Tim Curry Explains 'Clue' Alternate Endings in 1985 NBC Interview
Source: NBC News · All NBC News reports
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Summary
The NBC News segment features host Bryant Gumbel interviewing Tim Curry about his role as the butler Wadsworth in the 1985 comedy 'Clue.' Curry discusses how the film expands on the board game by adding characters like the French maid Yvette and Chinese cook Mrs. Ho, explains the three alternate endings (A, B, and C) shown in different theaters with the same clues leading to different solutions, and notes why the butler could not be the killer in the game itself. He also recounts attempting to attend Ivor Spencer's butler school in London but arriving during recess, viewing a training video instead.
Editorial Assessment
The interview is highly accurate and provides an authentic firsthand account from Curry shortly after the film's release. All factual claims hold up: the original Clue board game features only six suspects with no butler, the film introduces Yvette and the cook, and theaters received one of three endings per screening, often listed in local newspapers. Viewers gain clear insight into the film's gimmick and Curry's preparation, though the segment predates the film's later cult success on home video where all endings appear together. The light, engaging tone avoids spoilers while highlighting the comedy's clever structure. No significant context is missing for a promotional 1985 piece.
Key Moments
There is no butler in the original Clue board game; the film adds Yvette the maid and Mrs. Ho the cook
Confirmed by Clue board game rules and film Wikipedia/cast lists; standard suspects are Scarlett, Mustard, White, Peacock, Plum, and Green (or Reverend Green).
The movie has three alternate endings (A, B, C) shown in different theaters, listed in newspapers, with the same clues leading to different solutions
Theatrical release used one ending per print; home video combined all three, each fitting the preceding clues per director Jonathan Lynn and contemporary reviews.
Tim Curry tried to attend butler school run by Ivor Spencer in London, which also has a California branch, but it was during recess
Ivor Spencer founded the International School for Butlers in 1981 in London with international branches; his biography and contemporary profiles confirm the details.
The butler does not know who did it from the beginning
Accurate to the film's plot in the screened endings where Wadsworth investigates, though the 'true' Ending C reveals his deeper involvement as the former blackmailer.