Clue Board Game

Posted on January 18, 2015

Clue Board Game timeline & history, from its creation in 1943 through its popularity through the decades and various current incarnations.

1943

Anthony E. Pratt, a solicitor’s clerk from Birmingham, England, and his wife come up with a new board game. His wife designs the board and Pratt figured out the details of the game.

Dec. 1, 1944

Pratt files for a patent for his new mystery game Cluedo at the Patent Office.

1944

The Pratts, along with close friends Mr. and Mrs. Bull, visit Waddington’s Games in Leeds to discuss the potential for Cluedo. Personnel at Waddington’s sit down and play the game with the Pratts and Bulls. It isn’t long before Waddington’s knows they have a winning game. However, due to WWII material shortages, the introduction of Cluedo is delayed.

April 1, 1947

Anthony Pratt is awarded a Patent for Cluedo and sells it to Waddington’s Games.

Nov. 1949

Waddington’s releases Cluedo to the public and it becomes an instant hit. The original suspects are Doctor Black, Mr. Brown, Mr. Gold, The Rev. Mr. Green, Miss Grey, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlet, Nurse White, Mrs. Silver and Colonel Yellow.

1949

Parker Brothers acquires the U.S. rights to Cluedo and renames it Clue. It is still called Cluedo in the U.K and many countries.

1985

A movie based on the game, Clue, is released starring Tim Curry as the butler, Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White, Eileen Brennan as Mrs. Peacock, Christopher Lloyd as Professor Plum, Lesley Ann Warren as Miss Scarlet, Michel McKean as Mr. Green, Martin Mull as Colonel Mustard, Colleen Camp as Yvette the maid, Lee Ving as Mr. Boddy, Howard Hesseman as the Chief, and Jane Wiedlan (of Go-Gos fame) as the Singing Telegram Girl.

1990

A British gameshow based on the game begins airing. Called Cluedo, it airs from 1990-1993. An Australian version of the show airs from 1992-1993.

1991

Hasbro buys Parker Brothers and the rights to Clue.

1992

Scholastic releases a children’s book series based on the game Clue.

April 1994

Anthony E. Pratt dies.

1998

Hasbro releases a variation on the game called Clue Master Detective.

1998

Hasbro releases the computer game version: Clue: Murder at Boddy Mansion for Windows 95 and above. It is released the same year in Britain as Cluedo: Murder at Blackwell Grange.

2000

UK Cluedo 2000 Edition is released.

2001

Hasbro releases Clue Dungeons & Dragons after puchasing Wizards of the Coast, the holders of the Dungeons & Dragons license.

Jan. 2003

A new version of Clue is released with the date of the murder taking place on June 5th, 1926 in Tudor Mansion, Rainbow Road along Hampshire.

Feb. 2004

A new version of Cluedo is released.

2007

Clue – The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror is released, based on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park.

October 2008

Clue: Discover the Secrets is released as a modern version of Clue.

2008

Clue: Harry Potter Edition (Cluedo: Harry Potter Edition in the UK) centers around a student who disappears from the school. It is a total departure from the original game play with new cards and tokens.

2009

Clue: Seinfeld Collector’s Edition asks players to figure out who hit Newman in the head.

2012

Cluedo: Sherlock Edition requires players to figure out who killed Moriarty.

2012

Cluedo: London Edition features locations around London and players must figure out which well known London citizens committed murder.