Morley the Wizard - Should This Early TSR Mascot Make a Comeback?

 

Back in the 1970s TSR created an iconic character that we don't see around much these days. Morley the Wizard was an early Mascot of D&D. He appeared in commercials aimed at children and younger gamers. He also appeared on the cover of the Fantasy Forest Board Game (1st printing). According to Screen Rant, the character may have been created in order to shift perceptions away from all the negative press given to D&D during the "Satanic Panic". 

Frank Mentzer told me that the character was created by Dave Dimery. Dimery was Vice President of Marketing at TSR at the time. "[Dimery was an]  old friend of Gary's (since childhood Chicago)" Frank told me. The image of Morley even appeared on some RPGA material during the time when Mentzer was in charge of that project. 

With WotC bringing back the cartoon characters as well as LJN toy characters like Warduke and Strongheart, will Morley be next?

Huge thanks to Frank Mentzer for providing additional information, images and documents for this article. 

-Havard