George (Blackadder)

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George is a supporting character who appeared in various adaptations of the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

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sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four period British sitcoms, plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC One from 1983 to 1989. All television episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as the antihero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robins ...

'', played by

Hugh Laurie James Hugh Calum Laurie (; born 11 June 1959) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and musician. He first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. The two men acted together in a ...

. Two series saw a different incarnation of the character, because each was set in a different period of history. He was most prominently featured in the

third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...

and fourth series. The character was added to the series as a replacement for the

Lord Percy Percy This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. ''Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowa ...

character, who did not appear in the third instalment because

Tim McInnerny Tim McInnerny ( ; born 18 September 1956) is an English actor. He is known for his many roles on stage and television, including as Lord Percy Percy and Captain Darling in the 1980s British sitcom ''Blackadder''. Early life McInnerny was born ...

, the actor playing him, feared being

typecast In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ...

. The first incarnation of the character was a caricature of George, Prince of Wales, serving as one of the three main characters of the third series. The second, Lt. The Hon. George Colthurst St Barleigh, was a young officer in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, a supporting protagonist in the fourth series. Both portrayals were of "dim-witted upper-class twits", who depended greatly on

Edmund Blackadder Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Britis ...

(

Rowan Atkinson Rowan Sebastian Atkinson (born 6 January 1955) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He played the title roles on the sitcoms '' Blackadder'' (1983–1989) and ''Mr. Bean'' (1990–1995), and the film series ''Johnny English'' (2003–201 ...

). The character garnered positive responses from critics.

Personality

Both Prince George and Lt. George are portrayed as dim-witted "upper class twits". The son of

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

, Prince George is represented as a childish, spoiled, bumbling fool who spends money extravagantly (especially on impressive trousers and socks). Lieutenant George, stationed in the trenches of

, retains his enthusiastic naiveté, despite being stuck in the trenches for three years, revealing a lack of awareness of the seriousness of his circumstances; Robert Bianco of ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'' stated the character "smiles through in the face of certain death". Both men are portrayed as very incompetent, in "

Nob and Nobility "Nob and Nobility" is the third episode of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder the Third'', the third series of ''Blackadder''. Plot Edmund is disgusted with the English obsession over the Scarlet Pimpernel, the masked vigilante who has saved so many ...

", it takes Prince George a week to put on a pair of trousers by himself, eventually putting them on his head. George relies heavily on his butler,

Mr. E. Blackadder Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series ''Blackadder'', each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of Britis ...

Esq., even while Blackadder despises George for his stupidity. While George is considered "moronic" and "idiotic", as well as completely self-absorbed, he is helpful and loyal, and is aware he is not very intelligent, describing himself as "thick as a whale omelette". In a 2008 retrospective, co-star

Stephen Fry Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...

said George's keenness for self-improvement was one of the things he felt made the character likeable. In "

Duel and Duality "Duel and Duality" is the sixth and final episode of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder the Third'', the third series of ''Blackadder''. Plot Prince George has finally had a sexual encounter, but to Blackadder's astonishment, it emerges that it was w ...

," the final episode of the third series, after a sexual encounter with the Duke of Wellington's nieces, this princely incarnation of George is struck by a point-blank shot from the vengeful Wellington's pistol and killed. George briefly awakes, believing that he may have a cigarillo case on him that deflected the blow, but when he realises that he must have left the case at home, promptly falls dead again in Baldrick's arms; Blackadder, disguised as the Prince Regent in order to take his place in the duel with Wellington, takes George's place to become

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

. George's incarnation as Lieutenant

The Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...

George Colthurst St. Barleigh MC, in ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', is a frontline officer. His character draws a lot of similarities to the naive 2nd Lt. Raleigh from

R C Sherriff Robert Cedric Sherriff, FSA, FRSL (6 June 1896 – 13 November 1975) was an English writer best known for his play ''Journey's End'', which was based on his experiences as an army officer in the First World War. He wrote several plays, many nov ...

's 1928 play ''

Journey's End ''Journey's End'' is a 1928 dramatic play by English playwright R. C. Sherriff, set in the trenches near Saint-Quentin, Aisne, towards the end of the First World War. The story plays out in the officers' dugout of a British Army infantry comp ...

''; as well as being strongly reminiscent in both manner and personality of

Bertie Wooster Bertram Wilberforce Wooster is a fictional character in the comedic Jeeves stories created by British author P. G. Wodehouse. An amiable English gentleman and one of the "idle rich", Bertie appears alongside his valet, Jeeves, whose intelligenc ...

(as whom Laurie would later go on to appear). George joined the army on the first day of World War I, along with nine other students at

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. The ten men named themselves the

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

tiddlywinks Tiddlywinks is a game played on a flat felt mat with sets of small discs called "winks", a pot, which is the target, and a collection of squidgers, which are also discs. Players use a "squidger" (nowadays made of plastic) to shoot a wink int ...

, or the "Trinity Tiddlers". It is revealed later, in the fourth series' finale, that George is the only surviving member of the group. Although he lacks any kind of skill, competence, or authority as an officer, his upper-class status and educational background meant he went straight into the commissioned ranks upon enlisting. George is shown to have a special friendship with

General Melchett This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. '' Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Ro ...

(Fry), an old family friend with whom he shares his public school "tally-ho" attitude towards the war. Melchett even offers George a way out of the trenches for the "final push", which he refuses, much to Blackadder's incredulity. Although George is shown to have benefited from his background of privilege, he still remains a generally kind and hopeful individual, and shortly before the big push at the end of the final episode George finally expresses some genuine fear and sadness that he may indeed die. In the 1989 sketch Shakespeare Sketch Laurie portrays a very George-like

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

. Lord Blackadder is his agent and manages to persuade him to condense his new play ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

''.

Awards and decorations

In the series, Lieutenant George is seen wearing the following ribbons:

Development

, who had starred in ''

The Black Adder ''The Black Adder'' is the first series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, directed by Martin Shardlow and produced by John Lloyd. The series was originally aired on BBC 1 from 15 June 1983 to 20 Ju ...

'' and ''

Blackadder II ''Blackadder II'' is the second series of the BBC sitcom '' Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986. The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–16 ...

'' as

, was afraid to be typecast in comedic roles and decided not to appear in the third instalment of ''Blackadder'', though he did appear in the episode "

", as Lord Topper, a snobbish aristocrat who claims to be

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

, and returned in the fourth series playing

Captain Kevin Darling This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. ''Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Rowa ...

. The Prince George character was created as a new "incompetent sidekick" for the title character. He was modelled on

George IV of the United Kingdom George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

, who served as

prince regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch regnant, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness ...

between 1811 and 1820. Laurie had previously guest starred in the final two episodes of ''Blackadder II'', and the producers decided to cast him in the role of Prince George. Laurie's physical appearance differed significantly from that of George IV, who was obese during the time of his regency. Writers

Ben Elton Benjamin Charles Elton (born 3 May 1959) is an English comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. He was a part of London's alternative comedy movement of the 1980s and became a writer on the sitcoms '' The Young Ones'' and ''Bla ...

and

Richard Curtis Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis (born 8 November 1956) is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them '' ...

were unfazed by this, referring to George as "a fat, flatulent

git Git () is a distributed version control system: tracking changes in any set of files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers collaboratively developing source code during software development. Its goals include speed, data in ...

", an appropriate description for the real Prince rather than Laurie. Laurie was supposed to wear a

monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...

as Lt. George, the character's second incarnation, but eventually decided against it after it kept falling out of his eye. Laurie reprised the role of Prince George in the Christmas special ''

Blackadder's Christmas Carol ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'', a one-off episode of ''Blackadder'', is a parody of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ''A Christmas Carol''. It is set between ''Blackadder the Third'' (1987) and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' (1989), and is narrated b ...

'', and portrayed a new character, Lord Pigmot, set in the distant future. He also appeared in the millennium special '' Blackadder: Back & Forth'', playing the Roman Consul Georgius and the modern day Major George Bufton-Tufton, The Viscount Bufton-Tufton. Although no new series or specials were made, the creators of the series have commented on various proposals over the years; one possibility was a film in which the main characters return as a 1960s' rock band, with George playing the guitar and keyboard. Curtis later said Laurie's international success with ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

'' would make a new ''Blackadder'' installment difficult.

Reception

George, as well as Laurie, drew positive responses from critics. Tara Ariano and

Sarah Bunting Sarah D. Bunting, also known online as Sars, is known as an American writer and journalist, and a co-founder of Television Without Pity (TWoP). She has written for a number of magazines and journals, and has received coverage for her website Tom ...

Television Without Pity Television Without Pity (often abbreviated TWoP) was a website that provided detailed recaps of select television dramas, situation comedies and reality TV shows along with discussion forums. These recaps were written with sarcastic criticism an ...

considered Laurie one of the best actors in the series' cast. Richard Barber of ''

People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...

'' lauded Laurie's performance as George as "hilarious" and "brilliant". David Smith of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' highlighted the

pathos Pathos (, ; plural: ''pathea'' or ''pathê''; , for "suffering" or "experience") appeals to the emotions and ideals of the audience and elicits feelings that already reside in them. Pathos is a term used most often in rhetoric (in which it is c ...

of the performance, writing that Laurie's performance as Lt. George, as he was about to go over the top to his death, "elicited tears of both laughter and grief".

References

{{Good article Blackadder characters Fictional English people Fictional princes Fictional lieutenants Fictional World War I veterans Cultural depictions of George IV Fictional viscounts and viscountesses Television characters introduced in 1987 Male characters in television Participants of the Christmas truce of 1914