Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley founded the Milton Bradley Company, famous for creating popular board games such as The Game of Life, CandyLand, and Twister.
Inventor
November 18, 1836
Scorpio
May 30, 1911
74
Vienna, Maine
Milton Bradley was a renowned American game designer and entrepreneur who played a significant role in shaping the board game industry into the popular pastime it is today. He is best known for inventing successful board games like The Checkered Game of Life, which gained widespread popularity in the late 1860s. Additionally, Bradley produced educational toys and operated a publishing company that created games and puzzles.
Apart from his achievements in the game industry, Bradley was a skilled painter inspired by the Hudson River School of American romantic painters. His landscape-focused paintings were displayed in galleries and art shows throughout his life.
In 1860, Bradley founded the Milton Bradley Company, which went on to become one of the most well-known and enduring board game companies globally, now operating as a subsidiary of Hasbro. Some of his other notable creations include Game of the District Messenger Boy, Myriopticon, and Crokinole.
Bradley’s foray into board game production began after a significant setback in his lithograph business when he printed and sold an image of the then-obscure Republican presidential nominee, Abraham Lincoln. Despite this initial failure, Bradley later found success with his graphic design of Lincoln until the president’s decision to grow a beard rendered the likeness outdated.
Among the most popular games produced by the Milton Bradley Company are Candy Land, a straightforward racing board game for young children, and Yahtzee, first marketed by game entrepreneur Edwin S. Lowe in 1956.
Following Milton Bradley’s death in 1911, The Game of Life evolved from a moral-focused board game to one centered on escapism, with the modern version emphasizing financial success.
Milton Bradley’s enduring legacy as a game designer, entrepreneur, and painter continues to impact the worlds of board games and art. His company, the Milton Bradley Company, is famous for creating beloved board games such as The Game of Life, Candy Land, and Twister.
