Neverwednesday Nights

Thematically appropriate, and in commemoration of a great and lovable nerd: an old TV ad for the Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set (purple box, ca. 1981)

I'm afraid I can't help noting, in passing, that the Basic Set depicted only takes player characters through third level, and lightning bolt cannot be cast by a wizard before he's reached fifth level. And, notwithstanding the name of the game and the picture on the box, one can't help also noting that a party of first-third characters has almost no chance against a red dragon of that size (and presumed age). Unless it was sick. (While the Great Man Himself had a reputation for lethal dungeons, his approach would have been more direct--an inescapable teleport trap, say, or a batch of something like Tucker's Kobolds. Who now have their own webpage, I'm pleased to observe.) Ah, good times.
Rest in peace, Gary.