Blackadder
The pilot of Blackadder - then called "The Black Adder" - arose out of John Lloyd and Rowan Atkinson's idea to work on a historical sitcom, conceived while they were shooting "Not The Nine O'Clock News". They turned to two other people pivotal to that show for collaboration; director Geoff Posner and writer Richard Curtis.
Made in 1982 and never shown on television, it was successful enough to gain the series commission. In it, Baldrick was played by actor Philip Fox rather than Tony Robinson as he was thereafter, and Rowan Atkinson plays "Prince Edmund". Large chunks of the script were used for the episode "Born to be King" in Series 1, albeit with the additional writing of Ben Elton, replacing Rowan as Richard Curtis's co-writer.
Blackadder
Original Pilot (1982) of series Blackadder (Never transmitted on television.)
Starring | |
Prince Edmund | Rowan Atkinson |
The King | John Savident |
The Queen | Elspet Gray |
Prince Henry | Robert Bathurst |
Percy | Tim McInnerny |
Baldrick | Philip Fox |
McAngus | Alex Norton |
Rudkin | Simon Gipps-Kent |
Jesuit | Oengus MacNamara |
Narrator | Patrick Allen |
Written by | Richard Curtis |
and | Rowan Atkinson |
Stunts | |
Produced & directed by | Geoff Posner |
Blackadder
Read all about Blackadder on the BBC Website here, featuring interviews with the cast and downloadable wallpaper
Click here for the Blackadder DVD...