Actor Tim Curry was so worn out during the climax(es) of the 1985 comedy Clue that he had to visit the nurse.
There are so many motives, characters, actors, and sets, but we finally figured it out…It was Tim Curry, with exhaustion, on the set of Clue. The actor, who played butler Wadsworth in the classic 1985 comedy (still the best board game adaptation ever), recently sat down to discuss his work on Clue.
Speaking with Empire, Tim Curry remembered the chaos involved in shooting Clue, particularly in the final scenes since his character is tasked with explaining to the guests and audience Who killed Mr. Boddy with What and Where – multiple times, as Clue had various endings. “It was a bit scary, because he never draws breath!” he said of his delivery in Clue. “It was exhausting…Actually, when we finished that sequence, I had to go to the company nurse. My blood pressure was through the roof!” Indeed, it remains a sort of masterclass in delivering revelatory monologues.
As it turns out, Clue actually had a fourth ending in which Tim Curry’s Wadsworth went on a killing spree within the house, which director Jonathan Lynn scrapped. “It wasn’t funny enough. It wasn’t surprising enough. It ended the film on an anti-climax. So I just took it out. Three was enough.” As it stands, Clue officially has three endings, two of which revealed Wadsworth as an FBI agent, while another had a twist revealing him to be the real Mr. Boddy.
Clue has had a lasting legacy, something Tim Curry is pleased about. “I’ve met some real Clue fans at conventions, who even came dressed as some of the characters…Which was familiar to me because I’d had that for years with Rocky Horror, of course.” Certainly many have approached him dressed as Pennywise from the It miniseries as well.
Since suffering a stroke more than a decade ago, Tim Curry has limited his roles in film and on television by sticking to voice acting. Still, he has continued making public appearances at conventions and expos, showing his heartwarming devotion to fans and his career.
Where does Clue rank in your list of favorite Tim Curry performances? Which of his movies are your favorite? Give us your list below!