List of Cluedo characters

This is a list of people in the game of Cluedo (UK)/Clue (US).

Dr Black/Mr. Boddy

Dr Black (UK)/Mr. Boddy (US), a stock character and generic victim, is the owner of Tudor Close (later known as Tudor Manor, Tudor Hall and Boddy Mansion). In Cluedo, he is the unseen host who is murdered, which inspires the quest to discover who murdered him, with what weapon, and what room did the crime occur in his mansion. Dr Black was listed in the original patent filing as one of the 10 characters created for the game, in which one character was drawn from the suspect cards to be the new victim before the start of a game. Although the victim and the player assignments were never intended to be the same, before the publication of the first edition Samuel Black became the permanent victim in the UK and Mr. Boddy in North America. Mr. Boddy's name is a pun on the fact that the character is a dead body.

In the film, Mr. Boddy was portrayed by Lee Ving. Mr. Boddy was the one who has been blackmailing the six guests of Hill House and Wadsworth's wife until he is murdered. In Ending A, he was murdered by Yvette on Miss Scarlett's orders. In Ending B, he was murdered by Mrs. Peacock. In Ending C, Wadsworth was revealed to be the real Mr. Boddy while the other guy that Professor Plum shot was his expendable butler and was the one who shot the singing telegram girl. Mr. Boddy was then shot by Mr. Green to keep him from blackmailing everyone.

Suspects

The following are the known suspects in the Cluedo/Clue franchise:

Original suspects

(left to right) Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, and Colonel Mustard in the 1972 US edition

These are the original suspects from the board game in rolling order are:

• Miss Scarlett: A stock femme fatale, she is typically portrayed as young, cunning and attractive. Known as Miss Scarlet in North America after 1963, she rolls first in the game. In the film, she is portrayed by Lesley Ann Warren and is depicted as a sassy Washington DC madame who runs an underground brothel. In Ending A, she committed the murders, had Yvette murder Mr. Boddy and the Cook before killing her, and is arrested when the police enter the building. In Ending C, she clubbed the cop who she was bribing and was arrested alongside the other guests by Mr. Green and the police.
• Colonel Mustard: A stock great white hunter and colonial imperialist, he is usually a dignified, dapper and dangerous military man. Originally Colonel Yellow, his name was changed before the game's first edition. He rolls second. In the film, he is portrayed by Martin Mull and is depicted as a war profiteer. In Ending C, he killed the motorist who was his driver in World War II and is arrested alongside the other guests by Mr. Green and the police.
• Mrs. White: Usually a frazzled servant, Mrs. White appeared in the film as a resident guest. Originally Nurse White and changed before publication of the first edition, she rolls third in the game. In the film, she is portrayed by Madeline Kahn and is depicted as the widow of a nuclear physicist whose death she is suspected of being behind. In Ending C, she strangled Yvette for having an affair with her husband and is arrested alongside the other guests by Mr. Green and the police.
• Reverend (or Mr.) Green: Originally patented as "the Rev Mr Green" in Britain, or as Reverend Green in the American original copy, Reverend Green is a hypocritical Anglican priest who wavers when the subject is murder. In North America he is Mr. Green, who has taken money-oriented roles from mobster to businessman. Parker Brothers insisted on the name change, believing that the American public would object to a parson as a murder suspect. He rolls fourth. In the film, he is portrayed by Michael McKean where he is depicted as a State Department employee and a supposed closeted gay man where that secret might cost him his job. While he did not kill anybody in the endings, Ending C revealed that he was an FBI agent who shoots the real Mr. Boddy to keep him from blackmailing everyone and is the one who expected the call from J. Edgar Hoover. After he has the others arrested by the police, the chief of police congratulates him and Mr. Green says "OK Chief, take them away! I'm going to go home and sleep with my wife."
• Mrs. Peacock: A grande dame, an elderly, still-attractive woman who nearly always maintains her dignity and rolls fifth in the game. In the film, she is portrayed by Eileen Brennan and is the wife of a U.S. Senator who is accused of taking bribes. She committed the murders in Ending B and is arrested outside by the police. In Ending C, she stabbed the cook and is arrested alongside the other guests by Mr. Green and the police.
• Professor Plum: A quick-witted, young (or middle-aged) professor with a bow tie and glasses, he rolls last in the game. In the film, he is portrayed by Christopher Lloyd who is depicted as a disgraced former psychiatrist of the World Health Organization who lost his medical license for having an affair with one of his patients. In Ending C, he was the one who shot who was thought to be Mr. Boddy but was actually the butler of the real Mr. Boddy. Later, he killed the butler for good when it was discovered the death was faked, and was later arrested by Mr. Green and the police.

Additional suspects

Parker Bros. released the Clue VCR Mystery Game in 1985, introducing the first new Cluedo characters in 36 years. The characters also appeared in a number of spin-off games and licensed products:

• Miss Peach: A Southern belle who usually manipulates others with her charm
• Monsieur Brunette: A con artist, M. Brunette is usually a Frenchman intent on personal gain. His name is derived from "Mr. Brown", one of the game's oldest patented player names but not previously used.
• Madame Rose: A stock fortune-teller and Mr. Boddy's sister.
• Sergeant Gray: A corrupt police sergeant. The name "Grey" was originally used as one of ten characters filed with the game's original patent. "Miss Grey" and "Mrs. Silver" are some of the oldest colour names previously unused, and "Gray" is one of the most enduring names (representing different characters) in later editions.

These characters also appear in Clue Master Detective (1988). This edition of the game not only allows for up to ten players, but has more weapons than in the original as well as additional locations (including three locations outside the main house).

One-time suspects

In 1986, Super Cluedo Challenge and Super Sleuth were released in the UK, introducing the second wave of new board-game characters:

• Captain Brown (Super Cluedo Challenge): Captain Robert Brown is a lower-class, drunk seaman who arrived at the mansion under mysterious circumstances.
• Mr Slate-Grey (Super Cluedo Challenge): A lawyer or accountant, Mr Graham Slate-Grey is a middle-aged man in a grey suit.
• The Thief: In 1991's Cluedo: The Great Museum Caper, also known as Clue: The Great Museum Caper in North America, one player is a thief who has broken into the museum to steal paintings. Upon being spotted by a detective or the security system, they become represented by a grey pawn on the game board. The thief's only physical appearance is that of a masculine shadow on the front of the box.
• Dr Orchid: In 2016 Hasbro released a revised edition of Cluedo, with Dr Orchid replacing Mrs. White and rolling third. Dr Orchid is a middle-aged woman associated with the color pink. She wears a dark, pink-accented blazer with a pink skirt. Dr Orchid is introduced as a scientist studying plant toxicology and is Mr. Boddy’s/Dr Black’s adopted daughter.

Millennial suspects

Released in 2003, Clue FX is an electronic talking version with audio voices and clues. The victim in this version is Mr. Meadow-Brook. Other new characters are:

• Lady Lavender: An herbalist who may have poisoned her husband, Lord Lawrence Lavender, Lady Lavender is an honorable woman and occasional troublemaker at times. Her Asian heritage is reminiscent of Miss Scarlet's, and she investigates Mr. Meadow-Brook's death. In Clue Mysteries, she is known as Su Sian.
• Mr Meadow-Brook: The murder victim. Married to Jane Meadow-Brook, he was Dr. Black's (Mr. Boddy's) solicitor and has never been seen. In Clue Mysteries, he is known as Miles and is an occasional theft victim.
• Mrs. Meadow-Brook: Wife of the deceased Mr. Meadow-Brook, whose murder investigation is headed by Miss Peach with the aid of Lady Lavender, Prince Azure and Lord Grey. In Clue Mysteries, she is known as Jane. She is a playable character in the 2006 Clue DVD game.
• Prince Azure: An art and arms dealer, known in Clue Mysteries as Philippe.
• Rusty Nayler: The bitter, old Tudor Mansion gardener, Rusty's surname is "Nayler" (a play on "rusty nail") in Clue Mysteries.
• Lord Gray: Known as Alfred in Clue Mysteries, he is a former army cartographer who designs gardens.

Parker Brothers Mystery Game suspects

Released in 2017 by Hasbro, Parker Brothers Mystery Game is a budget board game (retailing at a price point of 5 USD) which plays with virtually identical mechanics to Clue, with some notable exceptions (the corner rooms no longer provide a "secret passage" to the opposite room in lieu of a move; and players may now land on the same space occupied by another player.) There are 6 possible weapons: Cast Iron Pan, Golf Club, Butcher Knife, Revolver, Wrench, and Hammer; and 9 possible rooms: Entrance, Game Room, Spare Bedroom, Master Bedroom, Garden Room, Theatre Room, Sitting Room, Dining Room, and Kitchen. While the murder victim is unnamed, the six suspects are close analogues of the original Clue/Cluedo characters or their canonical replacements, and have a short summary on the back of the box, where each is pictured:

• Madame Rubie: A redheaded femme fatale in red, similar to Miss Scarlett. "As elegant as she is cold, Madame Rubie enjoys the finer things in life. Was there some threat that drove her to dirty her hands with one of these weapons?" Madame Rubie wields the Wrench in her box art.
• General Umber: A gray-haired and bearded military man in uniform, similar to Colonel Mustard. "General Mathias Umber is a hero by any measure, but there's something sinister behind his hard-won wisdom. Could he be hiding a terrible secret?" General Umber brandishes the Butcher Knife (similar to a meat cleaver) in his box art.
• Mrs. Azul: A brunette in a blue party dress, a younger equivalent of Mrs. Peacock. "She's a mystery in her own right. Miss Azul may look innocent, but her eyes dart from suspect to suspect. Is she playing it safe or picking her next victim?" Miss Azul holds the hammer in her box art.
• Mr. Pine: A man in a simple vest, a Mr. Green type. "They call him 'The Hunter,' but he's little more than a scoundrel. Mr. Pine's always gotten by on his good looks and suave ways, but is his luck running out?" Mr. Pine carries the Cast Iron Pan in his box art.
• Sir Ube: A dapper gentleman with a purple suit and polka dot bow-tie, a snazzier version of Professor Plum. "Charismatic, but shy and awkward, Sir Ube is an academic more comfortable in his research than hanging around in a posh mansion. What's he doing here?" Sir Ube handles the Golf Club in his box art.
• Dr. Rose: A woman in a black dress with pink top and pink pumps, likely a reworking or Mrs. White/Dr Orchid. "Dr. Rose is small of stature, but she's the life of any party. There's always been something dark behind her laughter. Is friendliness a facade for her true motives?" Dr. Rose cocks the Revolver in her box art.

Other characters

In 2009, Electronic Arts released an iOS version of Cluedo in which the player is the Reporter.

• Hogarth (Super Sleuth): The butler, a non-playable character who blocks spaces.
• The Black Dog (Super Sleuth): A large, non-playable dog who blocks spaces.
• Editor Braunman (Cluedo iOS): Appearing only on the menu screens, he is the editor-in-chief sends the reporter to gather material and solve the murder case in an allotted time. The reporter can ask Braunman for extra time and tell him the solutions to the mysteries.
• The Reporter (Cluedo iOS): The player character.
• Inspector Brown (Clue Mysteries): Tells you if there's someone lying in the game.

Children's editions

Several variants of the game have been developed for children, most notably Clue and Cluedo Jr., which usually involve the disappearance of something (or someone) rather than a murder. These variants generally use the standard six surnames with different first names (or titles), often changing the gender of the original character.

Typical of the first name changes, the UK edition of Cluedo Jr. introduced the first animal players or suspects: Samantha Scarlett, Mustard the Dog, Wendy White, George Green, Polly Peacock, and Peter Plum.

Cluedo Junior Detective introduced Inspector Cluedo and his bloodhound Watson, who invites his eight nieces and nephews (younger versions of the standard six characters: Jake Plum, Natalie Peacock, Jessica Scarlett, Spike Mustard, Robbie Green and Megan White; Beth Peach, and investigator Tom Black).

Film

In 1985, Cluedo began expanding its character roster and was the premise of a film:

• The Butler: Rarely used, the butler is usually the character most connected with the audience. He has appeared anonymously and as Wadsworth, Didit, Ashe, and Hogarth. In the film, Wadsworth is portrayed by Tim Curry. In Ending A and Ending B, Wadsworth is an undercover FBI agent. In Ending C, Wadsworth is actually Mr. Boddy while the man that Professor Plum shot was his expendable butler.
• The Inspector: Typically working for Scotland Yard, the inspector appears anonymously or as Pry, Brown or Gray. In the film, he is portrayed by an uncredited Howard Hesseman and first appears as the Evangelist who had the door shut on him by Miss Peacock while claiming that "the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand" and for the people to repent while there's still time. In all three endings, the Evangelist was the disguise used by the chief of police. In Ending A, he comes in and leads the arrest on Miss Scarlet. In Ending B, he confronts Mrs. Peacock outside Hill House and has his men arrest her. In Ending C, he is let in by Mr. Green as the police officers arrest the other guests as Mr. Green informs him that he took down Mr. Boddy in the hall with his revolver.
• Yvette: A young French maid at Hill House portrayed by Colleen Camp. She is murdered in the billiard room with the rope by Miss Scarlett (ending A), Mrs. Peacock (ending B) or Mrs. White (ending C) but is still considered a prime suspect. In ending A, Wadsworth reveals that she was ordered by Miss Scarlett to murder Mr. Boddy and Mrs. Ho, and also her French accent is fake. She worked for Miss Scarlet's escort agency as a call girl, one of her clients was Colonel Mustard, and she had an affair with Mrs. White's husband.
• Mrs. Ho: The film's cook at Hill House portrayed by Kellye Nakahara. She prepares shark fin soup and a Cantonese monkey-brain dish. She appears alive in two brief scenes (pointing a knife and banging the gong, which frightens Mr. Green) before being stabbed with a knife in the kitchen by Yvette on Miss Scarlett's orders (ending A) or Mrs. Peacock (endings B and C), early in the film. Endings B and C revealed that she used to be Mrs. Peacock's cook when it was mentioned that Mrs. Peacock had the Cantonese monkey-brain dish before.
• The Motorist: The first "outsider" to arrive at Hill House in the film, an unfortunate middle-aged man (portrayed by Jeffrey Kramer) who seeks shelter from the rain after his 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air breaks down and is murdered with the wrench in the lounge by Miss Scarlett (ending A), Mrs. Peacock (ending B), or Colonel Mustard (ending C), while he makes a telephone call. Ending C revealed that he was Colonel Mustard's driver during World War II.
• The Cop: The second "outsider" to arrive at Hill House is an unnamed police officer (portrayed by Bill Henderson). He seemingly arrived to the mansion suspicious over the motorist's broken abandoned car, but in fact later revealed to have been invited. He is given an impromptu tour of some of the rooms, courtesy of Mr. Green. The cop goes into the library to call up his bosses before being killed later by Miss Scarlett (ending A or C) or Mrs. Peacock (ending B) with the lead pipe. Endings A and C revealed that he was taking bribes from Miss Scarlett.
• The Singing Telegram Girl: Played by Jane Wiedlin (of The Go-Go's) in the film, this third "outsider" to Hill House is shot in the hall by Miss Scarlett (ending A), Mrs. Peacock (ending B), or Wadsworth (ending C), early in the film before she finishes singing a telegram. The Singing Telegram Girl is revealed to have been the one who had an affair with Professor Plum.

Television

In 1999, Cluedo inspired several television series which (in addition to the standard six characters) created additional characters – primarily victims. The most notable recurring character in the UK series was Mr. White, and the Australian series introduced Det. Sgt. Stanley Bogong (who also appeared in French, German and Swedish versions).

Books

Clue Jr., a "Let's Read and Play" book written by Sara Miller and illustrated by Jim Talbot introduced five new suspects in 2004: a butler, a cook, a gardener, a maid, and a repairman.

Characters in other media

In the first half of 1985, Mobil Oil joined Cluedo to introduce three new characters as part of its Mobil £5 Million Cluedo Mystery contest game: Sir Peach, Lady Oakwood and Dr. Prussian. The characters were added along with three additional murder weapons to balance the game's playing elements. Of the three, only the name "Peach" would be re-used for other characters.

Clue Chronicles: Fatal Illusion, Hasbro's short-lived interactive video-game series, added five characters to the usual six: Ian Masque, Marina Popov, Martin Urfe, Sabata and Dr. Julia Kell. In 1938, eccentric millionaire Ian invites the original Cluedo suspects and the new characters to his isolated Swiss mountain estate for a mysterious dinner party. Marina Popov is an attractive, blonde Russian psychic. Martin Urfe is a mediocre magician hired by Ian to entertain his guests and may be a fraud. Sabata is a deranged Spanish artist. Aging German psychoanalyst Julia Kell may have Nazi connections.

External links

• 50th-anniversary website
• List of foreign-edition character name variations
• 1985 film credits
• 1990–93 series credits
• 1992 Australian series credits
• Clue the Musical cast list
• Clue at theartofmurder.com
• The Changing Face of Clue's Miss Scarlett