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Neil Patrick Harris
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Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor and magician. Prominent roles in his career include the title character of Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, Col. Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, Dr. Horrible of the orginal web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and as a fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.
is was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S., and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico.
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Encyclopedia
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor and magician. Prominent roles in his career include the title character of Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, Col. Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, Dr. Horrible of the orginal web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and as a fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.
Biography
Early life
Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S., and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico. His parents, Sheila H. and Ron Harris, were lawyers. He has an older 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. 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. He was discovered by playwright Mark Medoff at a Drama Camp in Las Cruces, NM. Harris discussed this camp in a January 2009 interview on Anytime with Bob Kushell. 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 Howsers 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, Starship Troopers, as well as Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, in both of 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, 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 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 is currently airing its fourth season.
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 starred alongside Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day in Joss Whedon's musical web series, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. The first episode of the series debuted July 15, 2008. Harris has also appeared on Sesame Street as the Sesame Street Shoe Fairy.
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 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 hosted the 2008 World Magic Awards on October 11, 2008.
Credits
Television
Doogie Howser, M.D. as Doogie Howser Stark Raving Mad as Henry McNeeley How I Met Your Mother as Barney Stinson Saturday Night Live Law and Order: Criminal Intent as John Tagman Numb3rs as Ethan Burdoc
Film
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
- The Importance of Being Earnest June 2009 at The Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Animation
Video games
Internet
Audio books
Awards and nominations
| Year | Group | Award | Result | Notes |
|---|
| 1989 | Young Artist Awards | Best Young Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama | Nominated | Clara's Heart | | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture | Nominated | | 1990 | Young Artist Awards | Best Young Actor Starring in a Television Series | Won | Doogie Howser, M.D. | | 1991 | Won | | 1992 | Won | | 1992 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical | Nominated | | 2007 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor: Comedy | Nominated | How I Met Your Mother | | Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | | 2008 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Scene Stealing Star | Won | | 2008 | Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | | 2009 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated |
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