Terry O'Reilly

It is so revered in Britain, there was a nod to it in the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympic Games when the theme song was played at the beginning of the segment about British culture.

The Archers Radio Show, now available as a podcast, is the world's longest-running drama.

It is a brand that has lasted 76 years and counting.

Welcome to our annual Brand Envy episode.

This is the show where I tip my hat to unique brands that have lasted for years.

Today, we'll talk about a very funny character who has made the world laugh without uttering a single word, an idea that was born on the side of highways, and we'll talk about a movie that has had the longest run in cinema history.

Do you remember this other moment during the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games?

The London Symphony Orchestra begins to play.

And when the camera reveals the person playing the repetitive note on the synthesizer...

It's none other than Mr. Bean.

Tasked with carrying the steady electronic pulse of that great Vangelis theme, Mr. Bean starts to get bored.

He checks his watch, he yawns, he takes a selfie, then starts to daydream about being in the actual Chariots of Fire movie.

And while daydreaming, he keeps playing well after the orchestra has finished the piece, much to the mock horror of the conductor.

Then Mr. Bean scrambles to play a big flourish.

It was hilarious, and the crowd in the stadium loved it.

So did millions of television viewers around the world.

Actor Rowan Atkinson has played Mr. Bean for over 40 years.

Actually, the character has slowly evolved over time.

A version of Mr. Bean debuted on a British TV show called Canned Laughter in 1979.

He was called Mr. Box then.