Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris Biography

Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and raised in the small town of Ruidoso, New Mexico. He is the youngest of two boys and has an older brother, Brian. His mother Sheila and his father Ron decided to move the family back to Albuquerque when Neil Patrick was 15. It was in the small town of Ruidoso where Neil Patrick Harris first appeared on stage…as a dog.

Neil Patrick Harris' Career

It wasn't just any old dog that Neil Patrick was playing -- it was Dorothy's beloved dog Toto in his brother Brian's junior high school production of The Wizard of Oz. Neil Patrick was significantly smaller than older brother Brian's seventh grade classmates, making him perfect for the part of Toto.

A short time later, when his family moved back to Albuquerque, Neil Patrick landed a role in the 1988 film Purple People Eater and starred alongside Whoopi Goldberg in Clara's Heart. The following year, Neil Patrick Harris would become a Tiger Beat heartthrob as he became the star of the Steven Bochco show Doogie Howser, M.D. Steven Bochco was well established and respected in the television industry as the creator, writer and producer of a few of the most well-known television shows in history like:

• Columbo
• Hill Street Blues
• L.A. Law
• NYPD Blue

Television Career

Harris worked as the young genius doctor Doogie from 1989-1993, when the show went off the air. He stuck with television for awhile and starred in various made for TV movies such as:

• Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story (1994)
• My Antonia (1995)
• A Christmas Wish (1998)
• Joan of Arc (1999)
• The Wedding Dress (2001)
• The Christmas Blessing (2005)

In 1999, Neil Patrick landed a lead role in the short-lived show Stark Raving Mad alongside Tony Shaloub. The show got the axe the following year after only 22 episodes.

During and between filming TV movies and shows, Neil Patrick Harris was also involved in many Broadway productions and feature films.

Broadway Roles

Being a singer since he was a young child, Broadway was a perfect fit for the young Neil Patrick Harris. His Broadway credits are as follows:

• Sweeney Todd (2001)
• Proof (2002)
• Cabaret (2003)
• Steven Sondheim's Assassins (2005)
• Rent (2005)

As if television and Broadway weren't enough to keep Harris going, he also had a number of movie roles during the same time period.

Film Roles

Obviously, during this time period, Neil Patrick Harris liked to keep busy. Here are the film roles he took on:

• Animal Room (1995)
• Starship Troopers (1997)
• The Proposition (1998)
• The Next Best Thing (2000)
• The Mesmerist (2002)
• Undercover Brother (2002)
• Harold and Kumar go to White Castle (2004)
• Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay – Set for release in 2008

Neil Patrick Harris was hardly an out-of-work actor resorting to advertising himself in Variety when the part of the womanizing, well-dressed, Barney Stinson came along in How I Met Your Mother.

Personal Life

Harris and Burtka

It was his role as the womanizing, well dressed Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother that drew attention to Neil Patrick Harris' personal life. Rumors circulated that he was gay and his publicist fiercely denied each rumor as it came, even going so far as to say that Harris "is not of that persuasion." 24 hours after his publicist announced this comment to the world, Neil Patrick Harris said the following to People magazine:

"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."

Neil Patrick Harris is reportedly dating actor David Burtka.