Rest In Play - 2020 - 2029

The prolific inventor passed peacefully on June 20 at his home in France, surrounded by love and family, The Post can exclusively reveal.

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Richard Keats was born on April 1, 1927 and passed away at the age of 97 on April 7, 2024. Richard Keats graduated from Brown University and served in the US Navy. Afterwards, he joined his father...'s company, Buddy L Toys, in 1948. He worked there until 1990, when it was sold to SLM, and even took over running the company in 1976, when his father retired. After leaving Buddy L Toys, he founded Kaywood Industries, continuing his passion for design and invention. Kaywood also licensed a number of products to companies like Fisher Price, Mattel, Hasbro, and Spin Master. Some of his company's most successful products include Brush Your Teeth Barney, Playtime Big Bird, Flatsy, MakeUp Mindy, and many more. Richard Keats was a dedicated attendee of Toy Fair and the Dallas Fall Toy Preview trade shows. He will be deeply and dearly missed by all those that knew and loved him.Show more

Scott Bennie, famous game designer, passed away in March of 2022 due to complications from pneumonia. He was 61. Scott Bennie became interested in games in high school, especially role playing gam...es. He submitted articles to Dragon Magazine, made his first sale in 1981, and became a freelancer for TSR, Inc. Scott graduated from University of British Columbia in 1986, and in 1990, he was hired at Interplay Productions. He became one of the four designers on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I. He also designed Castles, and was one of the writers on Star Trek: Judgement Rites, Fallout, Starfleet Command, and many others. He will be deeply missed by friends, family, and colleagues alike.Show more

Darren Watts passed away on December 31, 2022 at the age of 53, according to a post from Hero Games.Watts had been in the games industry for decades as an RPG author, editor, developer, and publisher.... In 2001, he and Stephen Long purchased the assets of Hero Games, which included the rights to Champions and the Hero System game line, from Cybergames, Inc. through their company DOJ Inc. Watts then became the President of Hero Games. From there, Watts produced several Champions books including Champions Universe, Champions Worldwide, and Champions Universe II. He also co-designed Galactic Champions, Millennium City, and Lucha Libre Hero. Watts left Hero Games in 2011. He continued to write and work fror other RPG companies, including Chaosium, and produced Darren Watts's Golden Age Champions, which was published through High Rock Press, in 2017. He also designed We Rate Dogs: The Card Game, published by Chronicle Books. Later, he worked as a consultant for Double Exposure conventions (Metatopia, Dreamation, DexCon, and Maelstrom). Many of his colleagues have spoken publicly and privately of Watts' kind heart, community spirit, and help to other RPG designers. He will be missedShow more

Holocaust Survivor, Inventor, Artist, Author, Puzzler and so much more. From Bob Fuhrer, "It’s with great sorrow to share that the legendary Ivan Moscovich has passed away just shy of his 97th birth...day. Ivan’s life story is among the most remarkable tales of survival having barely survived Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen and 2 other camps to become an internationally known and acclaimed inventor, puzzler, author and artist.Show more

Dana Weiss, 82, peacefully passed away on February 9, 2023, at home in Rockwall, Texas surrounded by his family. Dana was born to Fred and Marion Weiss on November 24, 1940 in Lakewood, Ohio. After... graduating from Avon Lake High School in 1958, he enlisted in the United Coast Guard and served from 1959 to 1963. He completed basic training at Cape May, New Jersey, and then transferred to Petty Officer's school in Groton, Connecticut. He specialized in electronics and communication technology. He was based in Galveston, Texas during Hurricane Carla in 1961. At the end of his enlistment, he received the CG Good Conduct Medal for exemplary service during his tenure. Following his USCG service, he returned home and began a sales position with Beechnut and Lifesaver. In 1966, he joined Mattel Toys, Inc. serving as Vice-President of domestic sales. He supervised toy sales to over 2,550 Wal-Mart Stores nationwide until his retirement in 2000. Read More...Show more

SVP of Sales at Schylling, died on March 13, 2023, mere weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. The 56-year-old executive dedicated more than 30 years of his life to the industry, the past three of w...hich have been spent growing the reach of classic toy brands, including NeeDoh, Big Wheel, and more. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Bryan … he was a dynamic leader, steadfast partner, and a cherished friend,” says Paul Weingard, President, and CEO at Schylling. “Bryan loved his work and loved his team, and we are thankful for all he has done for us. We will continue his legacy at Schylling as we honor and remember this extraordinary man.” Bendavid entered the toy industry as an account executive at Russ Berrie & Co., eventually growing his profile and taking on leadership roles at companies including GUND, Epoch Everlasting Play, and Spin Master as he worked on bringing brands including Pusheen, Calico Critters, Trolls, and others to retailers across North America. “Bryan has left an unforgettable impact on Schylling, its employees, and its customers,” adds Bryan Katzel, Vice President of Product Development at Schylling. “We are truly honored to have had Bryan as a member of our executive team and work family. While we are deeply saddened by his loss, our hearts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.” Bendavid is survived by his wife of 31 years, Lisa, son Jared, daughters Emily and Carlie, mother Jane, and sister Beth Piersanti and her husband Frank. (from ToyBook)Show more

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(15 March 1926 – March 2022) Ralph Anspach, was a Professor at San Francisco State University, is best known for creating the game Anti-Monopoly and the legal battles that ensued with General Mills... and Parker Brothers. In the process, he discovered the true inventor of the Monopoly board game was Lizzie Magie in 1904. Lizzy was a feminist and subscribed to radical economic theories - she wanted to show the evils of monopolies via her board game.Show more

John Sepenuk was the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Cryptozoic Entertainment based in Lake Forest, California. The following is a tribute from Nico Blau, President & CEO at BOTI Ltd & BOTI... Europe BV: Earlier this week I was informed my dear friend and former colleague John Sepenuk passed away. I was blown away, couldn't believe it and felt a deep dark colored emptiness. John died while he was exercising one of his favorite passions, kite surfing. He was only 54 yrs young and is now survived by his wife Tania and their beautiful young son Brandon. It is hard to imagine only 2 weeks ago we had a couple of beers and shared some memories and jokes at my booth in Nurnberg Toy Fair. REA MORE...Show more

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John Sepenuk was the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Cryptozoic Entertainment based in Lake Forest, California.