Rowan Atkinson Biography

Fast Facts

• Received a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Comedy Performance for his 1981 one-man show
• Was made an Honorary Fellow at The Queen's College, Oxford in 2006
• Was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2013
• Earned a degree in electrical engineering from Newcastle University in 1975
• Was discovered by TV producer John Lloyd while performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
• Quote: "People think because I can make them laugh on the stage, I'll be able to make them laugh in person․ That isn't the case at all․ I am essentially a rather quiet, dull person who just happens to be a performer․"
• Quote: "The casual ease which some people move from finding something offensive to wishing to declare it criminal - and are then able to find factions within government to aid their ambitions - is truly depressing․"
• Is widely recognized for portraying the character Mr․ Bean
• In 2001, he was forced to maintain control of an airplane mid-flight when the pilot of his private plane fainted during the trip
• While attending Cathedral Chorister School, he was a classmate of future Prime Minister Tony Blair