Rowan Atkinson | British actor | Britannica.com Rowan Atkinson Alternative Title: Rowan Sebastian Atkinson Rowan Atkinson Rowan Atkinson, in full Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born January 6, 1955, Newcastle upon Tyne , England ), British actor and comedian who delighted television and film audiences with his comic creation Mr. Bean. Actor Rowan Atkinson as the title character in the television series The Amazing … © Tiger Television Productions Atkinson, the son of wealthy Durham farmers, attended Durham Cathedral Choristers’ School. At the University of Newcastle upon Tyne he studied electrical engineering; he progressed to the University of Oxford for a master’s degree. Taking to the stage to satisfy an inner urge, he began honing the facial contortions and manic comedic genius that would soon make him famous. While attending Oxford, he began working with actor Richard Curtis and composer Howard Goodall, and together they ventured to the Edinburgh Festival . There Atkinson’s classic schoolmaster sketch rocketed him to fame.

In 1979 the satirical television show Not the Nine O’Clock News introduced him to millions of British viewers, and in 1981 he became the youngest person at the time to have had a one-man show in London’s West End . In 1983 the first installment of Blackadder, written by Atkinson and Curtis, slithered onto British TV screens. The show featured the twisted relationship between four incarnations of the groveling, spineless Lord Blackadder and his foully fleshed retainer, Baldrick, as they cajoled their way through history from the Crusades to the end of World War I . The series established Atkinson as one of England’s finest comic actors. It also led to the television program Mr. Bean (1990–95), which starred the rubber-faced Atkinson as a pratfalling, nearly mute buffoon , bumbling his way through everyday situations made comedic by his clumsiness and scheming. Transcending both the traditional boundaries of English humour and the verbal repartee of Blackadder, the working-class Bean attracted millions of devotees.

Atkinson acknowledged the influence of French film actor Jacques Tati in the creation of the role: Tati’s recurring character Monsieur Hulot displayed a similarly wordless comic ineptitude in his films of the mid-20th century. Mr. Bean won the 1990 Montreux Festival Golden Rose, a 1991 International Emmy for best popular arts program, and a 1994 American Cable Ace Award. At its peak it was British television’s most popular comedy, drawing some 18 million viewers. In 1996 the show made the transatlantic jump to American television, and in 1997 Mr. Bean hit the big screen in the motion picture Bean. The character also inspired an animated television series in 2002. Britannica Stories Rowan Atkinson - IMDb IMDb Actor | Writer | Producer Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on 6 January, 1955, in Consett, Co. Durham, UK, to Ella May (Bainbridge) and Eric Atkinson. His father owned a farm, where Rowan grew up with his two older brothers, Rupert and Rodney.

He attended Newcastle University and Oxford University where he earned degrees in electrical engineering. During that time, he met... See full bio » Born: a list of 25 people created 04 May 2012 a list of 25 people created 14 Oct 2014 a list of 21 people created 17 Jan 2015 a list of 42 people created 12 May 2015 a list of 40 people created 6 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Rowan Atkinson's work have you seen? User Polls 7 wins & 14 nominations. See more awards » Known For 1980 Peter Cook & Co. (TV Movie) Various Characters 1979 Canned Laughter (TV Short) Robert Box / Dave Perry / Mr. Marshall Hide 1999 Blackadder Back & Forth (Short) (television series "The Black Adder" - uncredited) 1997 Bean (character "Mr. Bean") Mr.

Bean (TV Series) (1 episode, 1995) (written by - 14 episodes, 1990 - 1995) 1991 The Driven Man (TV Movie documentary) The Black Adder (TV Series) (written by - 7 episodes, 1982 - 1983) (by - 5 episodes, 1983) 1979 Canned Laughter (TV Short) Hide 2009 The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story (Documentary) (performer: "It's a Small World") 2003 Johnny English (performer: "Thank You for the Music") Mr. Bean: The Animated Series (TV Series) (2 episodes, 2002 - 2003) (performer - 1 episode, 2003) - Treasure! (2003) ... (performer: "Aloha 'Oe" - uncredited) - A Royal Makeover (2003) ...

("God Save the Queen", "Orpheus in the Underworld: Can Can") - Big TV (2002) ... ("The Blue Danube") 1994 The Lion King (performer: "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" (1994), "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" (1944), "It's a Small World" (1966), "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" (uncredited)) Hide 1986/II Comic Relief (TV Special documentary) Hide 2003 Legacy of Kain: Defiance (Video Game) (voice-over) Hide 2008 Blackadder Exclusive: The Whole Rotten Saga (TV Movie documentary) (thanks) Hide 2011 Janela Indiscreta (TV Series) Himself 2003-2011 Wetten, dass..?

(TV Series) Himself 2003-2011 Cinema 3 (TV Series) Himself 2011 Días de cine (TV Series) Himself 2011 El hormiguero (TV Series) Himself - Guest - Episode #6.13 (2011) ...

Himself - Guest 2011 Prozhektorperiskhilton (TV Series) 2011 Top Gear (TV Series) Himself 2009 Bondi Rescue (TV Series) Himself 2008 Blackadder Rides Again (TV Special documentary) Himself 2008 Biography (TV Series documentary) Himself 2007 L'hebdo cinéma (TV Series documentary) Himself 2007 Le grand journal de Canal+ (TV Series documentary) Himself 2007 The Footy Show (TV Series) Himself 2007 Richard & Judy (TV Series) Himself 2007 Noche Hache (TV Series) Himself 2006 Red Nose Day (TV Series) Himself 1976-2004 Arena (TV Series documentary) Himself 2004 This Morning (TV Series) Himself 2003 Pet Star (TV Series documentary) Himself - Judge 2003 The Daily Show (TV Series) Himself 2002 Scooby Doo: Unmasking the Mystery (Video documentary short) Himself - 'Mondavarious' 2002 Just for La

ughs (TV Series) Himself (2002) 2001 Making 'Rat Race' (Video short documentary) Himself 2000 The Royal Variety Performance 2000 (TV Movie documentary) Performer 1998 Ôsama no buranchi (TV Series) Himself 1997 The Story of Bean (TV Special documentary) Himself 1997 Lo + plus (TV Series) Himself 1997 Comic Relief (TV Special) Himself 1995 La Marató 1995 (TV Special) Himself 1995 La Lloll (TV Series) Himself 1995 Comic Relief (TV Special) Himself 1992 Funny Business (TV Series documentary) Presenter / Various 1991 The Driven Man (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1989 Hysteria 2!

(TV Special) Shakespeare's Manager 1988 Hysteria! Hysteria! Hysteria! (TV Special) Mr. R (uncredited) 1988 Live! From London (TV Special) Himself 1987 The Last Resort (TV Series) Himself 1986/II Comic Relief (TV Special documentary) Himself 1984 Weekend in Wallop (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1982 Cleo and John (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1979 The Secret Policeman's Ball (TV Movie documentary) Various Roles 2012 The Unforgettable Russell Harty (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Interviewee on The Russell Harty Show 2008 The Comedy Map of Britain (TV Series documentary) Himself 2005 Room 101 (TV Series) Himself - Episode #10.7 (2005) ...

Himself (uncredited) 2005 80s (TV Series documentary) 2003 The Storytellers (Video documentary short) Rufus - Jewellery Salesman (uncredited) 2001 The Sketch Show Story (TV Series documentary) Himself / Various Roles (2001) 2000 Full Mountie (TV Series) Himself 1992 Pandora's Box (TV Mini-Series documentary) Politician TV commercial for M&M chocolate candy as Mr. Bean. See more » Publicity Listings: 4 Interviews | 6 Articles | 8 Pictorials | 12 Magazine Cover Photos | See more » Alternate Names: Mr. Rowan Atkinson | Ro Atkinson Height: Did You Know? Personal Quote: Mr. Bean is essentially a child trapped in the body of a man. All cultures identify with children in a similar way, so he has this bizarre global outreach. And 10-year-old boys from different cultures have more in common than 30-year-olds. As we grow up, we acquire this sensibility that divides us.

See more » Trivia: He had to pull out of his role in a West End production of Oliver in April 2009 due to hernia surgery. See more » Trademark: Wide range of humorous expressions See more » Nickname: Rowan Atkinson - Mr Bean Rowan Atkinson Rowan Atkinson Educated at Newcastle and Oxford Universities, Rowan Atkinson first attracted wide critical notice at the Edinburgh Festival in 1977. His first foray into television was as a founding member of the ’Not the Nine O’clock News’ team – the International Emmy and British Academy Award winning series for the BBC. In 1981 Rowan became the youngest performer to have a one-man show in London’s West End – the sell-out season at the Globe Theatre won him the Society of West End Theatre’s Award for Comedy Performance of the Year. In 1983 Rowan embarked with writer Richard Curtis on their situation tragedy ’Blackadder’ for the BBC. Over the ensuing five years the four series won three British Academy Awards, an International Emmy, three ACE awards and personal awards for Rowan’s performance, including Best Entertainment Performance. Once again Rowan was voted BBC Personality of the Year.

Rowan’s most famous character, Mr Bean first emerged from his stage shows in the 1980’s. Collaborating with Richard Curtis and Robin Driscoll, Mr Bean was developed into a television series in 1990, the most successful television series of the decade. Mr Bean has also been transformed into an animated series and two feature films which Rowan co-produced – Bean the Ultimate Disaster Movie (1997) and Mr Bean’s Holiday (2007). Rowan has appeared in a number of highly successful documentary programmes on subjects ranging from comedy to the motor car (his passion) and was the lead role in the two series of Tiger Aspect’s number one rating, situation comedy The Thin Blue Line (1995-1996). His film credits include Never Say Never Again, The Tall Guy, The Witches, Hot Shots – Part Deux, Four Weddings and a Funeral, the voice of Zazu in The Lion King,Johnny English, Love Actually (directed by Richard Curtis) and Keeping Mum, opposite Maggie Smith and Kristin Scott Thomas. Rowan Atkinson - TV.com Rowan Atkinson EDIT Best known to American audiences as the Black Adder and Mr.

Bean, black-haired, bug-eyed, and weak-chinned comedian Rowan Atkinson is one of the most popular funnymen in England whose keen, often black humor and knack for physical comedy has earned him a huge international following. Rowan Sebastian Atkinson… more Credits S 1: Ep 1 Maigret Sets a Trap 3/28/16 S 1: Ep 24 Treasure!

/ Homeless 5/30/03 S 1: Ep 23 Birthday Bear / The Mole 5/9/03 S 1: Ep 22 A Royal Makeover / SuperMarrow 4/4/03 S 1: Ep 21 Bean In Love / Double Trouble 3/28/03 S 3: Ep 1 Scooby-Doo 6/14/02 S 2: Ep 7 The Green Eyed Monster 12/23/96 S 2: Ep 6 Road Rage 12/19/96 S 2: Ep 5 Come on You Blues 12/12/96 S 2: Ep 4 Alternative Culture 12/5/96 S 2: Ep 3 Fly on the Wall 11/28/96 S 1: Ep 18 Goodnight, Mr. Bean 10/31/95 S 1: Ep 17 Tee Off, Mr.

Bean 9/20/95 S 1: Ep 16 Torvill And Bean 3/17/95 S 1: Ep 15 Back To School Mr.

Bean 10/26/94 S 4: Ep 6 Goodbyeee 11/2/89 S 4: Ep 5 General Hospital 10/26/89 S 4: Ep 4 Private Plane 10/19/89 S 4: Ep 3 Major Star 10/12/89 S 4: Ep 2 Corporal Punishment 10/5/89 S 3: Ep 6 Duel and Duality 10/22/87 S 3: Ep 5 Amy and Amiability 10/15/87 S 3: Ep 4 Sense and Senility 10/8/87 S 3: Ep 3 Nob and Nobility 10/1/87 S 1: Ep 6 The Black Seal 7/20/83 S 1: Ep 5 Witchsmeller Pursuivant 7/13/83 S 1: Ep 4 The Queen of Spain's Beard 7/6/83 S 1: Ep 1 The Foretelling 6/15/8

3 S 1: Ep 3 The Archbishop 6/29/83 S 1: Ep 2 Born to Be King 6/22/83 S 4: Ep 7 Where Was God?

3/12/82 S 4: Ep 6 Shame 3/8/82 S 4: Ep 5 Made In Wales 3/1/82 S 4: Ep 4 Show Twenty Five 2/22/82 S 7: Ep 8 RND 2007 - The Big One 3/16/07 S 7: Ep 1 CBBC's Big Nose 2/10/07 S 6: Ep 3 RND 2005 - Big Hair & Beyond 3/11/05 S 1: Ep 2 Comic Relief's Nose At Ten 12/31/88 S 17: Ep 4 Series 17 Episode 4 7/17/11 S 4: Ep 10 August 24, 2007 8/24/07 Coming Attractions Guest Star S 8: Ep 6 Rowan Atkinson 7/16/03 S 12: Ep 26 Show #2522 7/14/03 S 1: Ep 82

 12 April 2003 4/12/03 S 5: Ep 266 08 April 2003 4/8/03 S 10: Ep 35 October 20, 1997 10/20/97 S 1: Ep 2 Full Throttle 2/2/95 S 1: Ep 3 Episode 3 10/16/93 S 2: Ep 6 Series 2, Episode 6 4/13/90 S 2: Ep 10 Episode 24 11/20/87 S 20: Ep 3 Comic Relief 4/25/86 S 1: Ep 1 Episode 1 3/17/07 S 1: Ep 18 Goodnight, Mr.

Bean 10/31/95 S 1: Ep 17 Tee Off, Mr. Bean 9/20/95 S 1: Ep 15 Back To School Mr. Bean 10/26/94 S 1: Ep 14 Mind The Baby, Mr.

Bean 4/25/94 S 1: Ep 6 The Black Seal 7/20/83 S 1: Ep 5 Witchsmeller Pursuivant 7/13/83 S 1: Ep 4 The Queen of Spain's Beard 7/6/83 S 1: Ep 3 The Archbishop 6/29/83 S 1: Ep 2 Born to Be King 6/22/83 S 3: Ep 4 Show Seventeen 11/17/80 S 3: Ep 3 Miss World 11/10/80 S 3: Ep 2 Election Special 11/3/80 S 2: Ep 7 Death Lasers Of Kazaan 5/12/80 Become a contributor Important: You must only upload images which you have created yourself or that you are expressly authorised or licensed to upload. By clicking "Publish", you are confirming that the image fully complies with TV.com’s Terms of Use and that you own all rights to the image or have authorization to upload it.

Please read the following before uploading Do not upload anything which you do not own or are fully licensed to upload. The images should not contain any sexually explicit content, race hatred material or other offensive symbols or images. Remember: Abuse of the TV.com image system may result in you being banned from uploading images or from the entire site – so, play nice and respect the rules! Choose background: Rowan Atkinson - Actor, Comedian - Biography.com Rowan Atkinson Cite This Page Comic actor and writer Rowan Atkinson starred on the TV series Not the Nine O'clock News and Blackadder. He is best known for his infamous role as Mr. Bean in the television series and 1997 feature film of the same name. IN THESE GROUPS Famous British Actors Rowan Atkinson - Full Biography (TV-14; 45:14) Rowan Atkinson is considered a modern day Charlie Chaplin--a comedic genius who can say more in a single bumble or glance than most actors can in a page of dialogue. As the hapless Mr. Bean, he carried a successful TV series. Synopsis English actor, comedian and screenwriter Rowan Atkinson was born on January 6, 1955.

In 1979, Atkinson wrote for and starred in the BBC's Not the Nine O'clock News. His later landed a role on the television series Blackadder and subsequent spin-off TV specials. In 1990, he starred as his originally developed character Mr. Bean on the televison series of the same name. Mr. Bean was adapted for film in 1997, and received wide success. Background Comic actor and writer Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on January 6, 1955, in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. Rowan Atkinson is most famous for his roles in classic sitcoms, including Blackadder and Mr. Bean. Atkinson studied at Newcastle University and Oxford University, and earned a master's degree in electrical engineering. He got his start performing sketches while studying at Oxford, first appearing in Oxford revues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Soon, he was entertaining at several theater clubs and on comedy shows for BBC Radio 3. In 1979, Atkinson wrote for and starred in the BBC's Not the Nine O'clock News.

In 1981, Atkinson became the youngest performer to have had a one-man show in the West End. Atkinson later appeared in theatrical productions like The Nerd (1984), The New Revue (1986) and The Sneeze (1988). He then landed parts on such television shows as Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979-82), Blackadder (1983-89) The Thin Blue Line (1995-96) and Mr. Bean (1990-95). The success of Blackadder spurred the creation of the TV specials Blackadder's Christmas Carol and Blackadder: The Cavalier Years—both of which aired in 1988. In 1990, Atkinson starred as his originally developed character Mr. Bean on the TV series of the same name. The successful comedy series was adapted for film in 1997. Atkinson reprised his famous Mr. Bean character in a comedy sketch at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

Atkinson's other film credits include Bean: the Ultimate Disaster Movie (1997), Johnny English (2003) and Keeping Mum (2005). Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information Rowan Atkinson : Image Me Image You Max Longworth and Gemma Knutton Successes, Achievements & Awards: Rowan Atkinson was born in County Durham in 1955, the youngest of four brothers. Rowan is an actor, comedian and screenwriter best known for his performances in Black Adder and Mr Bean. Rowan was educated at Durham Choristers School a preparatory school, St Bees School and Newcastle University, where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1975, he continued for a M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering at the Queens College Oxford, and which made Rowan Atkinson an Honorary Fellow in 2006. He has two children Lily Atkinson and Benjamin Atkinson.

He has starred in a number of comedy performances, including The Atkinson People for BBC Radio 3 back in the 1970’s, and Not the Nine O’clock News, for which he received a BAFTA award for. His successes with these lead to him landing his role in the Blackadder series which he also co-wrote. Rowan Atkinson first appeared as Mr Bean in 1990 but unfortunately retired the character in 2012. Rowan has appeared in many films throughout his career including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Keeping Mum and Scooby Doo. He starred as the main actor in the Johnny English movies and Mr Bean feature films. Rowan Atkinson also voiced the character Zazu in the hit Disney musical movie, The Lion King. As a long-time collaborator with writer Richard Curtis, he has regularly contributed to Comic Relief. He even played the 9th Doctor, in the 1999 Doctor Who spoof The Curse Of Fatal Death. In the Queen’s 2013 Birthday Honours, Rowan was appointed (CBE) Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for his services to drama and charity.

Challenges Overcome Rowan suffers from a stutter but finds that it disappears when he performs. During an interview with Time Magazine in 2007 he was asked about his stutter; “It comes and goes. I find when I play a character other than myself, the stammering disappears. That may have been some of the inspiration for pursuing the career I did.” Disability Definitions Speech and Language Impairment Speech and language impairment are basic categories that might be drawn in issues of communication involve hearing, speech, language, and fluency. A speech impairment is characterised by difficulty in articulation of words. Examples include stuttering or problems producing particular sounds. Articulation refers to the sounds, syllables, and phonology produced by the individual. Voice, however, may refer to the characteristics of the sounds produced specifically, the pitch, quality, and intensity of the sound. Often, fluency will also be considered a category under speech, encompassing the characteristics of rhythm, rate, and emphasis of the sound produced. A language impairment is a specific impairment in understanding and sharing thoughts and ideas, i.e. a disorder that involves the processing of linguistic information.

Problems that may be experienced can involve the form of language, including grammar, morphology, syntax; and the functional aspects of language, including semantics and pragmatics. Speech and language impairment. (2015, March 31). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 10:33, May 20, 2015, from Download our Library List for further reading on many of the disabilities featured in this site Information sources: Please click on the information links below to find out more. Rowan Atkinson. (2015, March 26). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:26, April 2, 2015, from Rowan Atkinson - Biography - IMDb Rowan Atkinson Biography Showing all 42 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (2) | Trivia (23) | Personal Quotes (11) Overview (4) 5' 11" (1.8 m) Mini Bio (1) Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on 6 January, 1955, in Consett, Co.

Durham, UK, to Ella May (Bainbridge) and Eric Atkinson. His father owned a farm, where Rowan grew up with his two older brothers, Rupert and Rodney. He attended Newcastle University and Oxford University where he earned degrees in electrical engineering. During that time, he met screenwriter Richard Curtis , with whom he wrote and performed comedy revues. Later, he co-wrote and appeared in Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979), which was a huge success and spawned several best-selling books. It won an International Emmy Award and the British Academy Award for "Best Light Entertainment Programme of 1980." He won the "British Academy Award" and was named "BBC Personality of the Year" for his performing on Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979). Atkinson also appeared in several movies, including Dead on Time (1983), Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976) (aka "Monty Python Meets Beyond the Fringe"), Never Say Never Again (1983), and The Tall Guy (1989). He played "Mr. Bean" in the TV series, Mr.

Bean (1990) but, apart from that and Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979), he also appeared in several other series like The Black Adder (1982) and Funny Business (1992), etc. Atkinson enjoys nothing better than fast cars. He has been married to Sunetra Sastry since 1990, and they have two children, named Benjamin and Lily. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Van Whistler Spouse (1) Wide range of humorous expressions His characters: Mr. Bean and Blackadder Trivia (23) Father of a son, Benjamin Alexander Sebastian Atkinson (born 1993) and a daughter, Lily Grace Atkinson (aka Lily Atkinson ) (born 1995), with his wife Sunetra Sastry . Rides go-karts round his tennis courts and, according to Stephen Fry (his best man), "hasn't got an ounce of showbiz in him". Has an HGV license (Heavy Goods Vehicle - the old legal term in the United Kingdom for goods vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight). Owns various fast cars (Aston Martin Vantages, etc.).

Writes articles for CAR (a British car magazine). Education: Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK (electrical engineering); Oxford University, Oxford, UK (electrical engineering) Races (and also crashes) his Aston Martins in the Aston Martins Owners club series. Attended Cathedral Chorister School, Durham with Tony Blair . He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1982 for the 1981 season. Once crashed his McLaren F1, a supercar valued at more than $1,000,000, into the back of a stationary Mini Metro, valued at around $600. The damage was not severe. He was one of the guests at Prince Charles ' and Camilla Parker-Bowles ' wedding. Has publicly opposed the British Labour government's plans to introduce new legislation on incitement to religious hatred, arguing that it would undermine free speech and thought (even citing the possible development of mind-reading technology), and that such measures would make political satire - which he considers seminal in a democracy - unworkable.

Along with Tony Robinson and Tim McInnerny , he is one of only three actors to appear in all four "Blackadder" series: The Black Adder (1982), Black-Adder II (1986), Black Adder the Third (1987) and Blackadder Goes Forth (1989). He had to pull out of his role in a West End production of Oliver in April 2009 due to hernia surgery. Owns a Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, which he used in the film Johnny English (2003). He is the only actor to appear in every episode of Blackadder, Tony Robinson did not appear in the pilot. On August 4, 2011 he was admitted to Peterborough City Hospital after crashing his McLaren Formula1 sports car. He suffered a light injury on his shoulder. Has suffered with a stammer for many years, hence does not like giving interviews. Attended Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William 's wedding. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Drama and to charity.

His grandparents were all born in Durham. His paternal grandparents were Edward Atkinson, of Spennymoor, and Edith Gertrude Browell, of Crookhall. His maternal grandparents were Frank Bainbridge, of Hartlepool, and Ella Schofield, of Grosmont. Has trouble pronouncing words that begin with the letter B and followed by a vowel. He has to pause slightly to say them. He disliked the first series of Blackadder. Personal Quotes (11) People think because I can make them laugh on the stage, I'll be able to make them laugh in person. That isn't the case at all. I am essentially a rather quiet, dull person who just happens to be a performer. [commenting in 2004 on Britain's proposed Racial and Religious Hatred Bill] To criticize a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous, but to criticize their religion, that is a right. That is a freedom. The freedom to criticize ideas, any ideas - even if they are sincerely held beliefs - is one of the fundamental freedoms of society. A law which attempts to say you can criticize and ridicule ideas as long as they are not religious ideas is a very peculiar law indeed. Mr.

Bean is essentially a child trapped in the body of a man. All cultures identify with children in a similar way, so he has this bizarre global outreach. And 10-year-old boys from different cultures have more in common than 30-year-olds. As we grow up, we acquire this sensibility that divides us. I remember looking up Johnny English (2003) in a film guide and it said 'intermittently hilarious' - quite a good description of five good jokes and a lot of longueurs. I find it frustrating that, apart from Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), I have yet to be involved in a film of which I am totally proud. The casual ease which some people move from finding something offensive to wishing to declare it criminal - and are then able to find factions within government to aid their ambitions - is truly depressing. [on being overwhelmed by fans at a Toronto shopping mall] It's a bit disconcerting being treated like Madonna . [preparing to perform onstage the title role in Simon Gray's 'Quartermaine's Terms'] It's well known that tragedy and comedy are close bedfellows. It's rare, though, that you see them placed in such intimacy.

Like most tragic figures, 'Quartermaine' is unaware of his own tragedy. What I love about him is his optimism. You don't tend to feel much sympathy for pessimistic people, but those who retain their optimism, despite the sadness of their lives, are interesting, engaging and sympathetic. If I'm denied words, Mr. Bean's physicality and attitude to life is what I seem to acquire. In 1989, we put him on TV and no doubt the motivation was a belief that we had a character that could live in other markets and other countries. I was always envious of the fact that so many British musical artists in the late eighties, Phil Collins or David Bowie or Duran Duran or someone like that, assumed an international marketplace for their product, whereas British comedians don't. And I thought we have a tool here that will enable us to do that. I've always required a formal setting, a stage or a film or TV studio in which to perform. And above all I need to become somebody else. I'm certainly not a stand-up comedian in any sense. I definitely do not have the wit of Blackadder. I definitely require scriptwriters to provide that.

And I don't think I'm as dark or cynical as Blackadder is in his view of the world. Probably I'm somewhere in between but closer to Mr. Bean. You know, the nice bits of Mr. Bean, because Mr. Bean has a very vindictive and selfish and nasty side to him. I hope I don't have too much of that. The more success you have, the more pressure you feel to make things to a good standard, for movies you make to make money and that sort of thing. One misses those days when you were 19 or 23 and you just did what made you laugh. What you and your friends thought was funny. And you did it, and if they laughed, great, and if they didn't, it didn't matter. As you get older you always think about everything so much, you're so concerned that what you do should be good and should be successful that it's the success you're pursuing rather than the fun of doing it, which is what's so great when you're younger... What's difficult for me on a movie is not playing Mr. Bean. The problem is the scripts. The problem is the shaping of the shots. The problem is the editing.

The problem is all those things. See also Rowan Atkinson | Biography, News, Photos and Videos | Contactmusic.com News Pictures Video Film Comments Quotes RSS Biography Rowan Atkinson (born 06.01.1955) Rowan Atkinson is an English actor and comedian famous for starring in the sitcoms 'Mr. Bean' and 'Blackadder'. Childhood: Rowan Atkinson was born in Consett, County Durham, England. His parents were Ella May and Eric Atkinson who was a company director and a farmer. He was brought up in an Anglican household. He attended Durham Choristers School, St. Bees School and Newcastle University. He landed an MSc in Electrical Engineering at The Queen's College in Oxford. He got involved with the Oxford Revue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1976. Comedy and TV career: Rowan Atkinson began his career with BBC Radio 3 comedy show 'The Atkinson People' which he co-wrote with Richard Curtis.

He also went on a comedy tour with Angus Deayton which soon led him to his first TV show, 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' featuring Pamela Stephenson, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones and which premiered for the BBC in 1979. In 1983, he began co-writing and starring in medieval sitcom 'The Black Adder' alongside Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny and Brian Blessed. Three more sequel series followed; 'Blackadder II' set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 'Blackadder the Third' set in the Regency era and 'Blackadder Goes Forth' set during World War II. His character the bumbling, clumsy Mr. Bean made his debut in 1990 in a Thames Television special and a series ran until 1995. A film entitled 'Bean' followed in 1997 also starring Peter MacNicol. In 2007, 'Mr. Bean's Holiday' was released. Between 1995 and 1996 he starred in police comedy series 'The Thin Blue Line' as a serious-minded and socially inept inspector.

The series also starred James Dreyfus and Serena Evans. In 1999, he played the Doctor in a parody of 'Doctor Who' for Red Nose Day. In 2012 at the London Olympics, he appeared as Mr. Bean in a comedy sketch. However, later that year he revealed that he would not reprise his role as the character again. Film career: Rowan Atkinson made his movie debut in the comedy short 'Dead on Time' in 1983 and also appeared in the unofficial James Bond movie 'Never Say Never Again'. In 1989, he appeared in Mel Smith's rom com 'The Tall Guy' alongside Jeff Goldblum and Emma Thompson. The following year, he appeared in the film adaptation of Roald Dahl's 'The Witches' with Anjelica Huston and Mai Zetterling. 1993 saw him in the 'Rambo III' parody 'Hot Shots! Part Deux' (1993). He played a stuttering vicar in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' in 1994 opposite Hugh Grant.

He also played a vicar in the dark comedy 'Keeping Mum' in 2005 which also starred Maggie Smith and Patrick Swayze. Also in 1994 he voiced Zazu the Red-billed Hornbill in Disney's Academy Award winning movie 'The Lion King'. He had roles in the comedies 'Rat Race' in 2001, 'Scooby-Doo' in 2002 and 'Love Actually' in 2003. Also in 2003, he starred as the title character in the James Bond style comedy 'Johnny English' and reprised the role in 2011 in the sequel 'Johnny English Reborn'. Personal life: Rowan Atkinson married make-up artist Sunetra Sastry in 1990 and have two children. He and his family have homes in Apethorpe, Northamptonshire and Ipsden, Oxfordshire. He used to be in a relationship with actress Leslie Ash. Atkinson suffers from a stutter. One of his comedic styles is that he pronounces the letter 'B' with much emphasis; as much as it adds to the humour, it is mainly a method of overcoming difficult consonant sounds.

He has got involved in several political debates regarding free speech and censorship, criticising the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill and the homophobic speech legislation which prevents what he sees as freedom of speech. He has a passion for cars and has written for various British car magazines. He owns a McLaren F1 which has been involved in two serious accidents, a Honda NSX, an Audi A8 and a Honda Civic Hybrid. He has stated, however, that he will never own a Porsche. He appeared in an episode of 'Top Gear' and topped the board as 'Star in a reasonably priced car', though he was later beaten by Matt LeBlanc. Biography by Contactmusic.com

Question: Rowan Atkinson created which character that first appeared on British TV in 1990?
Answer: Mr Bean