h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Sean Bean - A806267
Author: Emmily..ACE..My h2g2 Pets' Names Survey..@ A927849 - U190758

Look forward to your comments..

to be totally honest it's just a little bit dry. I love Sean Bean but this entry didn't give me any info I didn't have that I found interesting. Maybe you could discuss his acting style a bit, or the way he handled some most famous role or something. Like Borimir for instance, which he did an incredible job on. I don't know exactly what is missing, and I suppose factual is good for a guide entry, but I would try to liven it up a bit if I were you.

Hi Emmily.

I think this is a good start, but as has already been suggested, it could do with a bit more meat on it, as at the moment it reads a little too much like a rewording of the info available on Sean's IMDB entry (which might look neater than a massive list of projects).


- Although the pilot episode of The Bill was broadcast in 1983, the series itself didn't start until '84. Sean's episode was the fourth episode of the first series, broadcast in November '84. You can see photos from the episode here:
http://www.compleatseanbean.com/bill.html


- Sean Bean only got the role of Sharpe when Paul McGann had to pull out because of an injury while rehearsing horseriding.


I'm not sure listing individual episodes of Sharpe really adds anything when 'In 1993, Sean first appeared as Richard Sharpe in the first of 14 of the televised Sharpe series' covers the same ground.

Jims

Ok..thanks..erm..it'll probably take a couple/few days before I can get the info. together & add some 'life' to it..in the meantime I'll also read some Edited Entries of actors/actresses..get some ideas of how to improve it..I had meant to include about Paul McGann & Sharpe..I guess I over-looked it..(Richard Sharpe being my favourites of Sean's roles..)..

Emmily

You could bung in his Sheffield Utd obsession - rumoured to be the cause of the breakdown of his second marriage.

There is some there..about Sheffield Utd. & his 100% Blade tattoo..I don't think I'd want it to get too 'personal' or to use rumours....

Emmily

Sorry you're right I must have missed that when I read it the first time - alternatively I'm losing my mind.

Hello

I believe with Lord of the Rings Mr Bean (sorry couldn't resist it) wanted the role of Aragorn. Might be worth a mention.

Researcher PSG

If you want to have a look at a few biographical entries, might I suggest two of my own ('the *cheek* of him!' I hear you cry), which I think illustrate how you can cover a lot of ground in different ways:

A756056 'Robert De Niro - Birth of an Actor' shows how you can do a detailed biography of someone who's still working and not allow it to date. By looking solely at De Niro's early career, and by linking into the IMDB, I was able to give an impression of the man without having to update it every so often with latest projects.

A810073 'Roy Castle - Entertainer' was originally an obituary I wrote for a fan magazine that I fleshed out and added to. But as I only had limited information available, a lot of things were glossed over to give an overall picture of an artist without going into too much detail.

What I'd suggest is you take a look at the timeline of projects that you have there, and rather than listing them, try to expand on what you know. Maybe do a section on how the Sharpe series began and how it's panned out and developed since. How a few high-profile roles in British movies have led to him taking smaller roles in international movies like Ronin, James Bond and The Lord of the Rings. It's a decision many actors have to take - they might be a huge leading man at home, but they have to take a smaller role in a bigger film to improve their profile internationally.

Most actors like sean have a similar story to tell. Start off small, achieve success at home and either they continue to build on that but never achieve wider success, or they take a risk and maybe become too big for their old TV roles. Perhaps you could discuss how Sean has developed by following this basic path? By outlining his growth as an actor, both in ability and in terms of his celebrity, you can conclude by saying he's now in a position where he can pick and choose projects much more freely that he could at the start of his career. Also, by being able to be selective, Sean's managed to juggle appearances alongside De Niro with smaller, personal projects like theatre roles and smaller TV dramas.

Another note on The Bill, which might help start things off. Although it runs all year round like a soap, and despite the fact that recently they've started delving into the personal lives of their characters much more, it's always been pitched more like an anthology series - it's got a regular cast, but you can (or at least could, when it started) usually watch each episode in isolation and you'd see a story with a beginning, middle and end. As it has such a high turn-over of support cast members (with at least one new victim or criminal every episode), it's unsurprising that a lot of actors have appeared in some capacity or other over the years (with, on average over 100 episodes a year since 1988 when it went all year round). It's a show that an actor can do as a one-off rather than having to commit to playing the same character for a number of years, and as with Sean Bean, it's an excellent starting point for any actor or actress who wants a career in TV or film acting and is lucky enough to be given the opportunity.

Conversely, once an actor reaches a certain stature in the insustry, they kind of become unemployable for that kind of role, as they're too big for the show, which is why it's highly unlikely Sean Bean would do another appearance on the show, while some actors manage to appear at least once a year in various different roles.

I really do need to do an entry on The Bill, don't I...

Thanks Jimster..there's a lot for me to 'take in there'......
I did this Entry as a '2 birds with one stone'..I'm on an English on Computers Course..to help with both my English & Computer skills..was asked by tutor to research and write up a factual 'article' of anything of my choice..&..I thought..as I'd started this Sean Bean last August..&..not got any where with I'd do it..I've obviously got a lot more to do to it..the finished result will be worth it..i hope....

Emmily

Hi please do an entry on the Bill its my favourite tv series,

and Reg Hollis your favourite character..lol..xx..

I totally agree with Jimster about fleshing it out.
I first noticed him in "The Fellowship of the Ring" and he was brilliant in that. He worked wonders with the character of Boromir. Sir Ian McKellens Gandalf may have been a better performance overall, but that's because he got to play Gandalf. Bean took lame old Boromir and really made him shine.

Greatest quote (from Ronin): "Got the swag, kept the money... Job well done! Job well done! *vomit*"

Jimster..
I've finally started making changes to this entry, before I continue, are the first 2 paragraphs more suitable?
Don't worry....I'm not gonna ask you after every couple of paragraphs..but..if I'm still not doing Sean 'justice' then maybe I need to accept that writing entries is not my fortel..&..I'll ask for someone else to do it..

I'd like to see an entry for Sean Bean in the Guide..whether I do it..or someone else does..is not important....

Emmily

Hi Emmily,

Looking good. You might want to put a full stop after the date in the first para, as the next bit, about his family, flows better as a separate sentence. I get what you're saying about being an only child for a short time, but i think it might be a little confusing as I had to read it back a couple of times. Would this work better, d'you think?:

He was the first child, and only son, of Rita and Brian Bean; he has one sister, Lorraine, who is a few years his junior.

I think this looks like it's coming on well, to be honest. There's no need to rush, so just keep plugging away at it when you get the time. Only other pointer I'd suggest is to bear in mind that you might want this to be 'up-to-date' way into the future, so anything that's specific to now might be better if it's accompanied by a phrase like 'at the time of writing' or by attributing a date to it, such as 'In 2003 he appeared in London's West End in an acclaimed production of Shakespeare's Macbeth' (even though - at the time of writing - he's in it now, if you get my drift).

Look forward to seeing the finished entry, Emmily!

Jims

Thanks Jimster..

Emmily

Hi Jimster & all

I never seem to get the time I need to finish this, anyone want to 'take it on' and finish it?

Emmily

Er...I'd be happy to do that. If you're still interested. I mean, it's been a while.

Yeah, sure no problem Feel free to use any of my info, in this or Sharpe.

I started a Sharpe one too, that never got finished

I've done a quick search, there's a couple of Sharpe entries you might want to link it to.

I rarely visit Peer Review, can you let me know when it's there, look forward to reading it.

Good Luck

Emmily