Video: vintage Dungeons & Dragons commercial

Spotted over at Laughing Squid, this early 1980s D&D commercial featuring Jamie "Square Pegs" Gertz and Alan "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" Ruck.

[#1 posted by Sijay, June 29, 2009 7:07 PM]

I have a distinct memory of seeing this ad on TV and thinking that Gary Gygax had sold out.

[#2 posted by Anonymous, June 29, 2009 7:11 PM]

One of those chicks is playing a dude. Very progressive for a 70s campaign.

[#3 posted by Anonymous, June 29, 2009 7:16 PM]

--Not to mention Ken Nordine doing the voice narration.

[#4 posted by David Pescovitz, June 29, 2009 7:23 PM]

No, no. He *bought in*! ; )

[#5 posted by pupdog, June 29, 2009 7:31 PM]

Holy crap, I don't know how long it's been since I've seen that, but I remembered it immediately. The little dwarf at the end and his 'come on, you slackers' wave is so clearly the inspiration behind John-Rhys Davies' Gimli...

[#6 posted by dwdyer, June 29, 2009 7:44 PM]

Oooooh, that's the esteemed Ken Nordine there.

Even more interesting than Gertz and Ruckman for a voiceover freak like me.

[#7 posted by mneptok, June 29, 2009 7:49 PM]

Featuring Jamie Twister Gertz and Alan Twister Ruck.

[#8 posted by eustace, June 29, 2009 7:53 PM]

Wow, I could swear that I heard my thoughts out loud whenever Nordine paused...

[#9 posted by Jay Acker, June 29, 2009 8:45 PM]

Speaking of dice throwing nerd fun, I've finally got sucked into the excitement of Risk.

I never actually played Dungeons and Dragons, well except for the computer game Baldur's Gate which isn't really the same thing.

[#10 posted by Fred H, June 29, 2009 9:16 PM]

Where's the 2-liter Mountain Dews in everyone's spastic hands? Where's the Twizzlers used as straws? I didn't hear any Rush blaring. Actual girls there? This ad is not representative of my preteen years. And yes, Nordine is the man. His COLORS album is amazing.

[#11 posted by Anonymous, June 29, 2009 9:18 PM]

Ken Nordine always makes me happy.

He has a youtube thingie, you know....

[#12 posted by David Pescovitz, June 29, 2009 9:37 PM]

Ken Nordine of "Word Jazz" fame!? Fantastic. I didn't realize.

[#13 posted by Stefan Jones, June 29, 2009 10:21 PM]

The advert wasn't too bad, considering. I don't specifically remember seeing it way back when.

#12. C'mon, you know the rules: Ever time you write or say "Word Jazz" "word jazz!", you have to follow it up with a whispered "word jazz!"

[#14 posted by aislefive, June 30, 2009 1:18 AM]

At least they nailed their target audience. What perfect, perfect nerds they are.

[#15 posted by VICTOR JIMENEZ, June 30, 2009 1:32 AM]

Wow. Those grasses. Top nerdish class glasses. Awesome.

[#16 posted by Patrick Austin, June 30, 2009 5:54 AM]

I really worry that these children are going to be sucked into Satan's black heart by this witchcraft.

[#17 posted by Takuan, June 30, 2009 6:16 AM]

"is there any Mountain Deeeww??"

[#18 posted by Audiozobe, June 30, 2009 10:21 AM]

You know it's a bogus D&D party because there's way too many girls.

[#19 posted by Anonymous, June 30, 2009 11:04 AM]

LIGHTNING BOLT!

[#20 posted by wylkyn, June 30, 2009 11:35 AM]

I think that lightning bolt must have gotten a boost of static electricity from all the sweaters.