Neil Patrick Harris Biography
Summary
"Neil Patrick Harris" (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor and magician. Prominent roles of his career include the title role in "Doogie Howser, M.D.", the womanizing Barney Stinson in "How I Met Your Mother" and as a fictionalized version of himself in the "Harold & Kumar" series of films. He also hosted the 63rd Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, 2009. He is also scheduled to host the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards which will be broadcast on September 12th by CBS.
Biography
Early life
Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico. He has an older brother named Mark, and it was by following his brother to an audition in fourth grade that he first began acting—as Toto in a school production of "The Wizard of Oz". He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and was active in school plays and musicals there. Harris was an honors student and graduated with honors in 1991. He was three years ahead of fellow La Cueva student Freddie Prinze, Jr.
Career
Harris began his career as a child actor, and was discovered by playwright Mark Medoff at a Drama Camp in Las Cruces, NM. Medoff cast him in his 1988 film "Clara's Heart", a drama with Whoopi Goldberg that won him a Golden Globe nomination. In 1988, he also starred in "Purple People Eater", a children's fantasy. The following year, he won the lead in "Doogie Howser, M.D.", for which he was again nominated for a Golden Globe. After "Doogie Howser"s four-season run ended in 1993, Harris played a number of guest roles on television series, before taking his first film role as an adult in 1995 in the little-seen shocker "Animal Room". Since then, his film work has included supporting roles in "The Next Best Thing", "Undercover Brother" and "Starship Troopers". In the "Harold and Kumar" stoner comedy films, ("Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay") he plays a drug-crazed, lecherous version of himself, in many ways reminiscent of his Barney Stinson character in the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother".
From 1999 to 2000, Harris starred with Tony Shalhoub in the sitcom "Stark Raving Mad", which lasted twenty-two episodes. He has taken lead roles in a number of made-for-television features, including "Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story" in 1994, "My Ántonia" in 1995, "A Christmas Wish" in 1998, "Joan of Arc" in 1999, "The Wedding Dress" in 2001, and "The Christmas Blessing" in 2005, as well as series guest roles.
Harris has worked on Broadway in both musical and dramatic roles. He played Tobias Ragg in 2001 concert performances of "Sweeney Todd". In 2002, he performed on Broadway beside Anne Heche in "Proof". In 2003, he took the role of the Emcee in "Cabaret," alongside Deborah Gibson and Tom Bosley. As a result of his critically acclaimed performance in "Cabaret", Harris was named the top-drawing headliner in the role of the Emcee by GuestStarCasting.com, topping fellow celeb stars John Stamos and Alan Cumming.
In 2004, he performed a dual role of the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald on Broadway in the controversial musical revival of Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins." He also sang the role of Charles (first played by Anthony Perkins) on the Nonesuch recording of Sondheim's "Evening Primrose". He has also portrayed Mark Cohen in the musical "RENT", a character who he mockingly reprised on the January 10, 2009, episode of Saturday Night Live, which he hosted. Harris's current role is that of Barney Stinson in the CBS ensemble sitcom "How I Met Your Mother", playing a serial womanizer in a performance that earned him a 2007 and a 2008 Emmy nomination. The show debuted in the fall of 2005 and has a total of four seasons so far. The fifth season has been scheduled for fall 2009.
In 2007, Harris worked with Mike Nelson on an audio commentary for RiffTrax. The two riffed on the film, "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory". Harris is a big fan of the cult TV series Nelson worked on, "Mystery Science Theater 3000", and was interviewed for a 1992 Comedy Central special hosted by Penn Jillette, who did voiceovers for Comedy Central's programming at that time, about the series and its fans, "This Is MST3K". In 2008 Harris took the title role in Joss Whedon's musical web series, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog", alongside Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day . The first episode of the series debuted July 15, 2008. Harris appeared on Sesame Street as the Sesame Street Shoe Fairy.
On April 26, 2009, Harris hosted the 7th Annual TV Land Awards.
Harris hosted the 63rd Tony Awards on 7th of June, 2009. He will host the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 2009.
Harris will star in the upcoming movie Beastly, alongside Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens. He will play a blind tutor named Will at the school. The movie is set for release in 30 July 2010.
He will also play the lead in the upcoming indie comedy "The Best and the Brightest" as a carefree father who uproots his family from Delaware to New York City's Upper East Side.
Personal life
In November 2006, after a report about Harris's romantic relationship with actor David Burtka surfaced online, Harris came out publicly in "People". He had been openly gay in his personal life and in the theater community, but stated, 'The public eye has always been kind to me, and until recently I have been able to live a pretty normal life. Now it seems there is speculation and interest in my private life and relationships. So, rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.'
Harris and Burtka attended the Emmy awards in September 2007 as an openly acknowledged gay couple for the first time, an appearance which Harris discussed on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and which was reported in various media outlets. Neil and David have been together since April 2004. Harris has referred to Burtka as 'My better half,' and an 'amazing chef'.
Harris is a fan of magic, and is a magician himself like his character on "How I Met Your Mother". He serves on the Board of Directors of Hollywood's Magic Castle. Harris won the Tannen's Magic Louis Award in 2006 and hosted the 2008 World Magic Awards on October 11, 2008. Additionally, Harris was the celebrity guest of honor for Top Chef Masters Episode 4, which took place at the Magic Castle, and included Burtka as a fellow guest.
Credits
Television
"Top Chef Masters" as himself, Episode 4
"Doogie Howser, M.D." as Doogie Howser
"Stark Raving Mad" as Henry McNeeley
"How I Met Your Mother" as Barney Stinson
"Roseanne" cameo as Doogie Howser
"Saturday Night Live"
"Law and Order: Criminal Intent" as John Tagman
"Numb3rs" as Ethan Burdock
"Son of the Beach" as Loverboy
"The Outer Limits" as Howie Season 2 Episode 13
"Quantum Leap" return of the evil leaper 1993 as Mike Hammond frat boy
"Jack & Bobby as Preston Phelps, Episode 17
"Sesame Street as himself
Film
"Purple People Eater" (1988)
"Clara's Heart" (1988) as David Hart
"Stranger in the Family" (1991) as Steve Thompson
"The Man in The Attic" (1995) Edward
"Not Our Son" (1995) as Paul Kenneth Keller
"Animal Room" (1995) as Arnold Mosk
"Starship Troopers" (1997) as Colonel Carl Jenkins
"The Christmas Wish" (1998) as Will
"The Proposition" (1998)
"Joan of Arc" (1999) As The Dauphin (King Charles VII)
"The Next Best Thing" (2000) as David
"Undercover Brother" (2002) as Lance
"The Mesmerist" (2002) as Benjamin
"Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" (2004) as Neil Patrick Harris
"The Golden Blaze" (2005) as Comic Shop Owner
"Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay" (2008) as Neil Patrick Harris
"Beastly" (2010) as Will
"The Best and The Brightest" (2010) as Jeff
"A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas" (2010) as Neil Patrick Harris
Theater
"Rent" (1997) 2nd National Tour-LA, San Diego "Mark Cohen"
"Romeo and Juliet" (1998) Old Globe Theatre, San Diego "Romeo Montague"
"Sweeney Todd" (2001) San Francisco Symphony Orchestra concert version "Tobias Ragg"
"Proof" (2002) Broadway, "Hal"
"Cabaret" (2003) Broadway, "Emcee"
"Assassins" (2004) Broadway "Balladeer; Lee Harvey Oswald"
"Tick, Tick... BOOM!" "Jon" (2005) Menier Chocolate Factory, London
"All My Sons" (2006) "Chris Keller", Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles
"Amadeus", Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, July 20, 2006 at the Hollywood Bowl
Animation
"Justice League: The New Frontier" (2008) "Flash"
"Spider-Man: The New Animated Series" (2003) Peter Parker/"Spider-Man"
"Capitol Critters" (1992) Max
"The Simpsons" (1991 episode 'Bart the Murderer'), as himself playing Bart Simpson in the made-for-TV movie "Blood on the Blackboard: The Bart Simpson Story"
"Family Guy" (2007 episode 'No Chris Left Behind') as Barney Stinson in a parody of How I Met Your Mother opposite co-star Josh Radnor's Ted.
"Captain Planet and the Planeteers" (1992) "(Episode: 'A Formula For Hate', cameo: Todd - Young Man with HIV)
"Static Shock" (2000) "Replay"
"Batman: The Brave and the Bold" (2009 episode "Mayhem of the Music Meister") "Music Meister"
Video games
"Saints Row 2" (2008) as "DJ Veteran Child"
"Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard" as "Wally Wellesly"
Internet
"Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" (2008) as Billy/Dr. Horrible
"Prop 8 - The Musical" (2008) as A Very Smart Fellow
Audio books
The Bro Code by Barney Stinson and Matt Kuhn
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary
Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary
Socks (novel) by Beverly Cleary
Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan
A Very Marley Christmas by John Grogan
Bad Dog, Marley! by John Grogan
The Hunt Club by Bret Lott
External links
(Neil Patrick Harris interview at AOL Television)
(A question and answer session with Harris at Broadway.com)
(Neil Patrick Harris and Marc Kudisch) - "Downstage Center" audio interview at American Theatre Wing.org
(Video: 9/06 Interview on myfoxla.com.)
(Neil Patrick Harris Comes Out as 'Content Gay Man')
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Neil Patrick Harris.
