Birth of Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Atkinson was born on 6 January 1955 in Consett. An English actor, comedian and screenwriter, Atkinson studied electrical engineering at Newcastle and Oxford before turning to comedy. He rose to fame in the sketch show Not the Nine O'Clock News, and in the historical sitcom Blackadder, in which he played the cunning anti-hero. His best-known creation is Mr. Bean, a nearly silent, childlike character who first appeared on television in 1990 and whose physical comedy has reached audiences around the world. He has also appeared in films including Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Lion King, as the voice of Zazu, and Johnny English. He is a keen motor racing enthusiast and has raced cars.

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