''Mr. Bean'' is a
British sitcom
A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for British television.
Most British sitcoms are recorded on studio sets, while some have an element of location filming. A handful are made almost exclusively on location ...
created by
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 ...
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 '' ...
, produced by
Tiger Aspect
Tiger Aspect Productions (formerly known as Tiger Television from 1988 until 1993 and also known as Tiger Aspect Films for theatrical films) is a British television and film production company, particularly noted for its situation comedies. Fo ...
and starring Atkinson as the
title character
The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...
. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and
Robin Driscoll
Robin Driscoll (born 28 June 1957) is a British actor and writer. He is best known as a writer of ''Mr. Bean'' episodes with Rowan Atkinson.
He and Atkinson are close friends; they appeared in '' Funny Business'' (1992). As an actor, Driscoll a ...
; for the
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
, it was co-written by
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 ...
. The series was originally broadcast on
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
, beginning with the pilot on 1 January 1990
and ending with "
The Best Bits of Mr. Bean
"The Best Bits of Mr. Bean" is the fifteenth episode, compilation and series finale of the British television series ''Mr. Bean'', produced by Tiger Aspect Productions and Thames Television for Central Independent Television. It was first broadc ...
" on 15 December 1995.
Based on a character originally developed by Atkinson while he was studying for his master's degree at the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
, the series centres on
Mr. Bean
''Mr. Bean'' is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, produced by Tiger Aspect and starring Atkinson as the title character. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and R ...
, described by Atkinson as "a child in a grown man's body", as he solves various problems presented by everyday tasks and often causes disruption in the process.
The series has been influenced by
physical comedy
Physical comedy is a form of comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any ...
actors such as
Jacques Tati
Jacques Tati (; born Jacques Tatischeff, ; 9 October 1907 – 5 November 1982) was a French mime, film-maker, actor and screenwriter. In an ''Entertainment Weekly'' poll of the Greatest Movie Directors, he was voted the 46th greatest of all time ...
and those from early
silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
s.
[
During its original five-year run, ''Mr. Bean'' met with widespread acclaim and attracted large television audiences. The series was viewed by 18.74 million viewers for the episode " The Trouble with Mr. Bean" and has received a number of international awards, including the ]Rose d'Or
The Rose d'Or ('Golden Rose') is an international awards festival in entertainment broadcasting and programming. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) first acquired the Rose d’Or in 1961, when it was created by Swiss Television in the lakes ...
. The series has since been sold in 245 territories worldwide. It has inspired an animated spin-off and two theatrical feature-length films along with Atkinson reprising his role as Mr. Bean for a performance at the London 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, television commercials and several sketches for Comic Relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
. The programme carries strong appeal in hundreds of territories worldwide because, in addition to the acclaim from its original run, it uses very little intelligible dialogue, making it accessible to people who know little or no English.
Origin
The character of Mr. Bean
''Mr. Bean'' is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, produced by Tiger Aspect and starring Atkinson as the title character. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and R ...
was developed while 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 ...
was studying for his master's degree in electrical engineering at The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. The college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield in honour of Philippa of Hainault. It is distinguished by its pred ...
. A sketch featuring Bean was shown at the Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...
in the early 1980s.[ A similar character called Robert Box, also played by Atkinson, appeared in the one-off 1979 ITV sitcom '']Canned Laughter
A laugh track (or laughter track) is a separate soundtrack for a recorded comedy show containing the sound of audience laughter. In some productions, the laughter is a live audience response instead; in the United States, where it is most common ...
'' which also featured routines used in the motion picture in 1997.
One of Bean's earliest appearances occurred at the " Just for Laughs" comedy festival in Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, in 1987. When programme coordinators were scheduling him into the festival programme, Atkinson insisted that he perform on the French-speaking bill rather than the English-speaking programme. Having no French dialogue in his act at all, programme coordinators could not understand why Atkinson wanted to perform on the French bill instead. As it turned out, Atkinson's act at the festival was a test platform for his character and he wanted to see how his character's physical comedy would fare on an international stage with a non-English speaking audience.[Interview with Rowan Atkinson](_blank)
at justforlaughs.com. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
The character's name was not decided until after the first episode had been produced; a number of other vegetable-influenced names such as "Mr. Cauliflower" were explored. Atkinson cited the earlier comedy character Monsieur Hulot
Monsieur Hulot is a character created and played by French comic Jacques Tati for a series of films in the 1950s and '60s, namely '' Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot'' (1953), '' Mon Oncle'' (1958), ''Playtime'' (1967) and ''Trafic'' (1971). The c ...
, created by French comedian and director Jacques Tati
Jacques Tati (; born Jacques Tatischeff, ; 9 October 1907 – 5 November 1982) was a French mime, film-maker, actor and screenwriter. In an ''Entertainment Weekly'' poll of the Greatest Movie Directors, he was voted the 46th greatest of all time ...
, as an influence on the character. Atkinson also cited the influence of Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...
, who had previously played similar "fumbling fool" characters, notably Hrundi Bakshi
''The Party'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Peter Sellers and Claudine Longet. The film has a very loose structure, and essentially serves as a series of set pieces for Sellers's improvisational comedy ...
in '' The Party'' (1968) and Inspector Clouseau
Inspector Jacques Clouseau (), later granted the rank of Chief Inspector, is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' farcical '' The Pink Panther'' series. He is portrayed by Peter Sellers in the original series, and also by Alan Arkin in ...
in ''The Pink Panther
''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the classic film '' The Pi ...
'' films. Stylistically, ''Mr. Bean'' is also similar to early silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
s, relying purely upon physical comedy
Physical comedy is a form of comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any ...
with Mr. Bean speaking very little dialogue (although like other live-action sitcoms during this period, it featured a laugh track
A laugh track (or laughter track) is a separate soundtrack for a recorded comedy show containing the sound of audience laughter. In some productions, the laughter is a live audience response instead; in the United States, where it is most common ...
). This has allowed the series to be sold worldwide without any significant changes to dialogue. In November 2012, Atkinson told ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' of his intentions to retire the character, stating that "someone in their fifties being childlike becomes a little sad." In 2016, however, Atkinson changed his mind by saying that he would never retire playing Mr. Bean.
Characters and recurring props
Mr. Bean
The title character and main protagonist, played by 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 ...
, is a childish buffoon
A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...
who brings various unusual schemes and contrivances to everyday tasks. He lives alone at the address of Flat 2, 12 Arbour Road, Highbury
Highbury is a district in North London and part of the London Borough of Islington
in Greater London that was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Roads.
The manor house was sit ...
, and is almost always seen in his trademark tweed
Tweed is a rough, woollen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is usually woven with a plain weave, twill or herringbone structure. Colour effects in the yarn may be obtained ...
jacket and a skinny red tie. He also usually wears a digital calculator watch. Mr Bean rarely speaks, and when he does, it is generally only a few mumbled words which are in a comically low-pitched voice. His first name (he names himself "Bean" to others) and profession, if any, are never mentioned. In the first film adaptation, "Mr" appears on his passport in the "first name" field and he is shown employed as a guard at London's National Gallery
The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...
.
Mr Bean often seems unaware of basic aspects of the way the world works, and the programme usually features his attempts at what would normally be considered simple activities, such as going swimming, using a television set, interior decorating
Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordin ...
or going to church. The humour largely comes from his original (and often absurd) solutions to problems and his total disregard for others when solving them, and his pettiness and occasional malevolence.
In the title sequence of episode two, Mr Bean falls from the sky in a beam of light accompanied by a choir singing ''Ecce homo qui est faba'' ("Behold the man who is a bean") which was sung by the Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral ( ) or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge. It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwar ...
choir in 1990. The opening sequence was initially in black and white in episodes two and three
3 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
3, three, or III may also refer to:
* AD 3, the third year of the AD era
* 3 BC, the third year before the AD era
* March, the third month
Books
* '' Three of Them'' (Russian: ', literally, "three"), a 1901 ...
, which was intended by the producers to show his status as an "ordinary man cast into the spotlight". However, later episodes showed Mr Bean dropping from the night sky in a deserted London street against the backdrop of St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London and is a Grad ...
. At the end of episodes three and six
6 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
6 or six may also refer to:
* AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era
* 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era
* The month of June
Science
* Carbon, the element with atomic number 6
* 6 Hebe, an asteroid
People ...
, he is also shown being sucked right back up into the sky in the respective background scenes (the black scene in episode 3 and street scene in episode 6). Regarding the opening credits, Atkinson has acknowledged that Bean "has a slightly alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
aspect to him". In the '' Mr. Bean: The Animated Series'' episode "Double Trouble", the alien aspect of him was used in a storyline in which he is taken inside a spacecraft with aliens who look exactly like him and even have their own plushy toys. In an obvious homage towards the end, the aliens send him back home in a beam of light and music similar to the opening of the original ''Mr Bean'' series. Whether Bean is an extraterrestrial is not made clear.
Irma Gobb
Mr. Bean's long-suffering girlfriend, Irma Gobb (played by Matilda Ziegler
Matilda Ziegler (born 23 July 1964) is an English actress, best known for her roles as Donna Ludlow in ''EastEnders'', Irma Gobb in '' Mr. Bean'', and Pearl Pratt in ''Lark Rise to Candleford''.
Television and film career
Ziegler's first screen ...
), appears in three episodes. In " The Curse of Mr. Bean" and " Mr. Bean Goes to Town", the character is simply credited as "the girlfriend". She is treated relatively inconsiderately by Bean, who appears to regard her more as a friend and companion rather than as a love interest. However, he does become jealous when she dances with another man at a disco in "Mr. Bean Goes to Town", and she certainly expects him to propose to her on Christmas Day in " Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean"; his failure to do so results in her leaving him for good. Despite this, she later reappears in '' Mr. Bean: The Animated Series''. It is revealed in the book ''Mr. Bean's Diary'' that Bean met Irma Gobb at a local library. Ziegler has also played a waitress, a mother and a policewoman.
In the Comic Relief sketch "Torvill & Bean", Bean is accompanied by a female companion portrayed by Sophie Thompson
Sophie Thompson (born 20 January 1962) is a British actress who has worked in film, television and theatre. A six-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the London revival of ''Into the Woods' ...
whose overall appearance resembles Gobb's.
Teddy
Teddy is Mr. Bean's teddy bear
A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy b ...
and, apparently, best friend. This little brown bear is a knitted oddity with button eyes and sausage-shaped limbs which invariably end up broken in half or in various other states of destruction and disfiguration. Although Teddy is inanimate, Mr. Bean often pretends it is alive: he always buys it a Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
present or tries not to wake it up in the morning. For example, when Mr. Bean hypnotizes Teddy, he snaps his fingers and the bear's head falls backwards as if it had fallen asleep instantly. (Bean used his finger to prop Teddy's head up.) Teddy is often privy to Mr. Bean's various schemes and doubles as a tool or other items in emergencies; it has been decapitated ("Mr. Bean in Room 426
"Mr. Bean in Room 426" is the eighth episode of the British television series '' Mr. Bean'', produced by Tiger Television and Thames Television for Central Independent Television. It was first broadcast on ITV on 17 February 1993 and was watc ...
"), used as his paint brush (" Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean") and shrunk in the wash (" Tee Off, Mr. Bean"). Teddy is also Mr. Bean's "pet" in "Hair by Mr. Bean of London
"Hair by Mr. Bean of London" is the fourteenth episode of the British television series '' Mr. Bean'', produced by Tiger Aspect Productions in association with Thames Video in 1995. It was first released on VHS as an exclusive direct-to-video e ...
" where he is used to win a pet show.
Over the years, Teddy has undergone several changes. When it debuted on " The Trouble with Mr. Bean", it had a smaller head. Two episodes later, its head reached its current size but its "eyes" were not present until Bean placed gold thumb tack
A drawing pin (in British English) or thumb tack (in North American English) is a short nail or pin used to fasten items to a wall or board for display and intended to be inserted by hand, usually using the thumb. A variety of names is used ...
s on its face. The "eyes" have since been replaced with two small white buttons sewn over Teddy's face, giving it a distinctive image.
After filming ended, Teddy was donated by Atkinson to Gyles Brandreth
Gyles Daubeney Brandreth (born 8 March 1948) is an English broadcaster, writer and former politician. He has worked as a television presenter, theatre producer, journalist, author and publisher.
He was a presenter for TV-am's '' Good Morning ...
's Teddy bear museum
A teddy bear museum is a museum about teddy bears. There are many teddy bear museums around the world.
The world's first Teddy Bear Museum was based in Petersfield, Hampshire, England. It was founded by Judy Sparrow in 1984, and housed a collecti ...
in Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...
. In 2008 upon the museum's closing, Teddy was sold at auction for £180.
The Mini
Mr Bean's vehicle, a citron-green 1977 British Leyland
British Leyland was an automotive engineering and manufacturing conglomerate formed in the United Kingdom in 1968 as British Leyland Motor Corporation Ltd (BLMC), following the merger of Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings. It was partl ...
Mini
The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...
1000 Mark 4 with a matte black bonnet
A Bonnet is a variety of headgear, hat or cap
Specific types of headgear referred to as "bonnets" may include
Scottish
* Blue bonnet, a distinctive woollen cap worn by men in Scotland from the 15th-18th centuries And its derivations:
** Fea ...
, was central to several antics such as Bean getting dressed in it, driving while sitting in an armchair strapped to the roof or attempting to avoid a car park fee by driving out through the entrance. In the pilot episode, Bean's vehicle was originally an orange 1969 BMC Morris Mini 1000 Mark 2 (registration
Register or registration may refer to:
Arts entertainment, and media Music
* Register (music), the relative "height" or range of a note, melody, part, instrument, etc.
* ''Register'', a 2017 album by Travis Miller
* Registration (organ), th ...
RNT 996H) but was accidentally destroyed in an off-screen crash at the end. Throughout the sitcom, Bean keeps it locked with a bolt-latch and padlock
Padlocks are portable locks with a shackle that may be passed through an opening (such as a chain link, or hasp staple) to prevent use, theft, vandalism or harm.
Naming and etymology
The term ''padlock'' is from the late fifteenth century. T ...
rather than the lock fitted to the car, which formed a running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are no ...
in several episodes; in two episodes, he demonstrated an additional and innovative security measure in that he removes the steering wheel instead of the key which in one episode deterred a car thief. In " Back to School Mr. Bean", Bean's Mini is crushed by a tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...
as part of a demonstration after he replaced an identical Mini (registration ACW 497V) meant for the demonstration with his own to secure a parking space. After losing it, he removes his padlock and bolt-latch from the remains. Although the Mini has been crushed, it nonetheless reappears in subsequent episodes with the same colours and registration number (SLW 287R) as the car that has been crushed.
There were three Minis painted green and black used in the series, as well as two others painted with the same colour scheme but with no engine that got crushed by the tank. One of the main cars was also crushed by the tank. During filming many parts were swapped from car to car throughout production, including bonnets, wheel trims, grilles, steering wheels, rear lights, occasionally the driver's door, and the seat covers.
After filming ended, one of the original Minis was sold to Kariker Kars to be hired for various events whereupon it was temporarily displayed as a major attraction at the Rover Group's museum. In 1997, it was purchased by the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods.
The year 1886 is regarded as t ...
and displayed for a number of years, later being sold on to a museum in the United States. The main Mini is privately owned and nearing the end of restoration in the south of England.
To promote ''Mr. Bean: The Animated Series'', a replica of the Mini with the registration number DRW 221T was used. This Mini is currently on display at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu
The National Motor Museum (originally the Montagu Motor Museum) is a museum in the village of Beaulieu, set in the heart of the New Forest, in the English county of Hampshire.
History
The museum was founded in 1952 by Edward Douglas-Scott- ...
. The London Motor Museum also has a replica on display.
The Mini was going to appear in the first film adaptation of the series under the registration C607 EUW. In the film, Mr. Bean drives his Mini through Harrods
Harrods Limited is a department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It is currently owned by the state of Qatar via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. The Harrods brand also applies to other ...
in order to avoid a traffic jam. Although the sequence was filmed, it was not included in the final cut. In June 2018, the Mini from the first film was sold for US$70,000. The Mini eventually had its debut on the big screen when it was featured in the film ''Mr. Bean's Holiday
''Mr. Bean's Holiday'' is a 2007 comedy film directed by Steve Bendelack and written by Hamish McColl and Robin Driscoll, from a story penned by Simon McBurney. Based on the British sitcom series ''Mr. Bean'' created by Rowan Atkinson and Richar ...
'' under the registration YGL 572T. Unlike the previous Minis before (which were Austin Citron green), the Mini in the film is 'Nissan Amarillo Yellow'. The film also featured a second version of the Mini with the same colour scheme but with left-hand drive, driven by the female character Sabine befriended by Bean (played by Emma de Caunes
Emma de Caunes (born 9 September 1976) is a French actress.
Life and career
De Caunes was born in Paris on 9 September 1976 as the daughter of actor and director Antoine de Caunes and director and graphic designer Gaëlle Royer. Her paternal gra ...
).
The Mini reappeared in ''Mr. Bean: The Animated Series'' under the registration STE 952R. In 2015, Mr. Bean returned in a sketch for Comic Relief in which he drives his Mini to attend a funeral. This Mini bore the same registration as the one in the animated spin-off.
The Reliant
Since the pilot episode, Mr. Bean has had a long-running feud with the unseen driver of a three-wheeled, light-blue 1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III (registration GRA 26K), which would usually get turned over, crashed out of its parking space and so forth by Bean in his Mini, who is usually oblivious to the results. These mishaps also became a running gag throughout the series. In " Tee Off, Mr. Bean", Bean is hitchhiking and the Reliant pulls over for him but Bean, who recognizes the car, pretends to not see it until it leaves.
The Reliant reappears in ''Mr. Bean: The Animated Series'' under the registration 'DUW 742', again victimized by Mr. Bean in his Mini. In the episode "Young Bean", the identity of the Reliant driver is revealed for the first time. In the episode "Car Wars", after being abused by Mr. Bean for many years, the driver becomes angry and fed up, and decides to get his revenge.
Other characters
Although Mr. Bean is the only significant character in the programme, others appear usually as foils for his various antics. Other than his girlfriend Irma Gobb (Matilda Ziegler
Matilda Ziegler (born 23 July 1964) is an English actress, best known for her roles as Donna Ludlow in ''EastEnders'', Irma Gobb in '' Mr. Bean'', and Pearl Pratt in ''Lark Rise to Candleford''.
Television and film career
Ziegler's first screen ...
), there are more characters in each episode. However several notable British actors and comedians appear alongside Atkinson in the series as various one-off supporting characters, including Owen Brenman
Owen Brenman (born 17 December 1956, in London) is an English actor best known for his role as next-door neighbour Nick Swainey in the multi-award-winning BBC sitcom '' One Foot in the Grave'', which ran for ten years (1990–2000) and was wri ...
, Richard Briers
Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television.
Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ''Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...
, Roger Sloman
Roger Sloman (born 19 May 1946) is an English actor known for his work in theatre, film, and television.
Early life and education
He grew up and was educated in South East London. He trained to be a teacher and then went to East 15 acting sch ...
, Angus Deayton, Stephen Frost, Nick Hancock
Nicholas John Hancock (born 25 October 1962) is an English actor and television presenter. He hosted the sports quiz ''They Think It's All Over'' for 10 years. He also formerly presented ''Room 101'' (1994–1999) on TV, as well as its earlier ...
, Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan (born Christopher Papazoglou; 25 January 1950) is a British actor best known for his roles as Mike TheCoolPerson in the BBC comedy series '' The Young Ones'', Dave Hedgehog in the BBC comedy series ''Bottom'', Tony Driscoll in t ...
, Paul Bown
Paul Bown (born 11 October 1957) is an English actor.
Acting career
Bown is best known for playing a leading role in the Granada Television sitcom '' Watching'' (1987–1993) and '' Casualty'' in 2000 more recently as Philip Reid in BBC's ''H ...
, Caroline Quentin, Danny La Rue, Roger Brierley
David Roger Brierley (2 June 1935 – 23 September 2005) was an English actor.
Career
Brierley appeared in dozens of television productions over a forty-year period. He twice appeared in '' Doctor Who'', as Trevor in ''The Daleks' Master P ...
, Roger Lloyd-Pack
Roger Anthony Lloyd-Pack (8 February 1944 – 16 January 2014) was an English actor. He is best known for playing Trigger in ''Only Fools and Horses'' from 1981 to 2003, and Owen Newitt in '' The Vicar of Dibley'' from 1994 to 2007. He later st ...
, Rupert Vansittart
Rupert Nicholas Vansittart (born 10 February 1958) is an English character actor. He has appeared in a variety of roles in film, television, stage and radio, often playing comic characters. He is best known for his role as Lord Ashfordly in the ...
, David Battley
David John Battley (5 November 1935 – 20 January 2003) was a British actor of stage and screen, mainly appearing in comedy roles.
Early life
Battley was born at Battersea, London, the elder son of John Battley, a post-Second World War Labour ...
, David Schneider, Richard Wilson and Rudolph Walker
Rudolph Malcolm Walker (born 28 September 1939) is a Trinidadian-British actor, known for his sitcom roles as Bill Reynolds in '' Love Thy Neighbour'' (1972–76) and Constable Frank Gladstone in '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–96). Since 2001 ...
. Vansittart and Walker later appeared alongside Atkinson in '' The Thin Blue Line''.
Episodes
All 15 episodes of ''Mr. Bean'' were produced by Tiger Aspect Productions
Tiger Aspect Productions (formerly known as Tiger Television from 1988 until 1993 and also known as Tiger Aspect Films for theatrical films) is a British television and film production company, particularly noted for its situation comedies. Fo ...
. Additionally, the character has been used in one-off sketches, guest appearances and television commercials in the United Kingdom.
The fourteenth episode, "Hair by Mr. Bean of London
"Hair by Mr. Bean of London" is the fourteenth episode of the British television series '' Mr. Bean'', produced by Tiger Aspect Productions in association with Thames Video in 1995. It was first released on VHS as an exclusive direct-to-video e ...
", was originally released as a direct-to-video VHS exclusive in 1995, and was not broadcast on television until 25 August 2006 on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
.
Broadcast
''Mr. Bean'' originally aired in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
from 1990 to 1995, with reruns later shown on Comedy Central Extra
Comedy Central Extra is a European pay television channel that launched in the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2003. Followed by the Netherlands in 2011 were it was visible till 31 december 2022. Between 2012 and 2020 it was also available in par ...
, ITV3 and ITV4
ITV4 is a Television in the United Kingdom, British free-to-air television channel which was launched on 1 November 2005. It is owned by ITV Digital Channels, a division of ITV plc, and is part of the ITV (TV network), ITV network. The channel h ...
. Due to its widespread popularity, the series aired in many other countries; in the United States, it aired on HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
starting on 2 April 1992, and also ran on PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
television stations across the United States. Mr. Bean was aired on the Philippine
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
television network ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...
in 1992–1996 and 2006–2014. It was sometime later moved to the network's sister station Studio 23
Studio 23 (officially Studio 23, Inc. and previously AMCARA Broadcasting Network) was a Filipino television network owned by ABS-CBN Corporation. The network was named for its flagship station in Metro Manila, DWAC-TV and carried on UHF cha ...
from its launch in 1996 and it lasted a year. In Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, Mr. Bean aired on SCTV in the mid-1990s, Trans TV
Trans TV is an Indonesian free-to-air television network based in South Jakarta that was launched on December 15, 2001 and owned by Chairul Tanjung. Programming consists of newscasts, movies, drama series, variety shows, quiz shows, and childre ...
in 2002, Trans7
Trans7 (pronounced ''Trans Tujuh'' in Indonesian, formerly known as TV7) is an Indonesian free-to-air television network owned by Trans Media, a part of Trans Corp, which in turn a subsidiary of CT Corp. For the first time, Trans7 was the officia ...
in 2010, and MNCTV in 2016, next in 2018 and at the time Eid al-Fitr in 2020, SCTV returned to air the series. The series was aired on Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n TV channel, TV3 in 1995 and is still broadcast as of 2019. Reruns of the series were also shown on Fox Family during the late 1990s, both as segments in the variety series '' Ohh Nooo! Mr. Bill Presents'' and as stand-alone episodes. Episodes of the series have also been broadcast on TCN
TCN is the flagship television station of the Nine Network in Australia. The station is currently located at 1 Denison Street, North Sydney. The licence, issued to a company named Television Corporation Ltd headed by Sir Frank Packer, was one o ...
's Sketch Comedy lineup broadcast by NHK GTV from 1990 and Tokyo Metropolitan Television (TOKYO MX) from November 2016 and Chiba Television Broadcasting (Ciba-Tele) from December of the same year.
Music
''Mr. Bean'' features a choral theme tune in the key of C major
C major (or the key of C) is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and ...
written by Howard Goodall (adapted from a passage of "Locus iste
is the Latin gradual for the anniversary of the dedication of a church (), which in German is called .Cornelis van Zwol, ''Anton Bruckner 1824-1896 - Leven en werken'', Thoth, 2012, p.706 The incipit translates to "This place was made by God" ...
" by Anton Bruckner
Josef Anton Bruckner (; 4 September 182411 October 1896) was an Austrian composer, organist, and music theorist best known for his symphonies, masses, Te Deum and motets. The first are considered emblematic of the final stage of Austro-Germ ...
) and performed by the Choir of Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral ( ) or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge. It is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Southwar ...
(episodes 2–11 and 14; opening of episode 15) and Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. This dual r ...
(episodes 12 and 13; closing of episode 15). The words sung during the title sequences are in Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
:
* "''Ecce homo qui est faba''""Behold the man who is a bean" (sung at beginning)
* "''Finis partis primae''""End of part one" (sung before the commercial break)
* "''Pars secunda''""Part two" (sung after the commercial break and rarely)
* "''Vale homo qui est faba''""Farewell, the man who is a bean" (sung at end)
The theme was later released on Goodall's album ''Choral Works''. Goodall also wrote an accompanying music track for many episodes. The first episode of ''Mr. Bean'' did not feature the choral theme tune, but instead an up-beat instrumental piece also composed by Goodall, which was more an incidental tune than a theme. It was used while Bean drove between locations intimidating the blue Reliant, and as such, was sometimes heard in later episodes whenever Bean's nemesis is seen. The instrumental of the theme tune was used in the original series finale of '' Mr. Bean: The Animated Series'' titled "Double Trouble".
In the episode " Tee Off, Mr. Bean", Goodall's choral theme tune for another Richard Curtis comedy, ''The Vicar of Dibley
''The Vicar of Dibley'' is a British sitcom which originally ran on BBC One from 10 November 1994 to 1 January 2007. It is set in a fictional small Oxfordshire village called Dibley, which is assigned a female vicar following the 1992 changes ...
'', is heard playing on a car stereo. In "Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean", while playing with Queen's Royal Guards figurines and the nativity set, he hums "The British Grenadiers
"The British Grenadiers" is a traditional marching song of British, Australian and Canadian military units whose badge of identification features a grenade, the tune of which dates from the 17th century. It is the Regimental Quick March of the R ...
", which was quoted in the theme to ''Blackadder Goes Forth
''Blackadder Goes Forth'' is the fourth series of the BBC sitcom ''Blackadder'', written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC1. The series placed the recurring characters of Blackadder, Bald ...
''.
Mr. Bean appeared in the music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
of a 1991 fundraising single for Comic Relief, fronted by Hale and Pace
Hale and Pace were an English comedy double-act that performed in clubs and on radio and television in the United Kingdom in the 1980s and 1990s. The duo was made up of Gareth Hale and Norman Pace, with the ''Hale and Pace'' television sho ...
, entitled "The Stonk". Mr. Bean also appeared in the music video for the Boyzone
Boyzone were an Irish boy band, created in 1993 by talent manager Louis Walsh. Before even recording any material, Boyzone made an appearance on RTÉ's '' The Late Late Show''. Their most successful line-up was composed of Keith Duffy, Steph ...
single " Picture of You", which was the main theme song for the first film adaptation.
Mr. Bean also made a Comic Relief record in 1992, entitled "(I Want To Be) Elected" and which was credited to 'Mr. Bean and Smear Campaign featuring Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson (born 7 August 1958) is an English singer who has been the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden from 1981 to 1993 and 1999–present. He is known for his wide-ranging operatic vocal style and energetic stage ...
'. It was a cover of the Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...
of the same name, and reached number 9 in the UK singles chart.
Awards
The first episode won the Golden Rose
The Golden Rose is a gold ornament, which popes of the Catholic Church have traditionally blessed annually. It is occasionally conferred as a token of reverence or affection. Recipients have included churches and sanctuaries, royalty, military ...
, as well as two other major prizes at the 1991 Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival in Montreux
Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...
. In the UK, the episode " The Curse of Mr. Bean" was nominated for a number of BAFTA awards; "Best Light Entertainment Programme" in 1991, "Best Comedy" (Programme or Series) in 1991, and Atkinson was nominated three times for "Best Light Entertainment Performance" in 1991 and 1994.
In other media
''Mr. Bean: The Animated Series''
Seven years following the end of the original live-action series, Mr. Bean reappeared in an animated television series with Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as the title character as well as providing references for all of Bean's animated actions. Much like the original live-action series, the animated spin-off contains little dialogue; although some words are spoken most is either little soundbites or mumbling. The series introduced a list of new characters alongside regulars in the original series (such as Teddy and Irma Gobb), including an unpleasant landlady of Mr. Bean named Mrs. Wicket and her evil one-eyed cat Scrapper. Other characters' voices are provided by Jon Glover
Jonathan Philip Glover (born 26 December 1952) is an English actor. He has appeared in various television programmes including '' Play School'', '' Survivors'', the Management consultant in '' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'', '' Casual ...
, Rupert Degas
Rupert Joel Degas (born 17 August 1970) is an Anglo-Australian actor. He is best known for his voice work in animation and audiobooks. Since the 1980s, he has worked in audiobooks, film, podcasts, radio productions, television, theatre, and vid ...
, Gary Martin and Lorelei King
Lorelei King is an American actress, screenwriter and development executive who has been based in the United Kingdom since 1981. She has narrated audiobooks, acted in radio plays for BBC Radio 4 and appeared on television.
Early life
King spe ...
.
From 2002 to 2004, 52 episodes were originally broadcast on ITV1
ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 public broadcast service across all of the United Kingdom except for t ...
each consisting of two 11-minute segments. In 2015, CITV
CITV (short for Children's ITV, also known as the CITV Channel) is a British free-to-air children's television channel owned by ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive and acquisitions, every day from 6 am to 9 pm which ...
commissioned a brand new series of episodes. The new series amended the format in which it featured episodes that had much more dialogue than normal. 78 new episodes began broadcasting from 6 February 2015.
Feature films
Two theatrical feature-length films featuring Mr. Bean have been released, with Atkinson reprising his role as the character in each. The first film, ''Bean
A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
'', was directed by Mel Smith
Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. ...
, released in 1997 and followed the misadventures of Mr. Bean as he oversaw the transfer of ''Whistler's Mother
''Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1'', best known under its colloquial name ''Whistler's Mother'' or ''Portrait of Artist's Mother'', is a painting in oils on canvas created by the American-born painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler in 1871. ...
'' to a Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
art gallery. The film broke from the programme's traditional narrative by using a subplot with more developed characters, whereby Bean was not the sole centre of attention but interacted with a suburban Californian family that he stays with during the film. The film was commercially successful, grossing more than US$250 million globally ($45 million in the USA) on a budget estimated at $18 million, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics and holding a 41% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
.
The second film, ''Mr. Bean's Holiday
''Mr. Bean's Holiday'' is a 2007 comedy film directed by Steve Bendelack and written by Hamish McColl and Robin Driscoll, from a story penned by Simon McBurney. Based on the British sitcom series ''Mr. Bean'' created by Rowan Atkinson and Richar ...
'', was directed by Steve Bendelack, released in 2007 and followed Bean on an eventful journey across France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
for a holiday in the French Riviera
The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...
to which, after a number of mishaps, culminates in an unscheduled screening of his video diary at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, despite an earlier rumour in February 2001 stating that an unused script by 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 '' ...
would see him on an Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
n misadventure. Production on the film occurred during 2006 and was first released in the United Kingdom on 30 March 2007; it premiered in North America on 17 July that year at the Just for Laughs festival in Canada where the character had been launched 20 years earlier before being released nationwide over a month later on 24 August. The film is notable for featuring a mixture of traditional film photography and home-shot video camera photography. The film garnered improved critical reception (with a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and was also commercially successful, grossing nearly US$230 million globally ($33 million in the United States) against a $25 million budget. ''Mr. Bean's Holiday'' was originally the last live-action appearance of the character, before reappearing at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony five years later.
London 2012 Olympic Summer Games opening ceremony
In 2012, Atkinson reprised his character for a live performance as part of the London 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. In the scene, Mr. Bean works within the London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
in its performance of "Chariots of Fire
''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell ...
", conducted by Simon Rattle
Sir Simon Denis Rattle (born 19 January 1955) is a British-German conductor. He rose to international prominence during the 1980s and 1990s, while music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (1980–1998). Rattle was principal ...
. For this scene, Bean does not wear his usual brown tweed sports jacket
A sport coat, also called a sport jacket (or sports coat or sports jacket in American English), is a men's smart casual lounge jacket designed to be worn on its own without matching trousers, traditionally for sporting purposes. Styles, fabrics, ...
but the traditional clothing of the musician – white tie
White tie, also called full evening dress or a dress suit, is the most formal in traditional evening western dress codes. For men, it consists of a black tail coat (alternatively referred to as a dress coat, usually by tailors) worn over a whit ...
and tails. As they perform the piece, Bean is mostly bored with playing the same note repeatedly on the synthesiser and gets jealous of the more interesting part being played on the grand piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
. Still bored, he takes out his mobile phone and takes a picture of himself, looking proud. He then sneezes in a comical fashion and tries to retrieve his handkerchief from his bag behind him, finding he cannot reach it while at the synthesizer until he uses an umbrella to maintain his performance. When he finally blows his nose with his serviette, he throws it into the grand piano.
He then falls asleep continuing to play the note. A dream sequence
A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. The interlude may consist of a flashback, a flashforward, a fantasy, a vision, a dream, or some other ...
of the opening scene of the film ''Chariots of Fire
''Chariots of Fire'' is a 1981 British historical sports drama film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Colin Welland and produced by David Puttnam. It is based on the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell ...
'' shows the characters running across a beach, though Mr. Bean dreams he is running with them. He begins to fall behind, until he hails a car to overtake all the others. Now running in front, Bean ensures he wins the race on the beach by tripping one of the runners trying to overtake him, whereupon he crosses the line with elation, and then wakes up. Finding that the rest of the orchestra have stopped playing while he continued his one recurring note, Bean, with encouragement from Rattle, plays an extended flourish and lastly touches a note that makes a flatulent sound then stops.
Director Danny Boyle later explained: "It wasn't actually Mr. Bean. Strictly speaking, the name of his character was Derek"
In 2021's "Happy Birthday Mr Bean" documentary, Atkinson and Curtis also stated that the performance wasn't actually intended to be the character Mr. Bean. Although the official Olympic YouTube channel and the live commentary promoted it as Mr. Bean.
Books
Two books tied-in to the original live-action series were released: ''Mr. Bean's Diary'' in 1992 and ''Mr. Bean's Pocket Diary'' in 1994. The two books have identical content and differ only in the format in which they are printed. The content of both is a template diary with handwritten content scrawled in by Mr. Bean. They provide some additional information on the setting: for example, they establish that Mr. Bean lives in Highbury
Highbury is a district in North London and part of the London Borough of Islington
in Greater London that was owned by Ranulf brother of Ilger and included all the areas north and east of Canonbury and Holloway Roads.
The manor house was sit ...
and rents his flat from a landlady named Mrs. Wicket.
They confirm the name of Mr. Bean's girlfriend as "Irma Gobb" and also give the name of the other man she actually dances with in ''Mr. Bean Goes to Town'' (Giles Gummer). An additional book also called ''Mr. Bean's Diary'' was released in 2002 to accompany ''Mr. Bean: The Animated Series''; this book was also graded as a children's reader.
Two further books, ''Mr. Bean's Scrapbook: All About Me in America'' (1997) and ''Mr. Bean's Definitive and Extremely Marvelous Guide to France'' (2007), were released to tie-in with the feature films ''Bean
A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
'' and ''Mr. Bean's Holiday
''Mr. Bean's Holiday'' is a 2007 comedy film directed by Steve Bendelack and written by Hamish McColl and Robin Driscoll, from a story penned by Simon McBurney. Based on the British sitcom series ''Mr. Bean'' created by Rowan Atkinson and Richar ...
'' respectively.
Other appearances
Rowan Atkinson has appeared in character a Mr. Bean in many television broadcasts, sometimes as a publicity stunt to promote a new episode, DVD or film. A number of short sketches for the Comic Relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
telethon have also been produced and Bean also starred in various commercials, music videos and in YouTube videos such as Handy Bean. In 2017 Atkinson appeared in the Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
film ''Top Funny Comedian: The Movie'' a spin-off film of a variety show of the same name; the plot involves a number of Chinese people getting involved in a series of misadventures during a visit to Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
at the same time as Mr. Bean. One of the film's stars, comedian Guo Degang
Guo Degang () is a Chinese crosstalk (''xiangsheng'') comedian and actor. Guo's film appearances include '' The 601st Phone Call'', ''Just Another Pandora's Box'', and '' Mystery''. Guo has also directed the films ''Our Happiness'' and ''The Fa ...
, informed media outlet ''The Beijinger'' that due to Atkinson being unable to speak Mandarin, the cast used mainly body language to speak to each other saying that "with facial expressions and gestures we seemed to understand each other, twas really an interesting experience, which proves that comedy can cross boundaries." Currently released in Chinese territories, the film has yet to receive an American or European release.
Home media
The series was available on a number of Thames Television VHS compilations. In the United Kingdom ( Region 2), episodes of ''Mr. Bean'' were released on a yearly basis by Universal Pictures UK
United International Pictures (UIP) is a joint venture of Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures that distributes their films outside the United States and Canada. UIP also had international distribution rights to certain Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer a ...
from 2004. The complete collection is now available, including the two feature films and other extras. The episodes were released on VHS by A&E Home Video
A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company o ...
in the United States in the 2000s. These releases are unique in that they contain the original opening credits for the first three episodes, as seen when originally broadcast on television. In addition, they contain extra scenes which were edited into certain episodes at the request of PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
, in order to extend the run-time for a commercial-free airing. In Canada and the United States, ''Mr. Bean'' was released on VHS by Polygram Home Video in the 1990s. In the United States ( Region 1), the complete series has been available since 2003 on A&E Home Video
A&E Networks (stylized as A+E NETWORKS) is an American multinational broadcasting company that is a 50–50 joint venture between Hearst Communications and The Walt Disney Company through its General Entertainment Content division. The company o ...
as "The Whole Bean". The documentary ''The Story of Mr. Bean'' is edited on both the UK and USA DVD sets: it was originally 52 minutes when broadcast on television. However, it is 48 minutes on the UK DVD while only 40 on the American DVD. Most notably, in the UK version, the section detailing ''The Tall Guy
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' has humorous clips from the film removed. The American DVD features the same edits as the British DVD but is also missing comments by Burt Reynolds on the set of ''Bean
A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
'', comments by Jeff Goldblum, some clips from the show ''Mr. Bean'' and many others. The record-selling UK videos were withdrawn shortly before the release of ''Bean
A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
'', and the DVDs were released on an annual basis since 2004.
In August 2009, an official YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel of the series was launched featuring content from both the original live-action and animated series.
The series was re-released by Shout Factory
Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...
in North America on 24 March 2015 on DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
to coincide with its 25th anniversary. This set contains digitally remastered episodes (similar to the 2010 British release), the 40-minute ''The Story of Mr. Bean'', additional scenes: "Turkey Weight," "Armchair Sale," "Marching" and "Playing With Matches", "Bus Stop" and "Library" sketches, a trailer for '' Mr. Bean: The Animated Series'' and "The Best Bits of Mr. Bean
"The Best Bits of Mr. Bean" is the fifteenth episode, compilation and series finale of the British television series ''Mr. Bean'', produced by Tiger Aspect Productions and Thames Television for Central Independent Television. It was first broadc ...
", a 72-minute clip show.
VHS
DVD
;Volumes
DVD re-release
''Mr. Bean: The Whole Bean'' was re-released on 24 March 2015 on DVD digitally remastered to coincide with the series' 25th anniversary.
In popular culture
Various politicians have been mocked for a supposed facial resemblance to Mr. Bean, including Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
, Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...
, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (; born 4 August 1960) is a Spanish politician and member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE). He was the Prime Minister of Spain being elected for two terms, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections ...
and Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel "Ed" Miliband (born 24 December 1969) is a British politician serving as Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero since 2021. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster North since 2005. Miliban ...
.
In ''MythBusters
''MythBusters'' is a science entertainment television program, developed by Peter Rees and produced by Australia's Beyond Television Productions. The series premiered on the Discovery Channel on January 23, 2003. It was broadcast internatio ...
'' episode 52 – "Mind Control
Brainwashing (also known as mind control, menticide, coercive persuasion, thought control, thought reform, and forced re-education) is the concept that the human mind can be altered or controlled by certain psychological techniques. Brainwashin ...
", the idea of painting a room with explosives placed in a tin of paint, as seen in " Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean", was tested and deemed impossible as adequate coverage was not achieved. An image of Mr. Bean grinning mischievously has been used as an internet meme
An Internet meme, commonly known simply as a meme ( ), is an idea, behavior, style, or image that is spread via the Internet, often through social media platforms. What is considered a meme may vary across different communities on the Internet ...
for highlighting sexual double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
s, usually accompanied by the statement "If you know what I mean." In Tetsuo Hara
is a Japanese manga artist. He is best-known for creating the post-apocalyptic martial arts series ''Fist of the North Star'' (1983–1988) with writer Buronson, which is one of the best-selling manga in history with over 100 million copies ...
and Buronson
, known by the pen names and , is a Japanese manga writer. Making his debut in 1972, he first found success with the hardboiled detective manga series ''Doberman Deka'' (1975–1979) alongside illustrator Shinji Hiramatsu. He is best-known for ...
's manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
''Souten no Ken
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, with plot supervision by Buronson. It was serialized in ''Weekly Comic Bunch'' from 2001 to 2010, with the chapters collected into 22 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Shinchosha. I ...
'', a parody of Mr. Bean can be found. An image of Mr. Bean is employed on the cybercrime
A cybercrime is a crime that involves a computer or a computer network.Moore, R. (2005) "Cyber crime: Investigating High-Technology Computer Crime," Cleveland, Mississippi: Anderson Publishing. The computer may have been used in committing the ...
website "Mr. Bin".
See also
* List of films based on British sitcoms
This is a list of theatrically released feature films that are based on British television programmes.
Comedy
Drama
Science fiction
Documentary
Children's television
See also
* List of films based on television programs
* Cinema of the U ...
* Brian O'Brian
''Brian O'Brian'' is an Italian-American series of television shorts airing on Disney Channel. The series is co-written and directed by Danny Kaplan and stars Brian Stepanek, who also co-writes; original score by Stuart Balcomb, and produced ...
* ''The Party'' (1968 film)
* Uncle Max
''Uncle Max'' is a British children's comedy television series originally airing on CITV, and now CBBC. It features David Schneider as the title character, Uncle Max, and William Howe as Luke, Max's nine-year-old nephew, although in the second ...
* Ernest P. Worrell
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
Filming locations from ''Mr Bean''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mister Bean
1990 British television series debuts
1990s British sitcoms
1995 British television series endings
British comedy television shows
Comic Relief
English-language television shows
ITV sitcoms
Television series by Banijay
Television series created by Richard Curtis
Television series created by Rowan Atkinson
Television shows adapted into films
Television shows adapted into novels
Television shows produced by Thames Television
Television shows set in London