The Resume

(October 1, 1947-April 7, 2009)
Born in Hennepin County, Minnesota
With Gary Gygax co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons (1974)
Founded the computer company 4D Interactive Systems (1978)
Taught game design at Full Sail University in Florida

Why he might be annoying:

He admitted that he moved from wargames to fantasy partly because 'It was easier for me to referee,' since the players could not dispute the historical accuracy of his decisions.
Early on, he used rock, paper, scissors to resolve combat.
He filed five lawsuits against Gygax and TSR over credits and royalties.
After Gygax died, he admitted 'We never reconciled.'
He made a cameo appearance in the crappy Dungeons & Dragons movie (2000).

Why he might not be annoying:

While Gygax concentrated on rules and dice, he emphasized the role-playing elements, noting 'You can have a crappy set of rules and if you've got a good storyteller, you can still make it work. Or you can have great set of rules and a lousy storyteller for a referee and it doesn't matter.'
When fundamentalists called D&D a cult, he joked 'I don't feel like a cult leader, but if anyone wants to make donations....'
He taught special education students.
His daughter Malia noted, 'The biggest thing about my dad's world is he wanted people to have fun in life.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 19]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [October] (Ranked: 10011947)
• Cracked.com's 13 Overlooked Deaths of 2009 (Ranked: 11)
• Game and Puzzle Designers
• I Attended University of Minnesota
• I Died in 2009 (Ranked: 61)
• I Had a Stroke [Cerebral Vascular Accident]
• I Married in 1984
• Look at Me, I Got a Microphone
• Look at Me, I'm at the Podium
• Profiles 25501-25750 (Ranked: 25574)
• Santa Claus Look-alikes
• Teachers
• Wizard Beards

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 9 Votes: 11.11% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 27 Votes: 18.52% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 338 Votes: 45.27% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 121 Votes: 61.98% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 30 Votes: 76.67% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 24 Votes: 45.83% Annoying