# Rowan Atkinson is a good actor.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 16, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757 "2004-09-16T23:44:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757/1 "2004-09-16T23:44:47Z")

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To range from Mr Bean to Blackadder you have to be.  
And I hope there are sequals to Johnny English in which his character is basically a cross between Bean and Blackadder.

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**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757/2 "2004-09-17T00:24:28Z")

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I agree. He is extremely talented. I have yet to see something I didn’t like him in.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757/3 "2004-09-17T00:27:25Z")

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I agree. He’s quite good.

So why he does crap like Bean of Johnny English is unfathomable. He’s best as a verbal comic; his slapstick is just plain lame.

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757/4 "2004-09-17T01:09:45Z")

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> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> He’s best as a verbal comic; his slapstick is just plain lame.

Actually, in his stage shows, as well as in _Not The Nine O’Clock News_, he did an equal amount of slapstick as verbal comedy, so it’s always been a large part of his repertoire.

I do wish he would do more Blackadder-ish type character work, less bumbling and more acerbic, but I wouldn’t want him to give up his slapstick either.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757/5 "2004-09-18T16:06:45Z")

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His slapstick in ‘Johnny English’ is quite good. I reccomend you watch that film if you haven’t.

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**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rowan-atkinson-is-a-good-actor/264757/6 "2004-09-18T16:16:37Z")

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> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> So why he does crap like Bean of Johnny English is unfathomable.

Money. Crap like Bean has sold by the shed-load all over the world and made him very rich.