "The Veldt" in...