Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

Canned Laughter

  • TV Movie
  • 1979
  • TV-PG
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
269
YOUR RATING
Rowan Atkinson in Canned Laughter (1979)
Comedy

Rowan Atkinson plays three characters whose lives intersect: a bumbling romantic, an inept standup comedian, and a ruthless company boss.Rowan Atkinson plays three characters whose lives intersect: a bumbling romantic, an inept standup comedian, and a ruthless company boss.Rowan Atkinson plays three characters whose lives intersect: a bumbling romantic, an inept standup comedian, and a ruthless company boss.

  • Director
    • Geoffrey Sax
  • Writer
    • Rowan Atkinson
  • Stars
    • Rowan Atkinson
    • Sue Holderness
    • Joan Scott
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    269
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Geoffrey Sax
    • Writer
      • Rowan Atkinson
    • Stars
      • Rowan Atkinson
      • Sue Holderness
      • Joan Scott
    • 3User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast13

    Edit
    Rowan Atkinson
    Rowan Atkinson
    • Robert Box…
    Sue Holderness
    • Lorraine
    Joan Scott
    Joan Scott
    • Mrs. Nolan
    John J. Carney
    John J. Carney
    • Bus Conductor
    Harry Shacklock
    • Old Man
    George Belbin
    • Passenger
    George Romanov
    • Foreigner
    Michael Staniforth
    • Sanders
    Martin Wimbush
    • Lloyd
    Michael Brennan
    • Security Guard
    Alan Curtis
    Alan Curtis
    • Head Waiter
    Christopher Lillicrap
    • Waiter
    Alan Hay
    • Pianist
    • Director
      • Geoffrey Sax
    • Writer
      • Rowan Atkinson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    6.4269
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8ShadeGrenade

    Before Bean There was Box

    Every now and then something comes along which hits you in the face like a wet flannel. I caught 'Canned Laughter' on its original I.T.V. transmission in 1979, following a showing of 'Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes'. Not having heard of Mr.Atkinson, I wasn't sure what to expect. Thirty minutes later, my sides ached from laughing too much. I spent the next few days telling all and sundry about this strange rubber-faced man whom was clearly destined to be the next Peter Sellers. Atkinson played three roles; the nerdy Robert Box, his sinister boss Mr.Marshall, and would-be stand-up comic Dave Perry. Box has somehow gotten the most attractive girl in his office, Lorraine ( played by the lovely Sue Holderness ) to agree to a date, and, being a right twit, messes it up. Box was clearly the inspiration for 'Mr.Bean'. Despite its excellence, 'Canned Laughter' strangely never became a series, leaving Rowan free to do 'Not The 9 O'Clock News' for the B.B.C.
    2philip1

    Seems very unfunny to me now.

    I liked this enough back in 1979 to tape it from TV.

    I just watched it again, now. (March 2010)

    I did laugh at the "Bean-like" character, at first, but the comedy in the restaurant scene looks pretty thin, now.

    Perhaps we have seen Rowan Atkinson do much better things, since, and this seems primitive in comparison.

    I think that if Rowan Atkinson re-made this, now, the comedy would be much funnier and sharper.

    (I don't think I have changed - I'm still a big fan of his - but this now looks like a weak cup of tea compared to his more clever humor that came later.)

    More like this

    Dead on Time
    6.3
    Dead on Time
    SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
    7.9
    SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
    Not the Nine O'Clock News
    7.9
    Not the Nine O'Clock News
    Only the Lonely
    6.4
    Only the Lonely
    Stalag Luft
    6.4
    Stalag Luft
    Blackadder
    8.0
    Blackadder
    True Stories
    7.2
    True Stories
    Blackadder: Back & Forth
    7.6
    Blackadder: Back & Forth
    The Secret Policeman's Ball
    6.8
    The Secret Policeman's Ball
    The Thin Blue Line
    7.5
    The Thin Blue Line
    Dragnet
    6.0
    Dragnet
    Blackadder's Christmas Carol
    7.9
    Blackadder's Christmas Carol

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Featured in The Story of Bean (1997)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 8, 1979 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rowan Atkinson Presents... Canned Laughter
    • Production company
      • London Weekend Television (LWT)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Rowan Atkinson in Canned Laughter (1979)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Canned Laughter (1979) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.