Rowan Atkinson
Who was Rowan Atkinson?
English comedian and actor famous for creating the character Mr. Bean and playing Edmund Blackadder in the BBC series 'Blackadder'.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Rowan Atkinson (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on January 6, 1955, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He went to the Chorister School and St. Bees School before studying electrical engineering at Newcastle University. He then completed a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering at The Queen's College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he became involved in the Oxford University Dramatic Society and met screenwriter Richard Curtis and composer Howard Goodall. These collaborations greatly influenced his later career.
Atkinson became widely known through the sketch comedy series Not the Nine O'Clock News, which aired on the BBC from 1979 to 1982. The show earned him a British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance in 1981 and a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his West End show Rowan Atkinson in Revue the same year. These early successes made him one of Britain's top comic talents. He co-wrote and starred in the BBC sitcom Blackadder, playing the clever Edmund Blackadder in four series set in different historical times from 1983 to 1989. His work on the show earned him another BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance in 1990.
In 1990, Atkinson created Mr. Bean, a mostly silent comedic character known for being socially awkward and accident-prone. The TV series ran until 1995 and became a hit worldwide, translated and shown in many countries. Atkinson later brought the character back in the films Bean in 1997 and Mr. Bean's Holiday in 2007, and continued to voice the character in the animated series Mr. Bean: The Animated Series. His film career includes roles in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the comedy spy series Johnny English, starting in 2003. He also voiced the character Zazu in Disney's The Lion King in 1994 and appeared in Scooby-Doo in 2002 and Wonka in 2023.
Beyond his most famous roles, Atkinson has been involved in many different projects throughout his career. He played Inspector Raymond Fowler in The Thin Blue Line from 1995 to 1996, and the title role in ITV's Maigret from 2016 to 2017. In 2009, he portrayed Fagin in a West End revival of the musical Oliver!, showing his range beyond comedy. He returned to TV with the Netflix sitcom Man vs. Bee in 2022 and its sequel Man vs. Baby in 2025. In recognition of his work in drama and charity, Atkinson was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2013 Birthday Honours.
Before Fame
Rowan Atkinson grew up in County Durham, as the son of a farmer and company director. He was smart from a young age, attending the Chorister School and later St. Bees School in Cumbria. He studied electrical engineering at Newcastle University and then furthered his studies at The Queen's College, Oxford, where he earned a Master of Science degree in the same field.
At Oxford, Atkinson's interest began to shift towards performing. His involvement with the Oxford University Dramatic Society introduced him to Richard Curtis and Howard Goodall. During this time, he started honing the physical comedy and character work that would become his trademark. He performed at the Edinburgh Festival and caught the attention of BBC producers, which led to his role in Not the Nine O'Clock News, kickstarting his professional career in 1979.
Key Achievements
- Won the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance twice, in 1981 and 1990, for Not the Nine O'Clock News and Blackadder respectively.
- Created and starred as Mr. Bean, one of the most internationally recognised British comedy characters, spanning television, film, and animation.
- Received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1981 for his West End stage show Rowan Atkinson in Revue.
- Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2013 for services to drama and charity.
- Co-wrote and starred in Blackadder, a critically acclaimed BBC sitcom that ran across four series and is widely regarded as one of the greatest British comedies ever produced.
Did You Know?
- 01.Atkinson holds a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from The Queen's College, Oxford, and originally pursued an academic career in that field before committing fully to comedy.
- 02.The character of Mr. Bean contains almost no dialogue, a deliberate creative choice that has allowed the show to be sold and broadcast in over 200 territories worldwide without requiring translation.
- 03.Atkinson has been a passionate motorsport enthusiast throughout his life and has owned and raced numerous notable cars, including a McLaren F1 which he crashed twice.
- 04.He played the role of Fagin in the 2009 West End revival of Oliver!, marking a significant departure from his television and film comedy work into musical theatre.
- 05.Atkinson was ranked among the top 50 comedians of all time in a 2005 poll conducted by fellow comedians, and also appeared in The Observer's 2003 list of the 50 funniest actors in British comedy.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | — | — |
| British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance | 1981 | — |
| British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance | 1990 | — |
| Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance | 1981 | — |
| Order of the British Empire | — | — |
| British Academy Television Awards | — | — |
| Laurence Olivier Awards | 1981 | — |
| Diamond Play Button | — | — |