◆ SpookStack

gygaxfaq Page 5 of 7 Learning of the scheme, Gygax acquired attorneys and managed to have a temporary injunction granted so as to prevent the share transfer. However, in late 1985 the county judge, who seemed unable to recognize what constituted a contract, as Gary says, decided in favor of the defendants. At this juncture Gygax started an appeal, but was both hard pressed for funds and heartily sick and tired of the mess. Just before the end of the year, Gygax agreed to sell his shares and other interests to TSR, and left the corporation in the hands of Williams. The capacity of Lorraine Williams to manage a game company is no longer in guestion. With a debt load of perhaps $30 million dollars or more, and facing bankruptcy soon, she sold out to Wizards of the Coast in 1997. That is surely a step in the right direction for TSR. Gary believes. Williams despised gamers, and she stated in his presence that they were not her “social equals": She also claimed she was going to show the game industry how business should be conducted. Some lesson. Clearly, Wizards of the Coast is not of that ilk, runs an excellent operation, and under their direction TSR fans should see a major improvement. Back to the top... Back to the homepage... What Happened to the D&D Movie? Even before the cartoon show was in production, there was tremendous interest from Hollywood in producing a movie based on AD&D. Gary was active in working with various agents and would-be producers and studios with an aim towards making a movie deal actuality. The story is lengthy, but the meat of it is this: A script from James Goldman was acquired by TSR. Several tudios were interested. Gary did all he could to get a major theatrical motion picture into production. Every proposal was vetoed by the Blumes and/or TSR board of directors. Gary had a meeting one morning with Sid Shineberg, then president of Universal, Mr. Shineberg said to Gygax, when Gary came out and asked exactly what his interest was, "We want to acquire you (TSR), joint venture with you, or do just about anything you would like in the way of getting a motion picture deal done." Shaking his head sadly, Gary told Mr. Shineberg that as a minority shareholder in a closely held corporation, he could only recommend. No trouble guessing what the reaction of Brian and Kevin Blume was to that so that offer ignored, and all others scotched by demands that were impossible, no film contract was ever signed. That, incidentally, pretty much spelled the doom of DDEC~Dungeons & Dragons Entertainment Corp.. of which Gary was then president. However ... FBI(19-cv-1495)-2274