Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 06:37, 7 November 2010

Neil Patrick Harris
Harris at the Time 100 Gala, May 4, 2010.
Born	(1973-06-15) June 15, 1973 (age 51) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actor, musician
Years active	1988–present
Partner(s)	David Burtka (2004–present)
Children	Gideon Scott & Harper Grace (born 10/12/10)

Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor. Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold & Kumar series, and the title role in Joss Whedon's musical web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. He also hosted the 63rd Tony Awards on June 7, 2009, and the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, 2009. On March 7, 2010, he made a surprise appearance at the 82nd Academy Awards, delivering the opening musical number, and on August 21, 2010 he won two Emmy Awards at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony. He was named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2010.

Early life

Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico. His parents, Sheila and Ron, ran a restaurant. He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and was active in school plays and musicals there. Harris was an honors student, and he graduated with honors in 1991.

Career

Harris began his career as a child actor, and was discovered by playwright Mark Medoff at a Drama Camp in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Medoff cast him in his 1988 film Clara's Heart, a drama with Whoopi Goldberg based on the novel (of the same name) by Joseph Olshan, 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 such as Murder She Wrote, 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.

From 1999 to 2000, Harris starred with Tony Shalhoub in the sitcom Stark Raving Mad, which lasted 22 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, The 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 touring company of the musical RENT, a character who he mockingly reprised on the January 10, 2009, episode of Saturday Night Live, which he hosted. Since fall of 2005, Harris has played Barney Stinson, a serial womanizer reminiscent of his Harold and Kumar role, in the CBS ensemble sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The Stinson role earned him 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominations.

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. In 2008, Harris also guest-starred on Sesame Street as the Sesame Street Fairy Shoe Person. On April 26, 2009, Harris hosted the 7th Annual TV Land Awards.

After a highly successful preview at the San Diego Comic-Con, a musical episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, featuring Harris as the villainous Music Meister, premiered on October 23, 2009, on Cartoon Network. As a character who could make anyone do his bidding by singing, he spent most of the episode singing several original songs.

Harris stars in the upcoming movie Beastly, alongside Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens. He plays a blind tutor named Will. The film was originally set for release on July 30, 2010, but was pushed back to March 18, 2011.

He also plays the lead in the upcoming indie comedy The Best and the Brightest as a carefree father who uproots his family from Delaware to move to New York City's Upper East Side.

Harris appeared as a guest judge on Season 9 of American Idol in August 2009 auditions taped in Dallas, Texas.

English stage producer Cameron Mackintosh has voiced interest in producing a Broadway revival of the musical Barnum (which originally starred Michael Crawford and Jim Dale) with Harris in the title role. Mackintosh has been thinking of this idea ever since he saw Harris presenting the 2009 Emmy Awards.

Harris provided his voice for the role of the adult Dick Grayson (Nightwing) for the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood. It was released July 27, 2010.

Harris also voiced the beagle Lou in the film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore that was released July 30, 2010.

He is directing a production of the rock musical Rent. The stage production will run from August 6 – 8, 2010 at the Hollywood Bowl. Harris has cast his Beastly co-star Vanessa Hudgens as Mimi.

Harris won an Emmy for his guest-starring role, Bryan Ryan, in the television series Glee in the episode titled "Dream On."

Personal life

Harris is openly gay, confirming this in November 2006 by saying "...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." He is also close friends with Amy Acker.

Harris attended the Emmy awards in September 2007 with his boyfriend David Burtka, later confirming the relationship, which began in 2004, in an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. On August 14, 2010, Harris announced that he and Burtka were expecting twins via a surrogate mother. Fraternal twins Gideon Scott, a boy, and Harper Grace, a girl, were born on October 12, 2010.

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, which took place at the Magic Castle, and included Burtka as a fellow guest.

Discography

Cast recordings

Singles

Filmography

Awards

References

1. Gates, Anita. "Neil Patrick Harris News". New York Times.
2. Littleton, Cynthia (2009-07-01). "Neil Patrick Harris Lands Hopping to Emmys". Daily Variety. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
3. "The 2010 Time 100". Time. Retrieved 2010-10-02.
4. Keveney, Bill (13 September 2009). "Host Neil Patrick Harris gives Emmys a bit of awesomeness". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
5. "Anytime with Bob Kushell feat. Neil Patrick Harris". Anytime with Bob Kushell. Season 1. Episode 3. 2009-01-01.
6. Preston Scott Reed (September 2, 2005). "Neil Patrick Harris and John Stamos Lead Emcee Rankings". Dime-Co. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
7. "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory". RiffTrax. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
8. "Joss Whedon Interview: The Web Has Been Wonderful For "Horrible"". Tubefilter. 15 July 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
9. Michael Jensen (21 July 2008). "TCA Weekend Update: Neil Patrick Harris, "The Starter Wife" and more!". Retrieved 2009-11-28.
10. "Sesame Street Enters 39th Season". Sesame Workshop. Retrieved 31 10 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Youtube videos of NPH as the "Shoe Fairy" and also backstage w/Elmo
11. Mark Graham (23 July 2008). "NPH Sweeps The Clouds Away As The Shoe Fairy On 'Sesame Street'". Defamer. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
12. "Sesame Street: Neil Patrick Harris has Telly's New Shoes". YouTube. 2008-07-18. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
13. Christopher said... (2009-10-23). "Neil Patrick Harris is on Batman tonight (and he sings!)". TV Squad. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
14. "Neil Patrick Harris to be in Beastly". Comingsoon.net. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
15. Beastly Title Treatment and New Photo
16. Graser, Marc; Stewart, Andrew (2010-06-07). "CBS pushes back 'Beastly'". Variety. Reed Business information. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
17. "Neil Patrick Harris Lands Two Film Roles". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
18. Denise Martin (25 August 2009). "Neil Patrick Harris signs on to guest judge 'American Idol'". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
19. Wada, Karen (2010-04-09). "Vanessa Hudgens to star in 'Rent' at the Hollywood Bowl this summer". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
20. "Dream On", Glee, Season 1, Episode 19. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
21. "EXCLUSIVE: Neil Patrick Harris Tells PEOPLE He Is Gay". People. November 3, 2006. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
22. How I Met Your Mother "Come On" DVD Commentary
23. "Watch: Neil Patrick Harris Tells Ellen About Going To The Emmys Since Coming Out". The Huffington Post. September 13, 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
24. "Twitter / Neil Patrick Harris: So, get this". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
25. Hartenstein, Meena (15 August 2010). "Neil Patrick Harris to be dad to twins with partner David Burtka, actor announces on Twitter". New York: Nydailynews.com. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
26. "Twitter / Neil Patrick Harris: Babies!! On 10/12, Gideon". Retrieved 2010-10-15. {{cite web}}: Text "publisher:Twitter.com" ignored (help)
27. "Neil Patrick Harris Welcomes 'Happy, Healthy' Twins". 2010-10-15. Retrieved 2010-10-15. {{cite web}}: Text "publisher:People" ignored (help)
28. "The Academy of Magical Arts Board of Directors and Board of Trustees". Retrieved 2008-05-21.
29. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1554852,00.html. Retrieved 18 April 2010. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
30. Caulfield, Keith (26 May 2010). "'Glee' Stops the Show at No. 1, Stones Come in Second On Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
31. "New Batman DVD to peek out from 'Under the Red Hood'". Latimes. 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-05-19. {{cite news}}: Text "  6:40 pm" ignored (help)

External links

• Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.
• Neil Patrick Harris at the Internet Broadway Database
• Neil Patrick Harris at Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Template:Tv.com person
• Neil Patrick Harris on Twitter

Template:Persondata

• 1973 births
• Living people
• Actors from New Mexico
• American child actors
• American film actors
• American magicians
• American musical theatre actors
• American television actors
• American voice actors
• Emmy Award winners
• Gay actors
• La Cueva High School alumni
• LGBT people from the United States
• LGBT television personalities
• LGBT parents
• People from Albuquerque, New Mexico
• People from Lincoln County, New Mexico