Neil Patrick Harris

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Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris
Born June 15, 1973 (age 33)
Albuquerque, New Mexico Flag of United States United States
Notable roles Doogie Howser in Doogie Howser, M.D.,
Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother

Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is an American actor. He is best known for his television roles as the teenage doctor Doogie Howser, M.D. and the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother.

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Harris began his career as a child actor. His first significant roles came in 1988, when he starred in two movies: the film Clara's Heart, a drama with Whoopi Goldberg that won him a Golden Globe nomination, and 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 Starship Troopers, The Next Best Thing, Undercover Brother, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, in which he played a drug-crazed, lecherous parody of himself.

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, A Christmas Wish in 1998, The Christmas Blessing in 2005, The Wedding Dress in 2001, Joan of Arc in 1999, and My Antonía in 1995, 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. 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.

Harris' current role is in the CBS ensemble sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The show debuted in the fall of 2005 and is currently in its second season.

Harris grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico, the son of two lawyers, Ron and Sheila H. Harris. He has an elder brother, 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.[1] He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and was active in school plays in musicals there. Harris was an honor student and graduated with honors in 1991. He was three years ahead of fellow La Cueva student Freddie Prinze, Jr.[2]

On November 2, 2006, after a report about Harris' purported romantic relationship with actor David Burtka surfaced on www.Canada.com,[3] Harris' publicist issued a denial, stating that the actor "is not of that persuasion." However, a day later Harris, who had long been openly gay in his personal life and in the theater community, came out to the media in People. The actor's statement read:[4]

“ 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 will appear as a "guest riffer" on a commentary for the website RiffTrax, created by former Mystery Science Theater 3000 host Michael J. Nelson. The commentary will feature Nelson and Harris heckling the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in the style of an episode of the series.[5]

  1. ^ IMDB Biography
  2. ^ About.com Biography
  3. ^ canada.com - O.C. stars hit T.O.
  4. ^ People - EXCLUSIVE: Neil Patrick Harris Tells PEOPLE He Is Gay
  5. ^ Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory announcement. RiffTrax. Retrieved on April 8, 2007.

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