Rowan Atkinson is an English actor and comedian best known for his roles in sitcoms like Blackadder and as the bumbling Mr. Bean. He was born in 1955 in Newcastle, England and earned a degree in electrical engineering from Oxford despite his comedic talents. Atkinson began his career in radio and television comedy in the 1970s and 1980s. His most famous role was as Mr. Bean, which he portrayed in a long-running TV series as well as films, though he has since retired the character. Atkinson found both critical and commercial success for his comedy and has been honored with awards like Commander of the Order of the British Empire.