In the news this week are actors Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, since both have been honoured as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours list. However, the media have been somewhat amused at the news that it is Robinson who has received a knighthood, becoming Sir Tony (or, as some tabloids had it, 'Sir Baldrick') while Atkinson has been awarded with a 'mere' CBE.
Rowan Atkinson was already well-known to UK television viewers as part of the team behind the topical comedy sketch show 'Not The Nine O'Clock News', when he came up with the historical comedy series 'The Black Adder', which he co-wrote with Richard Curtis (with 'additional dialogue by William Shakespeare', added to the credits). He played the title role, with the series being set in the 15th century just after the events of the Battle of Bosworth field. The series diverges from actual history in the first episode, showing King Richard III (portrayed by guest star Peter Cook) to have won the battle, only to be killed by Edmund (Atkinson) in a case of mistaken identity. In the aftermath, Richard IV (Brian Blessed) becomes King and Edmund spends the remainder of the series trying to win favour, as he is the less-favoured of Richard IV's two sons.
The series established the character of Blackadder, as well as Baldrick (played by Tony Robinson), seen here in his original guise. Subsequent versions of Baldrick were portrayed as unintelligent, but this version is actually as cunning as he claimed through his 'cunning plans'. Also established is Lord Percy (Tim McInnerny), Blackadder's sidekick throughout this series.
The original series was produced by the BBC in association with Seven Network of Australia and boasted a large budget, allowing for a great deal of location filming. However, criticism of the series was largely focused on it not being as funny as hoped, and it would be three years before the BBC went ahead with the follow-up series, Black Adder II, on a much-reduced budget and with much more studio-based filming. Also brought in was writer Ben Elton, to work alongside Curtis and beef up the humour content. Set in the Elizabethan era, it reunited Atkinson, Robinson and McInnerny as descendants of the original triumvirate.
Seen here is the original closing theme to 'The Black Adder':
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