- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Orion; First Edition, First Impression edition (23 Sep 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0752800884
- ISBN-13: 978-0752800882
- Product Dimensions: 24 x 16.2 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 829,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Rowan Atkinson first came to the public's attention in the classic comedy series Not the Nine O'Clock News in the late 1970s. His play on music hall mannerisms and a natural acting ability allowed him to achieve huge success in his next outing as the dastardly Black Adder, one of the most popular comedy series ever produced by the BBC. In the 1980s he created, with Richard Curtis (who went on to write Four Weddings and a Funeral), Mr Bean. Mr Bean is an international success. It is shown all over the world and in the autumn of 1997 a major movie - Bean The Ultimate Disaster Movie was released to international success. This is the first in depth biography of Rowan Atkinson, his career and life. Atkinson is regarded as one of the finest comedians to have appeared in the last twenty years. But where does his talent lie? How did he develop the comic timing and brilliant ability to find exactly the right character from Black Adder to Mr Bean. Atkinson is a very private person. His contributions to Comic Relief are well-known as is his passion for cars and the fact he studied electronics at Durham and Cambridge, but little else has come to light as he rarely consents to publicity and has only been interviewed twice over the last ten years. Bruce Dessau delves behind the comic mask.
About the Author
Bruce Dessau is one of the elite band of comedy journalists whose work came to the attention of the public in the late 1980s. He has contributed reviews and features to many publications including Time Out, The Guardian, and The Evening Standard and was a Perrier Award Judge in 1994 and 1995.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Where do I begin? There are so many factual inaccuracies (not to mention spelling mistakes) in this book that I could barely read it without tearing my hair out - I counted at least 50 and possibly 100. There is nothing direct from the mouth of Rowan Atkinson either, and so the book relies on rumour and counter-rumour. Frankly unenlightening - there is nothing of any interest here we didn't know already - and a disappointment from start to finish.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a very thoroughly researched book, but it feels more like a disertation than a biography. There are extremely few first hand interviews, and the author constantly has to refer to interviews from magazines and newspapers (although he does concede in the acknowledgements that just about everyone who knows Rowan Atkinson has refused to cooperate with this book). Plenty of other biographers in the past have had to contend with unapproachable subjects, but still make you feel close to the person (the best that springs to mind is Phillip Norman's "Elton"). You always have the feeling with this book that Bruce Dessau is guessing at Rowan Atkinson. He is irritatingly referred throughout the book as a scientist because of his masters degree in engineering, even to the point that he claims that Atkinson had the "correct qualifications" to portray Dr Who! That said, this is an enjoyable read through Rowan's credits from "Not the nine o'clock news" through "Blackadder" to "Mr Bean" and beyond. It is very sympathetic - perhaps too much so. For all comedy fans, this is a good addition if you enjoy biographies.
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a Rowan Atkinson fan I was thrilled to see, buy and read such a fantasticly detailed book. This is a must for any Blackadder, Mr Bean, Rowan Atkinson or comedy fan. Mr Atkinson`s secrets revealed and more in this excellent book, buy it now!
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