It's amazing how many 'big names' of yore can be found at Gary Con. It was like a room full of Who's Who from TSR's golden age.
I know I had to put my dice down at one point and play the part of fan boy and start collecting autographs on the Big C (One of the letter's taken from the rubble pile of the old MECCA convention center at the last GenCon in Milwaukee years ago)
Tim Kask, Tom Wham, Jim Ward, Ernie Gygax, Mike Carr, Frank Mentzer, Harold Johnson Zeb Cook.and many others I'm sure I'm forgetting.
Can't wait to get back there for GaryCon II in a few months.
Erol Otus as mentioned still does artwork for KenzerCo and other companies. Just recently I stumbled upon Darlene's website (artist from the original AD&D core books). Great getting her perspective on TSR from back in the day as one of the few women.
Darlene the Artist
Last I heard (August at GenCon from someone who had spoken with him recently) Trampier still wants nothing to do with the industry and refuses to discuss any notion of a Wormy TPB.
Been a few years since I've talked with JD Webster (Fineous Fingers) but last I saw/spoke to him he was doing well and still piloting planes. He'd love to do more Fingers but just doesn't have the time and feels a bit removed from the table top RPG scene.
Lester Smith twits on twitter several times a day so he always seems nearby -- even if he's not involved with gaming much.
Ken St Andre uses twitter quite a bit as well. (now that I think about it a LOT of the old timers are on twitter and fairly accessible).
I've lost track of Marc Miller the last couple of years.
I know Lou Prosperi is on facebook -- still alive and kicking.
Some of the old LUG guys are on FB as well.
Ann Dupuis heads up Grey Ghost Press (Fudge). Havent' seen her at GenCon the last two years or so but her website is still up and running.
http://www.fudgerpg.com/products.html
One of the highlights of my Origins in 2008 was the opportunity to eat lunch with Frank Chadwick and hear a lot of stories from his GDW days (as well as some good Avalon Hill tales). I'd love to sit him down for an interview.
And while not really an RPG designer he DID make a card game we used to play before every game of D&D back in the day as a warm up. Douglas Malewicki who designed Flying Buffalo's Nuclear War.
Doug has a very interesting website detailing his various inventions at
http://www.canosoarus.com/
