Paul Weiland

British director whose output preceding the 1994 feature film sequel to the successful comedy "City Slickers" (1991) "City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold" was marked by a comedic feature which bombed and an amusing TV series "Mr. Bean" (HBO, 1992-94). Weiland's feature directorial debut, "Leonard Part 6" (1987) was so bad that its star and producer Billy Cosby reportedly recommended audiences stay away. His next effort was a charming trifle, "Bernard and the Genie" (1992), which aired on English TV before materializing on US cable and video shelves. Featuring superior performances from British comics Rowan Atkinson and Lenny Henry, this was the story of a Black genie (Henry) who grants wishes to a recently fired exec. Weiland collaborated with Atkinson again on TV's "Mr. Bean," directing the bulgy eyed comic as an eccentric character who makes rather ordinary situations extraordinary merely by participating in them.