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Mr Bean buys a new TV in hilarious sketch
Mr Bean is arguably one of the greatest British Sitcoms. Created and portrayed by Rowan Atkinson, the TV show was so popular, two live-action films were created as well as an animated spin-off.
2. Only 14 episodes of Mr. Bean were ever produced
Even the most dedicated fans have trouble reconciling the fact that only 14 episodes of the live-action series were ever produced. It did, of course, spawn two movies, an animated series (which returned to British television in 2015), a video game, and some books, including Mr. Bean’s Definitive and Extremely Marvelous Guide to France.
4. Rowan Atkinson has faith in his face
While the beginning of Mr. Bean started by looking in the mirror, Atkinson decided to put faith in what he was doing with his face following that first successful performance at Oxford. “In the sketch the following Sunday, I just went through a whole lot of facial expressions,” Atkinson said in a BBC World Service radio interview.
5. Love Actually director Richard Curtis developed Mr. Bean with Rowan Atkinson
Atkinson’s creative partner at the time, and the man who helped develop the character of Mr. Bean, was writer-director-producer Richard Curtis. The two collaborated on Not the Nine O’Clock News and Blackadder before Mr. Bean ever hit the airwaves.
8. Mr. Bean could have been named after another vegetable
It wasn’t until shortly before Mr. Bean hit the airwaves (and after production had already begun) that the character actually got his name. Originally, he was going to be called Mr. White. Then the show’s creators began throwing around some vegetable names, and considered Mr. Cauliflower before deciding on Mr. Bean.
10. Rowan Atkinson thinks Mr. Bean is an anarchist
Atkinson often refers to the character of Mr. Bean as “a child in a grown man’s body.” And in a 2003 interview with IGN, he called him “sort of such a natural anarchist. But at the same time, Mr.
12. Mr. Bean performed at the Olympics
When London hosted the Summer Olympics in 2012, Mr. Bean was on hand for the opening ceremony, where he ushered in the games with a rendition of “ Chariots of Fire .”
Act 1: The Exam
Mr. Bean is late for a mathematics exam and speeds past a blue Reliant Regal in his Mini (which would become a running gag later throughout the series), running it off the road and nearly overturning it in the process.
Act 2: The Beach
After his exam, Bean heads to the Peacehaven beach, running the Reliant Regal off the road once again in the process. Reaching the beachfront, he looks forward to his swim in the sea but finds himself unable to change into his swimming trunks without exposing himself to a man ( Roger Sloman) wearing sunglasses sitting in a nearby deckchair.
Act 3: The Church
After his beach outing, Bean attends a church service, pushing out the Reliant from its parking space near to the Stanmer Church. Heading inside, he arrives as the opening hymn, Eternal Father, Strong to Save, has finished and takes a seat next to Mr. Sprout ( Richard Briers ).
Awards and legacy
The pilot won the 1990 Golden Rose award, with the church sketch later performed live by both Rowan Atkinson and Angus Deayton as part of a comedy tour in 1991. This same sketch inspired the storyline for "Ray of Sunshine" from Mr. Bean: The Animated Series .
An auspicious beginning
To fully understand where Atkinson has gone, it'll help to understand where he started. After all, he wasn't always the class clown we might assume. He actually studied electrical engineering while at university. Theater was more of a side project—until it wasn't.
The dawn of Bean
After spending the better part of the '80s in period garb, Atkinson saw his career take off when he donned the common clothing of an everyday Englishman for Mr. Bean. First appearing in 1990 for a Thames Television New Year's Day special, Atkinson's hapless but lovable buffoon was the sort of character that U.K.
He definitely did not die
Trust us, Rowan Atkinson is very much alive. The hearts of Mr. Bean fans worldwide skipped a collective beat in March of 2017, when reports surfaced of his death via car crash —a story that didn't seem so far-fetched, as Atkinson has long been a car enthusiast, even racing them himself on occasion.
But he has flirted with death on occasion
That being said, those rumors of Atkinson having cheated death a couple of times are very true, and 2001 in particular proved a dangerous year. His first brush with mortality came on a return flight from vacation in Africa, when the plane's pilot passed out halfway home and couldn't be revived.
And he did get that quickie divorce
After sharing two decades of marriage—as well as two children—Atkinson and his wife Sunetra Sastry separated in 2014. Of course, matters became a little more dire for the marriage once news of Atkinson's ongoing romance with 32-year-old The Windsors star Louise Ford broke.
The funnyman has also gotten political
Though Atkinson became a star by playing a near-silent character, he's never been shy about making his voice heard in the realm of U.K. politics. It should come as no surprise that his political passions are particularly focused on the topic of free speech. After all, what could be more important for a comedian?
He's gotten serious on the small screen too
Though Atkinson's foes have learned to take him seriously when it comes to politics, his fans are still learning to do so when it comes to his acting. Many were caught off guard when he landed the lead role in the 2016 TV movie Maigret Sets A Trap.
