We have all grown up with Mr. Bean, Charlie Chaplin, and Popeye, and we certainly have had fun watching them. They bring us good memories – sitting in front of our TVs with our closed ones and laughing for hours.

It’s good to be reminded of those times and characters. But do you know who they really are? And aren’t you just a bit curious to find out? Well, we definitely are, so we did some digging. 

Who is Mr. Bean? 

Rowan Atkinson, actor, and comedian was born on January 6, 1955, in Newcastle, England. Rowan studied at Oxford University and Newcastle University and earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering. Atkinson has two children with his first wife, Sunetra Sasty: Lily and Ben. 

The couple separated in 2014 and was divorced in 2015. Since 2014, Rowan has been in a relationship with the actress, Louise Ford, 35. In 2017, Louise gave birth to his third child. So, he has become a father at the age of 62.

He has more than 50 acting credits in his career, he starred on the TV series “Blackadder” and “Not the Nine O’clock News” but to the world, he will always be best known as the likable buffoon on the television series and 1997 feature film “Mr. Bean”. 

Why “Mr. Bean” was adored worldwide?

People widely love and recognize Mr. Bean. The absence of dialogues helped the show become an international hit, transcending cultural and language differences to screen in 250 countries. And we all find Mr. Bean extraordinarily fun. Well, who could resist his flabby arms, funny face, and plain suits?

Who was Charlie Chaplin?

Charles Spencer Chaplin was born in 1889, in London, England. The sweet little man with a cane, bowler hat, and mustache was popular for his character “The Tramp”. His character relied on quirky movements and pantomime, and he became an iconic figure of the silent-film time. Charlie was one of the first film’s stars, elevating the film industry in ways few people could have imagined. 

Charlie Chaplin’s scandalous life

He became equally famous for his private life. His affairs with actresses who appeared in his movies were many. And some ended better than others.

His first marriage was with a 16-year-old actress and lasted only two years. After four years, he married again, to another 16-year-old actress. They married because of an unplanned pregnancy, and they had two sons together. However, the couple divorced after 3 years. 

After a decade, Charlie married again, this time to a chorus girl. They lasted six years. Shortly after, Chaplin married an 18-year-old girl, a daughter of a playwright. Okay, young girls obsessed him. Unexpectedly, these two had a happy marriage, one that resulted in eight children.

Who is Popeye?

Elzie Crisler Segar created Popeye in 1919 by introducing him into his newspaper cartoon strip, Thimble Theatre. Popeye is a belligerent, wisecracking cartoon sailor who has superhuman strength after eating a can of spinach. 

Popeye was a real person

Well, he was based on a real person. Elzie drew his inspiration for Popeye from a character from his hometown of Chester, Illinois. He was a one-eyed man named Frank ‘Rocky’ Fiegal. Frank shared Popeye’s fondness for pipe-smoking and fighting. He was flattered by his link to the cartoon character. His gravestone is inscribed with the words “inspiration for Popeye.” 

Frank was known as a “local” legend. Like his character, Frank was strong, fighting a lot, and toothless. Okay, he enjoyed drinking more than eating spinach, and he was a bartender, not a sailor, but you can see the similarities.

While at Popeye, today there is Popeye Village in Malta, which is worth the visit if you decide to take a vacation in Malta. Popeye Village was a film set of the 1980 Musical Production “Popeye” and today is a major tourist attraction on the Maltese Islands. You can do many fun activities in this village.

Visitors can go into Popeye’s house. They can even check out his private nook, with hammock hanging over the bed. The firehouse, school, the baker, and the dentist shop all depict life in Popeye Village, as they were in the 1980 movie. We think we’ve just given you an idea about where to go next!