Behind the Scenes Photos of Rowan Atkinson in Rehearsals for the Sketch Show “Not the Nine O’Clock News”

Before he was the bumbling Mr. Bean or the sharp-tongued Blackadder, Rowan Atkinson became a household name as one of the four stars of the satirical sketch show Not the Nine O’Clock News (1979–1982). The show was revolutionary for its time, designed as a fast-paced, “alternative” comedy competitor to the BBC’s actual Nine O’Clock News. It was here that Atkinson first showcased his “rubber-faced” physical comedy and his unique ability to play both the absolute intellectual and the complete idiot.

Atkinson often played characters that were pompous, unhinged, or eerily quiet. Some of his most iconic moments include:

• Gerald the Gorilla: Perhaps his most famous sketch from the series, where he plays a remarkably articulate gorilla (Wilderbeast) who has been “educated” by a researcher (played by Mel Smith). The comedy comes from the gorilla being more sophisticated and well-spoken than his captor.

• The Constable (The “Nice” Policeman): Atkinson excelled at playing over-the-top, slightly menacing authority figures. In one famous sketch, he plays a police officer giving evidence in court who lists increasingly ridiculous “crimes” committed by a defendant, including “walking on the cracks in the pavement.”

• The “Final” Politician: He often played politicians or newsreaders who would deliver absurdly blunt or catastrophic news with a perfectly straight, professional face.

• The Music Teacher: A masterclass in his physical comedy, where he attempts to conduct or play instruments with disastrous, high-energy results.

The show launched the careers of the “Big Four”: Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones, and Pamela Stephenson. It was during this show that Atkinson began collaborating with writer Richard Curtis. This partnership directly led to the creation of Blackadder shortly after the sketch show ended in 1982.

While the show was highly verbal and satirical, Atkinson’s performance proved that he didn’t need words to be the funniest person on screen—a trait he would later maximize for Mr. Bean. His performances earned him the 1981 British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance.