ROWAN ATKINSON Biography - Other artists & entretainers

 
 

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ROWAN ATKINSON
       

Rowan Atkinson was born in Consett, Co Durham, England. His father owned a farm in the area, but he was brought up in a residential area. He had two older brothers Rupert and Rodney. He went to Public school (ie Private) in England. He attended Newcastle University before going to Oxford in 1975, and it was at Oxford that he met screenwriter Richard Curtis, with whom he wrote and performed comedy revues at the Oxford Playhouse and later at the Edinburgh Fringe.

       

After an acclaimed revue at the Hampstead Theater in 1978, Atkinson was offered starring roles in two British television series, but chose instead to join the BBC’s legendary “Not The Nine O’Clock News” team, where he first performed with Tall Guy director Mel Smith. The show recorded hugely successful albums, released several best-selling books, won an International Emmy Award, and the British Academy Award for “Best Light Entertainment Program of 1980.”

       

For his performance in “Not the Nine O’Clock News,” Atkinson personally won the “British Academy Award” and was named “BBC Personality of the Year.” His show at London’s Globe Theater was sold-out for its entire run, and he won the Society of West End Theaters award for “Comedy Performance of the Year.”