Brian J. Blume American businessman, board game developer Date of Birth: 12.01.1950 Country: USA

Biography of Brian J. Blume

Brian J. Blume, an American businessman and tabletop game developer, is best known as the business partner of Gary Gygax in the company 'TSR' ('Tactical Studies Rules'), the producer of the fantasy role-playing game 'Dungeons & Dragons' (D&D). Blume was born on January 12, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois. He began playing chess at the age of seven and became fascinated with the board game 'Gettysburg' by Avalon Hill in 1959. During his high school years, Blume developed a deep passion for history and became heavily involved in wargames.

Blume was married but his marriage ultimately ended in divorce. He spent five years working in the manufacturing industry at his father's company, where he learned to create various tools, devices, molds, and dies. It was at the gaming convention 'Gen Con' in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, that Brian met Gary Gygax. Eventually, he became a partner with Gygax and his friend Don Kaye, co-founding the company 'TSR' in 1974. With the financial support of Brian's father, Melvin Blume, the 'TSR' 'Dungeons & Dragons' boxed set was released.

After Don Kaye's death in 1976, his widow sold her share of the company to Gygax. From then on, Gygax controlled 'Tactical Studies Rules' and established a new company called 'TSR Hobbies', appointing himself as its president. However, due to financial difficulties, Gygax was forced to sell 'TSR Hobbies' to Brian Blume and his brother Kevin, whom Brian had pushed into a leadership position within 'TSR'. By the end of 1976, the Blume family owned two-thirds of 'TSR Hobbies'. Brian and Gygax co-wrote the 'Gygax' supplement for 'Dungeons & Dragons' in 1976, introducing the character Vecna, whose name was an anagram of writer Jack Vance's surname. They also developed a 45-page supplement called 'Swords & Spells', which proved unpopular and was excluded from later editions of 'D&D'.

Working with Dave Cook and Jean Wells, Brian collaborated on the book 'The Rogues Gallery', and together with Gygax, he developed the miniature wargame 'Warriors of Mars' in 1974. A year later, their western-style tabletop game 'Boot Hill' and the World War II wargame 'Panzer Warfare', which Blume designed on his own, were released.

Riding on the success of 'D&D', Gygax decided to venture into producing an animated series based on the game, leaving the board of directors of 'TSR' in the hands of Kevin and Brian Blume. However, upon Gygax's return, he discovered that the company had amassed a $1.5 million debt. He convinced the board to dismiss Kevin and persuaded businesswoman Lorraine Williams to invest in 'TSR' and become its manager. Eventually, the Blume family sold their shares to Williams, and Brian was forced to leave 'TSR' after a bitter struggle with Gygax. In 1985, Gygax sold his shares and left 'TSR' as well.

Later on, Blume worked as a cartographer, primarily for numerous 'White Wolf' publications.