Facts about Neil Harris
Neil Patrick Harris Biography
Neil Patrick Harris is an American actor known mostly for his work in television, especially the series Doogie Howser, M.D. and How I Met Your Mother.
Neil Patrick Harris started his entertainment career young: he was just 15 when he co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg in 1988’s Clara’s Heart. The next year he landed the title role of precocious teen doctor Doogie Howser, M.D., a hit TV show that ran from 1989-93.
Since then Harris has worked steadily in television, appeared in several feature films, done Broadway plays and made a name for himself as an awards show host.
His TV work includes his signature role as Barney, the charmingly relentless womanizer on How I Met Your Mother, from 2005-14.
He also made an Emmy-winning guest appearance on Glee in 2009.
His films include Stormship Troopers (1997, with Denise Richards) and Undercover Brother (2002). On Broadway he has become known both for his dramatic chops and his old-time hoofing skills; he appeared in Proof (2002) and Cabaret (2003) and had the lead role in the 2014 revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, for which he won the Tony as best actor in a musical.
Harris hosted both the Emmy awards and the Tony awards in 2009, winning an Emmy for hosting the Tonys. He hosted the Tonys again in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and in 2015 he hosted the annual Academy Awards.
Extra credit
Neil Patrick Harris announced publicly in 2006 that he was gay and happy about it… In October of 2010 Harris and his partner, David Burtka, adopted twins, Gideon Scott and Harper Grace (a boy and a girl). Harris and Burtka married in September of 2014… Neil Patrick Harris played the title character in Joss Whedon’s online series Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog… Harris had a funny role in the 2004 comedy Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle, playing himself as a deranged hitchhiker; he also appeared in the two sequels, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011).