Rowan Atkinson

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Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English

England

Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain members of an audience, primarily by making them laughter. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy....
, actor

Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
and writer

Writer

A writer is anyone who creates a written work, although the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, as well as those who have written in many different forms....
, famous for his work on the classic sitcoms Blackadder
Blackadder

Blackadder is the generic name that encompasses four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical British sitcom, along with several List of Blackadder episodes#See also....
, The Thin Blue Line
The Thin Blue Line (TV series)

The Thin Blue Line was a United Kingdom British sitcom starring Rowan Atkinson set in a police station that lasted for two series from 1995 to 1996....
and Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean was a British comedy television series of 14 half-hour episodes starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were written by Rowan Atkinson, Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton....
, as well as doing the voice-over

Voice-over

The term voice-over refers to a production technique where a Diegetic#Film_sound_and_music voice is broadcast live or pre-recorded in radio, television, film, theatre and/or presentation....
for Zazu

Zazu

Zazu is a Red-billed Hornbill who first appeared in the Walt Disney Pictures animated film The Lion King. As majordomo to King Mufasa, his proper, dignified, nervous, and easily-rattled personality is the polar opposite in temperament of the protagonists, lion cubs Simba and Nala ....
in The Lion King
The Lion King

The Lion King is a American Animation film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures....
. He has been listed in The Observer
The Observer

The Observer is a United Kingdom newspaper published on Sundays. In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, it takes a Liberalism/social democratic line on most issues....
as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy, and amongst the top 50 comedy acts ever in a 2005 poll of fellow comedians.

n Sebastian Atkinson was born on the 6 January 1955, in Consett, County Durham, England.

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Encyclopedia

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English

England

Comedian

Actor

An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
and writer

Writer

Voice-over

Zazu

Early life

Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on the 6 January 1955, in Consett, County Durham, England. His parents were Eric Atkinson, a farmer

Farmer

A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials....
and company director, and his wife Ella May (née

Married and maiden names

A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage, and in speaking of the many cultures where the practice is traditional for women, the maiden name is the family name that the married name replaces....
Bainbridge), who married on 29 June 1945. He has two elder brothers, Rodney Atkinson

Rodney Atkinson

Rodney Atkinson is a United Kingdom euroscepticism conservatism academic, political and economic commentator, journalist and author. Atkinson was formerly a lecturer at the University of Mainz, and has also worked as a merchant banker and government adviser....
, a eurosceptic

Euroscepticism

Euroscepticism has become a general term for opposition to the process of further European integration. It is not, however, a single ideology, and eurosceptics differ on both their vision of Europe and on the manner in which it is perceived to fail: thus some eurosceptics seek a different form of European Union whilst some seek the withdraw...
economist

Economist

An economist is an expert in the social science of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy....
who narrowly lost the United Kingdom Independence Party

United Kingdom Independence Party

The United Kingdom Independence Party is a right-wing United Kingdom political party. Its principal aim is the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union....
leadership election in 2000, and Rupert Atkinson.

Atkinson was raised Anglican. He was educated at Durham Choristers School, followed by St Bees School, and studied electrical engineering

Electrical engineering

Electrical engineering, sometimes referred to as electrical and electronic engineering, is a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism....
at Newcastle University

University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle University is a research intensive university located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East England of England. It was established as a School of Medicine and Surgery in 1834 and became the University of Newcastle upon Tyne by an Act of Parliament in August 1963....
. He continued with an MSc

MSC

MSC may refer to:...
at The Queen's College, Oxford

The Queen's College, Oxford

The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its eighteenth-century architecture....
, first achieving notice at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1976. At Oxford, he also acted and performed early sketches for the Oxford University Dramatic Society

Oxford University Dramatic Society

The Oxford University Dramatic Society is the principal funding body and provider of theatrical services to the many independent student productions put on by students in Oxford, England....
(OUDS), the Oxford Revue

The Oxford Revue

The Oxford Revue is a comedy group featuring students from Oxford University, England....
and the Experimental Theatre Club

Experimental Theatre Club

The Experimental Theatre Club is a student dramatic society at University of Oxford, England. It was founded in 1936 by Nevill Coghill as an alternative company to OUDS, and produces several productions a year....
(ETC), meeting writer Richard Curtis

Richard Curtis

Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis, Order of the British Empire is a BAFTA Awards, Primetime Emmy Award- winning and Academy Award - nominated United Kingdom screenwriter, music producer, actor and film director, known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, ''Bridget Jones's Diary , ''Notting Hill and '...
and composer Howard Goodall

Howard Goodall

Howard Goodall is a United Kingdom composer of musicals, choral music and music for television. He also presents music-based programming for television and radio....
, with whom he would continue to collaborate during his career.

Career

Television

After he went to university, Atkinson toured with Angus Deayton

Angus Deayton

Gordon Angus Deayton is an England actor, writer, musician, comedian and television presenter. He is best-known as the presenter of the satirical panel game Have I Got News for You, a job from which he was sacked in October 2002 after a second round of tabloid allegations about his personal life....
as his straight man

Double act

A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic device in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin, and profession, but drastically different personalities....
in an act that was eventually filmed for a television show. After the success of the show, he did a one-off pilot for ITV

ITV

ITV is a public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom television network of British television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC....
in 1976 called Canned Laughter
Canned Laughter (sitcom)

Rowan Atkinson presents...Canned Laughter was a one-off ITV sitcom featuring Rowan Atkinson broadcast on 8 April 1979. Atkinson plays three roles; the nerdy Robert Box , his sinister boss Mr....
. Atkinson then went on to do Not the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News

Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos and spoof...
, produced by his friend John Lloyd

John Lloyd (writer)

John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd is a United Kingdom comedy writer and television producer. He is the great nephew of John Hardress Lloyd....
. He starred on the show along with Pamela Stephenson

Pamela Stephenson

Pamela Stephenson Connolly is a New Zealand actress, comedian and clinical psychologist, now a resident of New York City, USA....
, Griff Rhys Jones

Griff Rhys Jones

Griffith Rhys Jones , better known as Griff Rhys Jones, is a Wales comedian, writer and actor. He came to national attention in the 1980s when he starred with Mel Smith in a number of Sketch comedy programmes on British TV....
and Mel Smith

Mel Smith

Mel Smith is an English people comedian, actor, film director, writer, and producer....
, and was one of the main sketch writers.

The success of Not the Nine O'Clock News led to his starring in the medieval sitcom The Black Adder
The Black Adder

The Black Adder is the first series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd ....
, which he also co-wrote with Richard Curtis

Richard Curtis

Ben Elton

Benjamin Charles Elton is an England comedian, author, playwright and Television director. He was a leading figure in the alternative comedy movement of the 1980's, while more recently he has become known for his work as a novelist....
, and first screened in 1986. Blackadder II
Blackadder II

Blackadder II is the second series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986....
followed the fortunes of one of the descendants of Atkinson's original character, this time in the Elizabethan era

Elizabethan era

The Elizabethan era is associated with Elizabeth I of England's reign and is often considered to be the Golden Age in History of England. It was the height of the English Renaissance and saw the flowering of English poetry and English literature....
. The same pattern was repeated in two sequels Blackadder the Third
Blackadder the Third

Blackadder the Third is the third series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 17 September to 22 October 1987....
(1987) (set in the Regency era

English Regency

The Regency period in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811 and 1820, when King George III of the United Kingdom was deemed unfit to rule and his son, later George IV of the United Kingdom, was instated to be his Regent as Prince Regent....
), and Blackadder Goes Forth
Blackadder Goes Forth

Blackadder Goes Forth is the fourth and final series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989....
(1989) (set in World War I

World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
). The Blackadder
Blackadder

Blackadder is the generic name that encompasses four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical British sitcom, along with several List of Blackadder episodes#See also....
series went on to become one of the most successful BBC situation comedies

Situation comedy

A situation comedy, usually referred to as a sitcom, is a genre of comedy programs which originated in radio. Today, sitcoms are found almost exclusively on television as one of its dominant narrative forms....
of all time, spawning television specials including Blackadder's Christmas Carol
Blackadder's Christmas Carol

Blackadder's Christmas Carol is a one-off episode of Blackadder, a parody of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is set between Blackadder the Third and Blackadder Goes Forth , and is narrated by Hugh Laurie....
(1988) and Blackadder: The Cavalier Years
Blackadder: The Cavalier Years

Blackadder: The Cavalier Years is a 15 minute one-off edition of Blackadder set during the English Civil War, shown as part of Comic Relief 's Red Nose Day on Friday 5 February ....
(1988).

Atkinson's other famous creation, the hapless Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean was a British comedy television series of 14 half-hour episodes starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were written by Rowan Atkinson, Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton....
, first appeared on New Years Day in 1990 in a half-hour special for Thames Television

Thames Television

Thames Television was a Broadcast license of the United Kingdom ITV television network, covering Greater London and parts of Home counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
. The character of Mr. Bean has been likened somewhat to a modern-day Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr. Order of the British Empire , better known as Charlie Chaplin, was an Academy Award-winning England comedy film actor and filmmaker....
. During this time, Atkinson appeared at the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs

Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec. It is the largest festival of its kind in the world. It was founded in 1983 by Gilbert Rozon as a two-day Francophone event....
comedy festival in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal, or Montr?al, is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada of Quebec and the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population....
in 1987 and 1989. Several sequels to Mr. Bean appeared on television in the 1990s, and it eventually made into a major motion picture in 1997. Entitled Bean
Bean (1997 film)

'Bean', also known as 'Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie' or 'Mr. Bean: The Movie' is a 1997 in film feature film based on the television series Mr....
, it was directed by Mel Smith, his former co-star from Not the Nine O'Clock News. A second movie was released in 2007 entitled Mr. Bean's Holiday.

Atkinson has fronted campaigns for Hitachi

Hitachi, Ltd.

is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology and services headquartered in Marunouchi Itchome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies....
electrical goods, Fujifilm

Fujifilm

is a Japanese company known for its photographic film and cameras. Fujifilm is the world?s largest photographic and imaging company . Fuji operates 223 subsidiary companies for research, manufacture and distribution of products, with manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, and the United States of America....
, and Give Blood. Most famously, he appeared as a hapless and error-prone espionage

Espionage

Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secrecy or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information....
agent in a long-running series for Barclaycard

Barclaycard

File:Barclaycard logo.gifBarclaycard is a global Credit provider owned by Barclays plc in the United Kingdom. The Barclaycard was the first credit card introduced in the UK, coming into service in 1966....
, on which character his title role in Johnny English
Johnny English

Johnny English is a British film comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre, released in 2003. It starred Rowan Atkinson as the incompetent United Kingdom spy of the title, with John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia and Ben Miller....
was based. In May 2008 he appeared in the BBC documentary series Comedy Map of Britain
Comedy Map of Britain

Comedy Map of Britain is a 2007 and 2008 BBC Documentary film series which visits the places that have inspired many of UK leading comedians.Narrated by veteran broadcaster Alan Whicker, comedians included in the two series include Angus Deayton, Anton Rodgers, Arthur Smith and Hale and Pace, Bill Bailey, Chris Moyles, the Chuckle Brothers...
.

Film

Atkinson's film career began in 1983 with a supporting part in the James Bond

James Bond

James Bond 007 is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections....
movie Never Say Never Again
Never Say Never Again

Never Say Never Again, released in 1983 in film by Orion Pictures and Warner Bros., is a non-EON Productions remake of the 1965 James Bond film, Thunderball ....
and a leading role in Dead on Time
Dead on Time (1983 film)

Dead on Time is a United Kingdom comedy movie, directed by Lyndall Hobbs and written by Richard Curtis....
with Nigel Hawthorne

Nigel Hawthorne

Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne Order of the British Empire was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister....
. He appeared in former Not the Nine O'Clock News co-star Mel Smith's directorial debut The Tall Guy
The Tall Guy

The Tall Guy is a 1989 in film romantic comedy and the feature film debut of screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Mel Smith. It was produced by London Weekend Television for theatrical release and stars Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, and Rowan Atkinson....
in 1989. He also appeared alongside Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston is an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning United Statesn actor and former fashion model.Huston became the third generation of her family to win an Oscar for her performance in 1985 in film's Prizzi's Honor, joining her father, director John Huston, and grandfather, actor Walter Huston....
and Mai Zetterling

Mai Zetterling

Mai Elisabeth Zetterling was a Swedish actress and film director.Zetterling was born in V?ster?s, V?stmanland, Sweden to a working class family....
in Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was a United Kingdom novelist, short story writer and screenwriter, born in Wales of Norwegian people parents. After service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, In which he became a flying ace, he rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both Children's literature and adults, and became one of the world's bes...
's The Witches in 1990. In 1993 he played the part of Dexter Hayman in Hot Shots! Part Deux
Hot Shots! Part Deux

Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 comedy Parody film, and a sequel to the 1991 comedy Hot Shots!Directed again by Jim Abrahams, the film again stars Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Valeria Golino, Richard Crenna, Brenda Bakke, Miguel Ferrer, Rowan Atkinson, and Jerry Haleva....
, a parody of Rambo III

Rambo III

Rambo III is a 1988 in film Cinema of the United States action film released on May 25, 1988. It is the third film in the Rambo series following First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II....
, starring Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen

Carlos Irwin Est?vez , better known as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. His character roles in films have included Chris Taylor in the 1986 Vietnam War drama Platoon and Bud Fox in 1987 film Wall Street ....
.

Atkinson, with his turn as a verbally bumbling vicar, gained further recognition in the 1994 hit Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral

Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 in film United Kingdom romantic comedy film directed by Mike Newell . It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant....
. That same year he featured in Walt Disney

Walt Disney

Walter Elias Disney was a multiple Academy Award-winning American film producer, film director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur and philanthropist....
's The Lion King
The Lion King

The Lion King is a American Animation film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures....
as Zazu the Hornbill

Hornbill

Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and sub-tropical Africa and Asia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-coloured and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible....
. Atkinson continued to appear in supporting roles in successful comedies, including Rat Race
Rat Race (film)

Rat Race is a 2001 in film Cinema of the United States comedy film directed by Jerry Zucker , and stars an ensemble cast featuring Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jon Lovitz, Lanei Chapman, Seth Green, Kathy Najimy, Vince Vieluf, John Cleese, Breckin Meyer, Kathy Bates, Gloria Allred, Wayne Knight, and Amy Smart....
(2001), Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo (film)

Scooby-Doo is a 2002 in film live action film based on the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon Scooby-Doo. The film was directed by Raja Gosnell and written by James Gunn and Craig Titley....
(2002), and Love Actually (2003).

In addition to his supporting roles, Atkinson has also had success as a leading man. His television character Mr. Bean debuted on the big screen in 1997 with Bean

Bean (1997 film)

'Bean', also known as 'Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie' or 'Mr. Bean: The Movie' is a 1997 in film feature film based on the television series Mr....
to international success. A sequel, Mr. Bean's Holiday, was released in March 2007 and may be the last time he plays the character. He has also starred in the James Bond parody Johnny English

Johnny English

Keeping Mum

Keeping Mum is a 2005 in film British black comedy film starring Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Maggie Smith.Plot Synopsis...
(2005, released in the U.S. in 2006) was a departure for Atkinson, starring in a straight role.

Comedic style
One of his better-known trademark comic devices
Comedic device

A comedic device is used in comedy to write humor in a common structure. They can become so common that they are difficult for writers to use without being perceived as Camp ....
is over-articulation of the "B" sound, such as his pronunciation of "Bob
Bob (Blackadder character)

Bob is a pseudonym used by two characters in the sitcom Blackadder, both female and played by Gabrielle Glaister....
" in a Blackadder

Blackadder

Blackadder is the generic name that encompasses four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical British sitcom, along with several List of Blackadder episodes#See also....
episode.

Atkinson's style is often visually-based. This visual style, which has been compared to Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr. Order of the British Empire , better known as Charlie Chaplin, was an Academy Award-winning England comedy film actor and filmmaker....
, sets Atkinson apart as most modern television and film comedies rely heavily on dialogue, and stand-up comedy is mostly based on monologues. This talent for visual comedy has led to Atkinson being called "the man with the rubber face": comedic reference was made to this in an episode of Blackadder the Third

Blackadder the Third

Blackadder the Third is the third series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 17 September to 22 October 1987....
, in which Baldrick
Baldrick

Baldrick is the name of several fictional characters featured in the television series Blackadder. Each one serves as Edmund Blackadder's servant and sidekick....
(Tony Robinson
Tony Robinson

Tony Robinson is an England actor, broadcasting and political campaigner, best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History....
) refers to his master, Mr. E. Blackadder
Mr. E. Blackadder

Edmund Blackadder, Esq. was the main character in the third television program of the BBC sitcom Blackadder. He was played by Rowan Atkinson....
, as a "lazy, big nosed, rubber-faced bastard".

Stage
In early 2008 it was confirmed that Atkinson would fulfil a lifelong ambition and take on the role of Fagin
Fagin

Fagin is a fictional character who appears in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel as a "receiver of stolen goods", but referred to more frequently within the actual story as the "merry old gentleman" or simply the "Jew"....
in Lionel Bart
Lionel Bart

Lionel Bart was a writer and composer of British pop music and musicals, best known for creating the book, music & lyrics for Oliver!...
's musical Oliver!

Oliver!

Oliver! is a United Kingdom Musical theater, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is loosely based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
which will be produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber

Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an England composer of musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber and also the brother of the renowned cellist Julian Lloyd Webber....
and Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh

Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a United Kingdom theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. He is described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York Times....
. He was quoted as saying, "In the 1980s I enjoyed doing a lot of West End theatre and since then have been distracted very much by Mr Bean and film-making. I had been thinking for some time about returning to the stage, and the idea of the role of Fagin has long intrigued me. I even had the part in a school production." The production will open for previews on 12 December 2008. The roles of Nancy and Oliver
Oliver Twist (character)

Oliver Twist is the protagonist of the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. He was the first child protagonist in an English language novel....
were selected by the British public in 2008 on the BBC talent show
Talent show

A talent show is a live performance spectacle where contestants perform acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, and other art forms. Talent shows have been around since the beginning of time....
-themed television series, I'd Do Anything

I'd Do Anything (BBC TV series)

I'd Do Anything was a 2008 in television talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom and broadcast on BBC One....
. Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger

Jodie Prenger is an English people actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008....
, Gwion Jones, Harry Stott
Harry Stott

Harry Stott , from Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, is a Great Britain stage and television actor. His theatre experience includes the role of Michael Banks in the West End theatre production of Mary Poppins for which he also sang in the cast recording....
and Laurence Jefcoate won the roles.

Personal life

Marriage and children
Atkinson married quietly at the Russian Tea Room
Russian Tea Room

The Russian Tea Room is a restaurant in New York City, located at 150 West 57th Street between Carnegie Hall Tower and Metropolitan Tower ....
in New York City, U.S., with Sunetra Sastry. The couple have two children, Benjamin Alexander Sebastian (b.1993) and Lily Grace (b.1993), and live in England in the Northamptonshire village of Apethorpe, as well as the Oxfordshire village of Waterperry and London.

Politics
In June 2005, Atkinson led a coalition of the UK's most prominent actors and writers, including Nicholas Hytner
Nicholas Hytner

Nicholas Robert Hytner is an English film and theatre producer and director, regarded by some as one of the most prolific and accomplished of his generation on either side of the Atlantic....
, Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry

Stephen John Fry is an England actor, comedian, author and television presenter. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster....
and Ian McEwan
Ian McEwan

Ian Russell McEwan, CBE, Royal Society of Arts, Royal Society of Literature, is a Booker Prize-winning England novelist and screenwriter....
, to the British Parliament in an attempt to force a review of the controversial Racial and Religious Hatred Bill
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006

The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which creates an offence of inciting hatred against a person on the grounds of their religion....
— on the grounds that the bill would give religious groups a "weapon of disproportionate power" whose threat would engender a culture of self-censorship among artists.

Cars
With an estimated wealth of £100 million, Atkinson is able to indulge his passion for cars
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
that began with driving his mother's Morris Minor
Morris Minor

The Morris Minor was a popular British motor car aimed at the family market. It was the work of a team led by Alec Issigonis, who would go on to design the successful Mini....
around the family farm. He has written for the British magazines Car and Evo

Evo Magazine

Evo is a United Kingdom automobile magazine dedicated to performance cars, from hot hatches to supercars. The first issue was produced in November 1998 as an unofficial successor to Performance Car, which had become part of Car Magazine....
.

Atkinson also holds a UK LGV
Large Goods Vehicle

Large Goods Vehicle , or category N2 and N3, is the formal term in the European Union for goods vehicles with a maximum allowed mass over 3.5 tonnes....
licence, gained because lorries held a fascination for him, and to ensure employment as a young actor.

A lover of and participant in car racing, he appeared as racing driver Henry Birkin
Henry Birkin

Sir Henry Ralph Stanley "Tim" Birkin, 3rd Baronet was a United Kingdom racing driver, one of the "Bentley Boys" of the 1920s....
in the television play Full Throttle in 1995. In 1991, he starred in the self-penned The Driven Man

The Driven Man (1991) (TV)

The Driven Man is a humorous documentary film written by British comedian and well-known car collector Rowan Atkinson, penned as a series of sketches featuring himself driving around London trying to solve his car-fetish, and discussing it with taxi drivers, policemen, used-car salesmen and psychotherapists....
, a series of sketches featuring Atkinson driving around London trying to solve his car-fetish, and discussing it with taxi drivers, policemen, used-car salesmen and psychotherapists.

Atkinson's car collection is dominated by Aston Martin
Aston Martin

Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill hillclimbing near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
s, including the DB7 Vantage
Aston Martin DB7

The Aston Martin DB7 is a grand tourer made by Aston Martin from September 1994 to December 2003. The grand tourer was available either as a coup? or a convertible and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1993....
used in Johnny English

Johnny English

Johnny English is a British film comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre, released in 2003. It starred Rowan Atkinson as the incompetent United Kingdom spy of the title, with John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia and Ben Miller....
. His Aston Martin V8 Zagato
Aston Martin V8 Zagato

The V8 Zagato model Aston Martin was a GT car of the 1980s. Just 52 examples each of the coupe and 37 of the convertible were to be built between 1986 and 1990....
, featuring a novelty registration plate, was driven by his character Ron Anderson in the film The Tall Guy

The Tall Guy

The Tall Guy is a 1989 in film romantic comedy and the feature film debut of screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Mel Smith. It was produced by London Weekend Television for theatrical release and stars Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, and Rowan Atkinson....
. Atkinson was cited for speeding in the car, just as Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum

Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum is an Academy Award-nominated United Statesn actor. He often portrays quirky, intense or eccentric characters. He is also known for his distinctive appearance and staccato delivery of lines....
's character was in the movie. He also received a driving ban as a result of the incident. He also races in his V8 Zagato, from which he escaped unhurt after crashing it into a barrier at an Aston Martin Owners Club
Aston Martin Owners Club

The Aston Martin Owners Club is one of the oldest car club, one of the largest with worldwide membership and one of the leaders.It was the late Mortimer Morris-Goodall, ?Mort? to many friends, who started it all....
event in Croft Circuit
Croft Circuit

Croft Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near Dalton-on-Tees in North Yorkshire, England. The tarmac circuit is just over long and is based on the lands of an airfield, but has long since moved on from being a basic airfield circuit....
in 2001. He is reported to have placed an advanced order for a Morgan
Morgan Motor Company

The Morgan Motor Company is a United Kingdom automobile manufacturer. The company was founded in 1909 by H.F.S. Morgan and was run by him until 1959....
Aero Max, which costs £110,000.

Atkinson has raced in other cars, including a Renault 5 GT Turbo
Renault 5 GT Turbo

The Renault 5 GT Turbo was a turbocharger hot hatch built by French automaker Renault. It was manufactured from 1985 to 1991....
for two seasons for its one make series
Renault Clio Cup

The Renault Clio Cup is a One-Design series created and managed by Renault Sport. As the name suggests, Renault Clio cars are used, and are grouped in 14 national championships and an International Cup....
. He owns one McLaren F1
McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 is a sports car designed and manufactured by Gordon Murray and McLaren Automotive. On March 31, 1998, it set the record for the fastest production car in the world, 240.1 mph , which it held until the introduction of the Bugatti Veyron in 2005....
, which was involved in an accident with an Austin Metro. Other cars he owns include an Audi A8
Audi A8

The Audi A8 is a full-size luxury vehicle built by the Germany automotive industry Audi, to replace the Audi V8 as its Flagship#Automotive. First brought to the market in 1994, most versions of the A8 have featured quattro permanent four-wheel drive as standard, as well as a multitronic or Tiptronic automatic transmission....
, and a Honda Civic Hybrid
Honda Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic Hybrid is a hybrid electric version of the Honda Civic sedan . Honda added a continuously variable transmission and an Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system similar to that of the Honda Insight, creating a fuel efficient hybrid Sedan ....
.

The Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative and Unionist Party, more commonly known as the Conservative Party, is a conservative political party in the United Kingdom....
politician Alan Clark
Alan Clark

Alan Kenneth Mackenzie Clark was a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician, historian and diarist. He also became a Privy Council of the United Kingdom, and was thus styled The Right Honourable Alan Clark, before which he held the courtesy title of The Honourable as the son of a peer....
, himself a devotee of classic motor cars, recorded in his published Diaries this chance meeting with a man he later realised was Atkinson while driving through Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in the South East England region, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire....
in May 1984: "Just after leaving the motorway at Thame I noticed a dark red DBS V8 Aston Martin on the slip road with the bonnet up, a man unhappily bending over it. I told Jane to pull in and walked back. A DV8 in trouble is always good for a gloat." Clark writes that he gave Atkinson a lift in his Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)

A Rolls-Royce car may refer to vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen....
to the nearest telephone box, but was disappointed in his bland reaction to being recognised, noting that: "he didn't sparkle, was rather disappointing and chetif."

One car Atkinson will not own is a Porsche
Porsche

Porsche SE or Porsche is a Germany automotive industry of luxury vehicle automobiles, which is majority-owned by the Porsche family and Pi?ch families....
: "I have a problem with Porsches. They're wonderful cars, but I know I could never live with one. Somehow, the typical Porsche people — and I wish them no ill — are not, I feel, my kind of people. I don't go around saying that Porsches are a pile of dung
Dung

Dung may refer to:* Dung, animal feces* Dung, Doubs, a commune in the Doubs department in France* Mundungus Fletcher , a character in Harry Potter...
, but I do know that psychologically I couldn't handle owning one."

Television appearances

The Secret Policeman's Ball
The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)

The Secret Policeman's Ball took place over four consecutive nights in London in June 1979. It was a successor to the 1976 show A Poke In The Eye and the 1977 show The Mermaid Frolics....
(1979), a charity special for Amnesty International
Amnesty International

Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated." Founded in London, England in 1961, AI draws its attention to human rights abuses and...
Not the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News

Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos and spoof...
(1979–1982)
Blackadder
Blackadder

Blackadder is the generic name that encompasses four series of an acclaimed BBC One historical British sitcom, along with several List of Blackadder episodes#See also....
as Prince Edmund (Series 1), Lord Blackadder (Series 2), Edmund Blackadder (Series 3 & 4) & Ebenezer Blackadder (Blackadder's Christmas Carol
Blackadder's Christmas Carol

Blackadder's Christmas Carol is a one-off episode of Blackadder, a parody of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is set between Blackadder the Third and Blackadder Goes Forth , and is narrated by Hugh Laurie....
) (1983-1989)
Saturday Live
Saturday Live

Saturday Live was a television chat show which was broadcast in Republic of Ireland on RT? One in the late 1980s. "Saturday Live" was created to fill the vacant Saturday night slot after the departure of Gay Byrne's "The Late Late Show" from Saturday to Friday nights....
in various roles (1985-1987)
Mr. Bean
Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean was a British comedy television series of 14 half-hour episodes starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were written by Rowan Atkinson, Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton....
as Mr. Bean (1989–1995, 1997, 2002, 2007)
Bernard and the Genie
Bernard and the Genie

Bernard and the Genie was a seventy-minute United Kingdom TV movie co-produced by Attaboy and Talkback Productions for BBC Television. It was first shown on BBC One on 23 November 1991....
as Bernard's Boss (1991) (TV movie)
Funny Business (1992), a documentary about the craft of comedy
The Thin Blue Line
The Thin Blue Line (TV series)

The Thin Blue Line was a United Kingdom British sitcom starring Rowan Atkinson set in a police station that lasted for two series from 1995 to 1996....
as Inspector Raymond Fowler(1995–1996)
Blackadder: Back and Forth as Blackadder (1999)
The Comic Relief Red Nose Day telecasts, including appearing in:

Blackadder: The Cavalier Years
Blackadder: The Cavalier Years

Blackadder: The Cavalier Years is a 15 minute one-off edition of Blackadder set during the English Civil War, shown as part of Comic Relief 's Red Nose Day on Friday 5 February ....
as Edmund Blackadder (1988)
Nosenight sketches (1989)
Mr Bean's Red Nose Day as Mr Bean (1991)
(I Wanna Be) Elected as Mr Bean (1992)
Blind Date with Mr Bean as Mr Bean (1993)
Torvill and Bean as Mr Bean (1995)
"Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death
Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death

Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death is a four-episode special of Doctor Who made for the Comic Relief charity telethon in the United Kingdom, and broadcast on BBC One on 12 March 1999....
" as The Doctor (1999)
Popsters as Nasty Neville (2001)
Lying to Michael Jackson as Martin Bashir (2003)
Spider-Plant Man
Spider-Plant Man

Spider-Plant Man is a parody of Spider-Man, made for the Comic Relief 2005 appeal and aired on BBC One on March 11, 2005. It featured Rowan Atkinson as Peter Piper/Spider-Plant Man and Rachel Stevens as his love-interest Jane-Mary ....
as Peter Piper and Spider-Plant Man (2005)
Mr Bean's Wedding as Mr Bean (2007)

We Are Most Amused
We Are Most Amused

We Are Most Amused is a gala event held at the New Wimbledon Theatre on Wednesday, November 12th 2008 in honour of the 60th birthday of Prince Charles, in aid of The Prince?s Trust....
(2008), a special show to celebrate Prince Charles' 60th birthday
Blackadder Rides Again as himself (2008)

Filmography

Year Title Role
1981
1981 in film

Events*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate , a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica Corporation to sell it....
Fundamental Frolics Himself
The Secret Policeman's Ball Various Roles
1982
1982 in film

for use in movie theaters.* Hugh Grant makes his film debut.*October 8th = Angelina Jolie makes her film debut as a child actress appearing with her father Jon Voight, in Lookin' to Get Out....
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball

The show took place in London in September 1981. It was a successor to the 1979 show The Secret Policeman's Ball .The show was directed by Monty Python alumnus John Cleese and produced by Martin Lewis & Peter Walker ....
Himself & Various Roles
1983
1983 in film

Events*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York...
Dead on Time Bernard Fripp
Never Say Never Again
Never Say Never Again

Never Say Never Again, released in 1983 in film by Orion Pictures and Warner Bros., is a non-EON Productions remake of the 1965 James Bond film, Thunderball ....
Nigel Small-Fawcett
1989
1989 in film

Events* "Batman " is released on June 23rd, and went on to become the biggest blockbuster of the year; Grossing over $250 million at the box office....
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings

The Appointments of Dennis Jennings is a short film directed by Dean Parisot, co-written by Mike Armstrong and Steven Wright and starring Steven Wright and Rowan Atkinson....
Dr. Schooner
The Tall Guy
The Tall Guy

The Tall Guy is a 1989 in film romantic comedy and the feature film debut of screenwriter Richard Curtis and director Mel Smith. It was produced by London Weekend Television for theatrical release and stars Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, and Rowan Atkinson....
Ron Anderson
1990
1990 in film

The year 1990 in film involved some significant events....
The Witches Mr. Stringer
1991
1991 in film

The year 1991 in film involved some significant events....
The Driven Man
The Driven Man (1991) (TV)

The Driven Man is a humorous documentary film written by British comedian and well-known car collector Rowan Atkinson, penned as a series of sketches featuring himself driving around London trying to solve his car-fetish, and discussing it with taxi drivers, policemen, used-car salesmen and psychotherapists....
Himself
1993
1993 in film

The year 1993 in film involved many significant films. ...
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Hot Shots! Part Deux

Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 comedy Parody film, and a sequel to the 1991 comedy Hot Shots!Directed again by Jim Abrahams, the film again stars Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Valeria Golino, Richard Crenna, Brenda Bakke, Miguel Ferrer, Rowan Atkinson, and Jerry Haleva....
Dexter Hayman
1994
1994 in film

The year 1994 in film involved some significant events....
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Four Weddings and a Funeral

Four Weddings and a Funeral is a 1994 in film United Kingdom romantic comedy film directed by Mike Newell . It was the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to feature Hugh Grant....
Father Gerald
The Lion King
The Lion King

The Lion King is a American Animation film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, released in theaters on June 15, 1994 by Walt Disney Pictures....
Zazu (voice)
1997
1997 in film

The year 1997 in film involved some significant events....
Bean
Bean (1997 film)

'Bean', also known as 'Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie' or 'Mr. Bean: The Movie' is a 1997 in film feature film based on the television series Mr....
Mr. Bean
2000
2000 in film

The year 2000 in film involved some significant events....
Maybe Baby Mr. James
2001
2001 in film

The year 2001 in film involved some significant events. ...
Rat Race
Rat Race

A rat race is a term used for an endless, self-defeating or pointless pursuit. It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape whilst running around a maze or in a wheel....
Enrico Pollini
2002
2002 in film

The year '2002 in film' involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Stuart Litt...
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo (film)

Scooby-Doo is a 2002 in film live action film based on the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon Scooby-Doo. The film was directed by Raja Gosnell and written by James Gunn and Craig Titley....
Emile Mondavarious
2003
2003 in film

The year '2003 in film' involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Freddy vs Jason, X2: X-Men Uni...
Johnny English
Johnny English

Johnny English is a British film comedy film parodying the James Bond secret agent genre, released in 2003. It starred Rowan Atkinson as the incompetent United Kingdom spy of the title, with John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia and Ben Miller....
Johnny English
Love Actually
Love Actually

Love Actually is a 2003 in film United Kingdom romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are linked as their tales progress....
Rufus
2005
2005 in film

The year 2005 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,The Devil's Rejects, Saw II, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, ''The Ring Two, ''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, ''xXx: State of the Union, ''Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous...
Keeping Mum
Keeping Mum

Keeping Mum is a 2005 in film British black comedy film starring Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Maggie Smith.Plot Synopsis...
Reverend Walter Goodfellow
2007
2007 in film

The year '2007 in film' saw major releases such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ,The Simpsons Movie, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Transformers , TMNT , Saw IV, and Live Free or Die Hard as well as releases of third installment films, such as: The Bourne Ultimatum , Pirates of the Caribbean:...
Mr. Bean's Holiday Mr. Bean

Live shows

Beyond a Joke (1978)

The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1981)
Rowan Atkinson (1981)
The Nerd (1984)
The New Revue (1986)
The Sneeze (1988)
Hysteria! Hysteria! Hysteria! (1988)
Live! From London (1988)
Origami for Prince of Wales' 40th Birthday (1988)
Hysteria 2 (1989)
Rowan Atkinson Live, a DVD release of a filmed 1991 performance in Boston

A Warm Welcome
Fatal Beatings
And Now From Nazareth, The Amazing...
Invisible Man
The Good Loser
Elementary Dating
Guys After The Game
It Started With A Sneeze
With Friends Like These...
Pink Tights & Plenty of Props
Tom , Dick and Harry
No One Called Jones

Prince of Wales' 50th Birthday - A Royal Birthday Celebration (1998)
The Royal Variety Performance (2000)

And Now From Nazareth, The Amazing... for We Are Most Amused - Prince of Wales' 60th Birthday (2008)
Oliver!
Oliver!

Oliver! is a United Kingdom Musical theater, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is loosely based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....
as Fagin 2008-2009

Discography

Albums

Rowan Atkinson Live in Belfast (1980, re-released 1996)
Not Just a Pretty Face
Not Just A Pretty Face

Not Just A Pretty Face is the debut album from Dustin the Turkey, released in 1994....
(comedy) (1987, re-released 1994)

Compilations

The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
Not The Nine O'Clock News – The Album (1980)
We Are Most Amused: The Best of British Comedy (1981)

Awards

Variety Club
Variety, the Children's Charity

Variety, the Children's Charity was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1927 when a group of eleven men involved in show business set up a social club which they named the "Variety Club"....
Award for BBC Personality of the Year - 1980
BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation....
Best Light Entertainment Performance - 1989

Rowan Atkinson

Early life

Career

Television

Film

Comedic style

Stage

Personal life

Marriage and children

Politics

Cars

Television appearances

Filmography

Live shows

Discography

Albums

Compilations

Awards

External links