Mr. Bean (character): Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2012}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}

{{Infobox character

| name = Mr. Bean

| series = ''[[Mr. Bean]]''

| image = [[File:Atkinson Rowan.jpg|260px]]

| caption = Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean circa 1997

| first = ''[[Mr. Bean]]''

| last = ''[[Mr. Bean's Holiday]]''

| creator = [[Rowan Atkinson]]

| portrayer = Rowan Atkinson

| voice = Rowan Atkinson

| lbl1 = Born

| data1 = 15 September 1955 (age 56)

| lbl2 = Location

| data2 = [[Mr. Bean#Mr. Bean|Flat 2, 12 Arbour Road, London, England]]

| lbl3 =

| data3 =

| fullname = Rowan Julian Bean

| nickname =

| alias =

| species = [[Human species|Human]]

| gender = [[Male]]

| occupation =

| title =

| family =

| spouse =

| significantother =

| children =

| relatives =

| religion =

| nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]]

| lbl21 = Relationships

| data21 = [[Mr. Bean#Irma Gobb|Irma Gobb]]

| lbl22 = Enemies

| data22 = [[Mrs. Wicket]]<br/>[[Scrapper (Mr. Bean)|Scrapper]]

| lbl23 = Hair

| data23 = [[Black hair|Black]]

| extra-hdr = External links

| lbl31 = Website

| data31 = [http://www.mrbean.com/uk/about-mr-bean/ Mr. Bean]

}}

'''Mr. Rowan Julian Bean''' is a [[fictional character]] on the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[comedy television|comedy]] [[television programme]], ''[[Mr. Bean]]'' and ''[[Mr. Bean: The Animated Series]]''. He is created, voiced and portrayed by [[Rowan Atkinson]]. He made his first appearance on television, on the original [[Mr. Bean episode guide#Mr. Bean|Mr. Bean episode]] which aired on 1 January 1990.

==Background==

He is a [[child]]ish and [[selfish]] [[buffoon]] who brings various unusual schemes and contrivances to everyday tasks. On the beginning of episodes, he falls from the sky in the beam of a light, accompanied by a choir singing Ecce homo qui est faba ("Behold the man who is a bean"). 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 tasks, such as going swimming, using a television set, redecorating 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, his pettiness, and occasional malevolence.<ref>Mel Smith, ''Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie'', PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 1997</ref>

Mr. Bean lives in Flat 2, 12 Arbour Road, [[Highbury]], [[London]], [[England]]. His first name (he names himself "Bean" to others) and profession, if any, are never mentioned. In the [[Bean (film)|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, London|National Gallery]].<ref>Mel Smith, ''Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie'', PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 1997</ref>

At the beginning of episode two onwards, 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"), recorded by Southwark Cathedral Choir in 1990. These opening sequences were initially in black and white in episodes two and three, and were 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]]. At the end of episodes [[The Curse of Mr. Bean|three]] and [[Mr. Bean Rides Again|six]] he is also shown being sucked right back up into the sky in the respective background scenes (black scene in episode 3 and street scene in episode 6). Atkinson has acknowledged that Bean "has a slightly alien aspect to him".<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20030217224736/http://www.rowanatkinson.org/articles/00062.htm "The Fine Art of Being Mr. Bean"], archive interview in ''The [[Buffalo News]]''. Retrieved 15 June 2006.</ref> In the [[Mr. Bean (animated series)|animated series]] (episode, "Double Trouble") he is taken inside a spacecraft with "aliens" who look exactly like him and even have their own plushy toys. In an obvious homage, 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 clear.

==Clothes==

Mr. Bean is mostly seen wearing a brown [[T weed (cloth)|tweed]]suit, a white shirt, a thin red tie, black trousers and black shoes. Occasionally, he will change his outfit (often to suit the scene he is in). He is sometimes seen holding a brown suitcase. He also usually wears a digital [[calculator watch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrbean.co.uk/uk/meet-the-characters/ |title=Meet the Characters |publisher=Mr Bean |date= |accessdate=2012-01-26}}</ref>

==Behaviour==

He rarely speaks, and when he does, it is generally only a few mumbled words which are in a comically low-pitched voice. He also does not like people taking his things. 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 decoration|redecorating]], 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, his pettiness, and occasional malevolence.<ref>Mel Smith, ''Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie'', PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, 1997</ref>

==Appearances==

He is known for ''[[Mr. Bean]]'' and ''[[Mr. Bean: The Animated Series]]'', he has also appeared on movies based on the ''[[Mr. Bean]]'' series including ''[[Bean (film)|Bean]]'' and ''[[Mr. Bean's Holiday]]''.

==See also==

*[[List of Mr. Bean episodes|List of ''Mr. Bean'' episodes]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.mrbean.com/uk/ Mr. Bean website]

*{{IMDb title|ch0008859}}

{{Mr. Bean}}

[[Category:Comedy characters]]

[[Category:Fictional British people]]

[[Category:Mr. Bean]]

{{comedy-tv-char-stub}}