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 in his mansion the crime occurred. 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 player assignments were never intended to be the same, Samuel Black became the permanent victim in the UK and Mr. Boddy in North America before the publication of the first edition. Mr. Boddy's name is a pun on the fact that the character is a dead body.

In the film, Mr. Boddy is primarily portrayed by Lee Ving while Tim Curry portrays him in one of the film's three endings. He blackmailed the six guests of Hill House and his butler Wadsworth's wife until he is murdered. In Endings A and B, he was murdered by his maid Yvette on Miss Scarlet's orders and Mrs. Peacock respectively. In Ending C, Boddy is seemingly murdered by Professor Plum, but Wadsworth reveals himself as the real Mr. Boddy while the person Plum killed was his butler. Boddy plans to continue blackmailing the guests before he is shot by Mr. Green.

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:

Miss Scarlett

Miss Scarlett is a stereotypical femme fatale, typically portrayed as young, cunning, and attractive. Known as "Miss Scarlet" in North America between 1963 and 2016, she rolls first in the game.

In Clue Master Detective, Miss Scarlet is depicted as an Asian woman nicknamed the "Mercenary of Macao".

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 the first of three endings, or Ending A, she orders Mr. Boddy's maid Yvette to murder her employer and the cook before murdering her in turn along with a cop she was bribing and a passing motorist and singing telegram girl. Scarlet is eventually exposed, subdued, and arrested. In the third ending, or Ending C, she only murders the cop before being exposed and arrested.

Colonel Mustard

Colonel Mustard is a stock great white hunter and colonial imperialist who rolls second. He is usually portrayed as a dignified, dapper, and dangerous military man. Originally known as Colonel Yellow, his name was changed before the game's first edition was published.

In Clue Master Detective, his full name is Algernon Mustard and is known to sleep with a revolver under his pillow.

In the film, he is portrayed by Martin Mull and is depicted as a war profiteer who sold stolen air force radios on the black market and was later involved in a top secret fusion bomb project. In Ending C, he kills a passing motorist after recognizing him as his driver from World War II before he is exposed and arrested.

Mrs. White

Mrs. White is usually portrayed as a frazzled servant who worked as Mr. Boddy's cook, housekeeper, and nanny to Mr. Boddy's nephew, John. Originally known as Nurse White before her name was changed following the first edition's publication, she rolls third in the game.

In Clue Master Detective, her full name is Blanche White and she has been a long-time maid to Mr. Boddy. She has seen many wars go by and has an eye squint from spying in keyholes.

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 kills Yvette out of jealousy upon discovering she had an affair with her husband before being exposed and arrested.

Reverend / Mr. Green

Originally patented as "the Rev Mr Green" in the UK, or as Reverend Green in the American original copy, he is a hypocritical Anglican priest who wavers when the subject is murder. In North America, Mr. Green 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 both versions.

In Clue Master Detective, he is a mobster named Thallo Green.

In the 2002 version, Reverend Green is a former ordained minister in the UK version and John Green is an Evangelical minister who has a reputation for fraud, money laundering, and smuggling.

In the film, Mr. Green is portrayed by Michael McKean and is depicted as a closeted homosexual who is concerned that his secret might cost him his job as a State Department employee. In Ending C, he reveals himself as a straight, undercover FBI agent who was working to expose Mr. Boddy.

Mrs. Peacock

Mrs. Peacock is a stock grande dame and an elderly yet attractive woman who nearly always maintains her dignity and rolls fifth in the game.

In Clue Master Detective, her full name is Henrietta Peacock and is depicted as an elderly ornithologist with a specialty in birds of prey. She wanted Mr. Boddy to turn his manor into a bird sanctuary as part of a donation to the Peacock Salvation Society.

In the film, she is portrayed by Eileen Brennan and is depicted as the wife of a U.S. Senator who is accused of taking bribes. In the film's second ending, or Ending B, she kills Mr. Boddy, Yvette, her former cook who became Mr. Boddy's cook, as well as a passing motorist, cop, and singing telegram girl to prevent her secrets from being exposed as she was taking bribes from foreign powers. While the others discover her crimes, Mrs. Peacock attempts to escape, only to be arrested on her way out. In Ending C, she only kills the cook before she is exposed and arrested.

Professor Plum

Professor Plum is a quick-witted, sometimes young or middle-aged professor who rolls last in the game.

In Clue Master Detective, his full name is Edgar Plum and is depicted as a shady archaeologist and the head of the local school's archaeology department.

In the film, he is portrayed by Christopher Lloyd and 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 and became an employee at the United Nations. In Ending C, he seemingly kills Mr. Boddy, only to later learn it was actually Boddy's butler, before being exposed and arrested.

Additional suspects

Parker Bros. released the Clue VCR Mystery Game in 1985, which introduced the first new Cluedo characters in 36 years. The following characters also appeared in a number of spin-off games and licensed products, such as Clue Master Detective (1988):

Miss Peach

Miss Peach is a Southern belle who usually manipulates others with her charm. In Clue Master Detective, Georgia Peach claims to be the long-lost grand-niece of Mr. Boddy.

Monsieur Brunette

Monsieur Brunette is a con artist with many talents, passports, and accents who is usually a Frenchman intent on personal gain. His name is derived from "Mr. Brown", one of the game's oldest patented but unused player names. In Clue Master Detective, Monsieur Alphonse Brunette is a fraudulent art dealer and arms dealer who nearly made a killing selling the missing arms of the Venus de Milo.

Madame Rose

Madame Rose is a stock fortune-teller. In the VCR Game, Madame Rose is Mr. Boddy's sister. In Clue Master Detective, Madame Rhonda Rose is Mr. Boddy's ex-secretary of Hungarian heritage whose real name is Rhoda Rosengarten.

Sergeant Gray

Sergeant Gray is a corrupt police sergeant. The name "Grey" was 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 in later editions, albeit with different characters depending on the edition. In the VCR Game, Sergeant Gray is a crazed mental patient who escaped from the nearby asylum and evaded discovery by posing as a police officer. In Clue Master Detective, Sergeant Gray is a no-nonsense, corrupt, unimaginative, and colorblind police officer who stumbles onto the crime scene while collecting funds for the Police Blackmail Awareness Fund.

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.

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/Mr. Boddy's unseen solicitor. 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 also a playable character in the 2006 Clue DVD game.
• Prince Azure: An art and arms dealer. In Clue Mysteries, he is known as Philippe.
• Rusty Nayler: The bitter, old Tudor Mansion gardener. Rusty's name is a play on "rusty nail".
• Lord Gray: A former army cartographer who designs gardens. In Clue Mysteries, he is known as Alfred.

Parker Brothers Mystery Game suspects

Released in 2017 by Hasbro, Parker Brothers Mystery Game is a budget board game which plays with virtually identical mechanics to Clue/Cluedo, with some exceptions. While the murder victim is unnamed, the six suspects are close analogues of the original characters or their canonical replacements:

• Madame Rubie: A red-headed femme fatale dressed in red, similar to Miss Scarlett. In her bio, she is described as a cold yet elegant woman who "enjoys the finer things in life."
• General Umber: A gray-haired and bearded military man, similar to Colonel Mustard. In his bio, he is described as a hero with "hard-won wisdom" who is potentially hiding a sinister secret.
• Mrs. Azul: A brunette dressed in a blue party dress and a young analogue of Mrs. Peacock. In her bio, she is described as innocent yet "a mystery in her own right."
• Mr. Pine: A man dressed in a vest and analogue of Mr. Green. Nicknamed "The Hunter" in his bio, he is described as "little more than a scoundrel" and someone who has "always gotten by on his good looks".
• Sir Ube: A dapper gentleman dressed in a purple suit and analogue of Professor Plum. In his bio, he is described as a charismatic yet shy academic who is "more comfortable in his research" than anywhere else.
• Dr. Rose: A woman dressed in a black dress and a pink top and pumps. She is a hybridization of Mrs. White and Dr. Orchid. In her bio, she is described as "the life of any party", though she is hinted as possessing "something dark behind her laughter."

The Classic Mystery Game suspects

Released in 2016, Hasbro introduced a new original character to the cast of suspects: Dr. Orchid, replacing Mrs. White. It also marks a return to the classic mansion layout and locations.

• Dr. Orchid: a PhD of East Asian heritage, she is a middle-aged woman associated with the color pink and introduced as a scientist studying plant toxicology as well as Mr. Boddy/Dr. Black's adopted daughter.

Other characters

In 2009, Electronic Arts released an iOS version of Clue in which the player serves as the Reporter.

• Hogarth (Super Sleuth): The butler and a non-playable character who blocks spaces.
• The Black Dog (Super Sleuth): An NPC dog who blocks spaces.
• Inspector Grey (Super Sleuth): The Police Inspector and an NPC who blocks spaces.
• Editor Braunman (Cluedo iOS): Appearing only on the menu screens, he is the editor-in-chief who sends the reporter to gather material and solve the murder case in an allotted time.
• The Reporter (Cluedo iOS): The player character.
• Inspector Brown (Clue Mysteries): A police inspector who tells the player if someone is lying.

Children's editions

Several variants of the game have been developed for children, most notably Clue Jr. 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: Jake Plum, Natalie Peacock, Jessica Scarlett, Spike Mustard, Robbie Green, Megan White, and Beth Peach; as well as investigator Tom Black.

Film

In 1985, Cluedo / Clue began expanding its character roster and served as the premise for a film of the same name:

• 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 related official media. In the film, Wadsworth is primarily portrayed by Tim Curry while Lee Ving portrays him in one of the film's three endings. In two of the endings, Endings A and B, he is revealed to be an undercover FBI agent. In Ending C, Wadsworth is revealed to be the true Mr. Boddy while the "Mr. Boddy" Professor Plum killed earlier was the real butler.
• The Inspector: Typically working for Scotland Yard, the inspector appears anonymously or as Pry, Brown, or Gray in related official media. In the film, the Chief of Police is portrayed by an uncredited Howard Hesseman and first appears disguised as an evangelist. In all three endings, he leads the police in raiding Hill House and arresting the murderer or murderers depending on the ending.
• 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), though she is considered a suspect beforehand. In Ending A, Wadsworth reveals Yvette was ordered by Miss Scarlett to murder Mr. Boddy and Mrs. Ho as the maid worked for Scarlett as a call girl. She also had Colonel Mustard as a client and an affair with Mrs. White's husband.
• Mrs. Ho: The cook at Hill House, portrayed by Kellye Nakahara. She is murdered in the kitchen with the dagger by Yvette on Miss Scarlett's orders (Ending A) or her former employer Mrs. Peacock (Endings B and C) early in the film.
• The Motorist: A middle-aged man who is later revealed to be Colonel Mustard's driver during World War II, portrayed by Jeffrey Kramer. He comes to Hill House after his car breaks down and is murdered in the lounge with the wrench by Miss Scarlett (Ending A), Mrs. Peacock (Ending B), or Colonel Mustard (Ending C).
• The Cop: An unnamed police officer, portrayed by Bill Henderson. He seemingly arrived at the mansion to investigate the motorist's abandoned car and make a phone call, but he is later revealed to have been invited. He is murdered in the library with the lead pipe by Miss Scarlett, whom he had been taking bribes from (Endings A and C), or Mrs. Peacock (Ending B).
• The Singing Telegram Girl: An unnamed singing telegram girl as well as a former patient of Professor Plum's, with whom he had an affair, portrayed by Jane Wiedlin. She arrives at Hill House to deliver a message, only to be immediately shot with the revolver by Miss Scarlett (Ending A), Mrs. Peacock (Ending B), or Mr. Boddy (Ending C).

Television

In 1990, 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 released in 2004, introduced five new suspects: 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 Masque invites the original Cluedo suspects and the new characters to his isolated Swiss mountain estate for a mysterious dinner party. Popov is an attractive, blonde Russian psychic; Urfe is a mediocre magician hired by Masque to entertain his guests and may be a fraud; Sabata is a deranged Spanish artist; and aging German psychoanalyst Julia Kell may have Nazi ties.

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