WORD MASTER: ALFRED BUTTS AND THE STORY OF SCRABBLE
 Film poster for “WORD MASTER: ALFRED BUTTS AND THE STORY OF SCRABBLE". Alfred Butts with his word game on the table.
WORD MASTER: ALFRED BUTTS AND THE STORY OF SCRABBLE
 Film poster for “WORD MASTER: ALFRED BUTTS AND THE STORY OF SCRABBLE". Alfred Butts with his word game on the table.
A new documentary about the history of Scrabble and its creator Alfred Butts

WORD MASTER: ALFRED BUTTS AND THE STORY OF SCRABBLE

Regular price $129.00
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“Word Master is a brilliant portrayal of the impact that one humble man can have on the global culture. Mr. Murphy is to be congratulated for showing and sharing such a loving portrait of Alfred Butts' enormous contribution to the world." − Joe Edley, three time US National Scrabble champion

History Of Scrabble • Life Of Alfred Butts • Game Development • Game History • Word Game • Math Game • American History • Scrabble In The Digital Age 


Date of Completion: 2023 | Run Time: 65 minutes​​ | Language: English | Captions: Yes | Includes: Transcript | Directors: Jerry Murphy & Paul Sanderson 

WORD MASTER: ALFRED BUTTS AND THE STORY OF SCRABBLE is a historical documentary about the life of Alfred Butts and a history of Scrabble - his great invention. After Monopoly, Scrabble is the second biggest selling board game of all time with over 100 million copies sold worldwide. The film tells the story of Alfred's early life, his conception of the Scrabble during the great depression in the 1930s and explores the process of the game’s development over many years. We trace his efforts to find a buyer for his invention and then cover its eventual sensational marketing success in the 1950s. The documentary also examines the emergence of a vibrant Scrabble community in the United States in the 1960s and the advent of hundreds of Scrabble tournaments and clubs around the world and National and even World Championships. The film shines a spotlight on Scrabble in the digital age where it has carved out a massive online presence in multiple formats. Therefore, Scrabble remains robust and relevant globally today. For decades, the game has been both a terrific social and family game in addition to a wonderful educational tool providing an excellent resource for language learning and creative thinking. The life of Alfred Butts and the history of Scrabble is a great American story.

Joe Edley, three time US National Scrabble champion
“Word Master is a brilliant portrayal of the impact that one humble man can have on the global culture. Mr. Murphy is to be congratulated for showing and sharing such a loving portrait of Alfred Butts' enormous contribution to the world."