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Neil Patrick Harris

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Neil Patrick Harris
File:Neil Patrick Harris.pngNeil Patrick Harris 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 TV roles as the teenage doctor Doogie Howser, M.D. and the womanizing Barney in How I Met Your Mother. He is the son of Ron and Sheila H. Harris.

Career overview

Harris began his career as a child actor; the existence of another actor named Neil Harris at the outset of his acting career led Harris to include his middle name in his working name. 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 TV, before taking his first adult film role 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 The Christmas Blessing in 2005, The Wedding Dress in 2001, Joan of Arc in 1999, and My Antonia 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 has been renewed for a second season.

Personal life

On 2 November 2006, after an unsubstantiated report about Harris's sexuality and his "longtime sweetheart" actor David Burtka surfaced on www.canada.com, the actor's publicist issued a denial, stating that Harris "is not of that persuasion." However, a day later, Harris confirmed to People that he is gay. The actor's statement read:

"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."

Selected performance history

Television

File:Doogie Howser MD.jpg
Neil Patrick Harris in Doogie Howser, M.D..

Cinema

Theater

External links

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