He is a man who should be respected in the British comedy community. Very few comedians have the skills to pull off shows/films for two completely different audiences.
For people who prefer clever wordplay and a more sophisticated humour there is Blackadder and Not The Nine O'Clock News. For those who prefer broader physical humour (and let's face it, for kids) there is Mr Bean and Johnny English.
I doubt there are many people who thoroughly enjoy both on an equal level. When I was 10 I liked Mr Bean, now I'm 30 I prefer Blackadder.
Personally my favourite Atkinson performance was as the obnoxious comedian 'Ron Anderson' in the film 'The Tall Guy'.
