History of Clue
Summer of 2017, Mystery Café is inviting you to #getaCLUE with two different live action ways to experience the classic board game: a scavenger hunt through downtown Boston, and a brought-to-life mansion mystery in Dedham.
But how much do you know about the history of CLUE?
Patented by a British musician named Anthony Pratt in 1944 and released 1949, this game originally went by the title CLUEDO. (It still carries this name today in UKversions) The game was intended to be a replica of a parlor game enjoyed by Pratt and his friends, which he called “Murder”. Similar to MAFIA, Pratt’s “Murder” involvedone of his friends being given the role of killer, and the rest working to discover their identity. The rights to the game were sold to Parker Brothers in 1949, who release a version in America under the name CLUE.
The standard form of the game remained mostly unchanged in the following 40 years. While minor stylistic changes took place in both the British and American games, it always featured the same characters, the same rooms, and the same murder weapons. There was even a CLUE movie release in 1985, boasting a cast including Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, and Madeline Kahn. While the film was not a huge critical success, it was popular enough to become something of a cult classic.
Hasbro acquired the license for the CLUE brand in 1991 and 1994 in the US and UK respectively. From that point onwards, the CLUE brand was expanded dramatically. Many themed versions of the game were released (ranging from Game of Thrones to the Simpsons), as well as adaptions such as CLUE Junior and Clue Secrets and Spies.
1997 saw the launch of CLUE The Musical, a production by Peter DePietro and Tom Chiodo. It’s through CLUE The Musical that Mystery Café came by the CLUE brand, and we’ve been offering it as a private event for many years. The show was reimagined by company director Shannon Lane DuPont in 2013 and has been a very popular show since. Last year CLUE took our stage for the Mansion Christmas shows, and it did so well that we decided to make a season of it.
So far, the Summer of CLUE has not disappointed. Breaking our box office records, the Murder at the Mansion CLUE Live sold out all 5 summer shows in 24 hours. Clearly, this classic whodunit still resonates with audiences, almost 70 years after it’s initial release.
Tickets are still available for the CLUE Live Scavenger Huntwhich will be running every Saturday at 6 pm in downtown Boston.
How do you #getaCLUE?
FAQs
What is the history of the play Clue? ›
Patented by a British musician named Anthony Pratt in 1944 and released 1949, this game originally went by the title CLUEDO. (It still carries this name today in UKversions) The game was intended to be a replica of a parlor game enjoyed by Pratt and his friends, which he called “Murder”.
What is the original game Clue? ›Cluedo (/ˈkluːdoʊ/), known as Clue in North America, is a murder mystery game for three to six players (depending on editions) that was devised in 1943 by British board game designer Anthony E. Pratt. The game was first manufactured by Waddingtons in the United Kingdom in 1949.
What is the secret passage rule in Clue? ›Secret Passages:
The Secret Passages shown in the corner rooms enable players to move between opposite corner rooms in one move. This can be done on a player's turn without throwing the die merely by moving his token to the opposite corner room and announcing he is using the Secret Passage.
Game makers at Hasbro have announced that Mrs. White will be permanently eliminated from the suspect list. Instead, they've introduced a new character named Dr. Orchid to replace her.
Why did they get rid of Mrs White in Clue? ›The answer, in fact, is that the makers of famous board game Cluedo have simply decided the famous character is no longer up to date. The housekeeper of Tudor Mansion has been replaced after more than 60 years as a suspect behind the murder of Dr Black.
What is the oldest Clue movie? ›Clue (1985) - IMDb.
Is Clue Based on a true story? ›In the game of Clue, it's a race against time to figure out who committed the murder, with which weapon and in which room. While there's never been an actual murder in Jim Walsh's Peterborough home, the game based upon his house has provided years of enjoyment for families looking for an evening of detective work.
What were the original 6 Clue weapons? ›4—The weapons used in the game we play today (and in the play) are the candlestick, dagger, revolver, lead pipe, wrench, and the rope. Pratt's original weapons, however contained an axe, bomb, syringe, poison, and others. 5—The characters weren't always the same either.
How many original Clue characters are there? ›According to the rule booklet included in the original Clue board game, there were seven original characters within the game, six of which were playable.
Why is Clue set in 1954? ›Halfway through 1984, Lynn finished his screenplay, which he decided to set in New England in 1954, drawing heavily from his friendship with screenwriters who'd been blacklisted during the McCarthy era.
What do the Xs mean in Clue? ›
Getting a Clue
This will help you keep track of who has played what cards. Then, for every card that you have in your hand (and any additional cards that may have been shown to the group) you place a row of Xs across every column to show that those cards are no longer possibilities.
You can't stay in the same room for more than one round (as the others said). You are, however, allowed to stay in a room if your meeple has been brought their through someone else's suggestion! (And this can be quite a good idea sometimes.)
What does the magnifying glass mean in Clue? ›CookApps. The Clue item (magnifying glass) helps you find one of the longest lines you can currently make on the board. It is a powerful tool you can use, but it costs Jewels! This item carries over in between levels, so use Clues for the levels that you want extra help in!
What are the traditional Clue weapons? ›Clue Board Game Replacement Weapons Set (6) Pewter Rope Candlestick Dagger Wrench Lead Pipe Revolver.
What rooms are in the original Clue game? ›In Normal Clue game
Hall, Lounge, Dining Room, Kitchen, Ballroom, Conservatory, Billiard Room, Library, and Study.