The Feast of Saint Rowan

My Fellow Comedists,

This week we celebrate the feast of Saint Rowan. Rowan Atkinson will turn 55. Appearing in the late 70's in Not the Nine O'Clock News, the BBC's version of The Daily Show. It's success led to his shot in Black Adder. This, of course, led to Black Adder II, Black Adder the Third, and Black Adder Goes Forth.


Following Black Adder, Atkinson created Mr. Bean, probably his most well-known persona. The quality of slapstick work Atkinson turns out rivals Peter Sellars. Even Hollywood couldn't destroy it.


He's become a mainstream character actor, appearing in a number of high profile roles, but one of my favorites came from one of his first appearances. In The Secret Policeman's Ball, he appears beside Peter Cook and several members of Monty Python, a hall of fame collection of British comic talent, and still -- as a young nobody -- manages to still the scene. No small feat.

Happy Birthday Rowan Atkinson.

Live, love, and laugh,

Irreverend Steve