In article <beasnk$2ifh$1@kanna.cc.sophia.ac.jp>,
 "John R. Yamamoto- Wilson" <john@rarebooksinjapan.com> wrote:

> ...(example, Mr Bean wasn't successful when it
> first hit American audiences and hence didn't even get an airing here; it
> was only when it made it big in the States the second time round that it
> finally reached Japan).

Wrong.  Mr Bean was first broadcast by NHK late Saturday night, past 
midnight, this being the slot they use for showing overseas TV comedies 
(they also showed "Monty Python's Flying Circus" in this same time slot).
This was before the movie even went into production.

The broadcasting of Mr Bean on NHK started a underground, or cult 
following for Rowan Atkinson and this show, which grew in parallel to 
his increase in popularity in other countries.  By the time his movie 
was released he was already fairly well known, especially amongst 
Japanese "talent".

-- 
Rodney Webster
http://knot.mine.nu/