Barney & Friends
Encyclopedia
Barney and Friends, also referred to by HiT Entertainment
as Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, is an independent
children's television
show produced in the United States
, aimed at children from ages 1-8. The series, which first aired in 1992, features the title character Barney, a purple anthropomorphic
Tyrannosaurus rex
who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, optimistic attitude.
Since September 18, 2009, the show has been on hiatus.
of Dallas
, Texas. She came up with the idea for the program while considering TV shows that she felt would be educational and appeal to her son. Leach then brought together a team who created a series of home videos, Barney and the Backyard Gang
, which also starred actress Sandy Duncan
in the first three videos. Later, Barney was joined by the characters Baby Bop, B.J., and Riff.
Although the original videos were only a modest success outside of Texas, Barney became a major success only when the character and format were revamped for the television series and were picked up by the Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS), debuting as Barney and Friends in 1992. The series was produced by Lyrick Studios
(bought by HIT Entertainment
) and Connecticut Public Television
. For several years, the show was taped at the Color Dynamics Studios facility at Greenville Avenue & Bethany Drive in Allen
, after which it moved to The Studios at Las Colinas
in Dallas, Texas. Currently, the series is produced in Carrollton, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The TV series and videos are currently distributed by HiT Entertainment
and Lionsgate, while the TV series has been produced by WNET
since 2006. Sheryl Leach left the show in 2002 after HiT Entertainment bought Lyrick Studios.
researchers Dorothy and Jerome Singer have concluded that episodes contain a great deal of age-appropriate educational material, calling the program a "model of what preschool television should be."
One specific criticism is:
It is ranked on TV Guide
's List of the 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time at #50.
in stuffed animal likeness, who comes to life through a child's imagination. His theme song
is "Barney Is a Dinosaur," which is sung to the tune of "Yankee Doodle
". Barney often quotes things as being "Super dee-duper". Episodes frequently end with the song "I Love You", sung to the tune of "This Old Man
", which happens to be Barney's favorite song. Despite being a carnivorous type dinosaur, Barney likes many different foods such as fruits and vegetables, but his main favorite is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
with a glass of milk. He also loves marching band
s and parade
s.
Baby Bop: A three-year-old green Triceratops
. Baby Bop has been on the show since July 29, 1991, she debuted in the video "Barney In Concert". She wears a pink bow and pink ballet slippers, and carries a yellow security blanket. She sings the song "My Yellow Blankey" to show how much her security blanket means to her. She likes to eat macaroni and cheese
and pizza
. She is B.J.'s little sister.
B.J.: A seven-year-old yellow Protoceratops
, B.J. has been on the show since September 27, 1993. He is Baby Bop's older brother. His theme song is "B.J.'s Song". He wears a red baseball cap
and red sneakers. He lost his hat in the episode "Hats Off to B.J.!", and sometimes says things to hide his fears (for example, in the episode "Barney's Halloween Party", he was shocked by the paper spiders and after learning they were fake, he said "I knew that, sort of"). Pickles are his favorite food and because of that, he actually has had them in different ways such as on pizza (also with pepperoni, peppers, pineapple, and peanut butter).
Riff: An orange six-year-old Hadrosaur
, who is Baby Bop and B.J.'s cousin. Riff has been on the show since September 6, 2006. He wears green sneakers. His theme music is "I Hear Music Everywhere." Riff loves music and it is in almost everything he does. In the episode "Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse", it was revealed that Riff also likes to invent things; he created a four-sound smoke detector
(the first three were different alarm sounds and the final one his own voice). He is shown to have an interest in marching band
s and parade
s.
and the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. Some notable children who have appeared on Barney & Friends and in other Barney media include:
, Israel
, was the first of these. Rather than dubbing the original American
episodes from Seasons 1–3, the episodes are adapted with a unique set and exclusive child actors. The other co-production was one shot in South Korea from 2001–2003, airing on KBS (under the name "바니와 친구들" (Baniwa Chingudeul (Barney and Friends))). This one, however, adapted the first six seasons (including the first three that the Israel co-production did). It was done in a similar manner as the Israel production.
's voice as the voice of Barney, however the recent album The Land of Make-Believe has Dean Wendt
's voice.
Barney's song "I Love You" (as well as songs from Sesame Street
and Metallica
) has been used by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to coerce the detainees.
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
as Barney the Friendly Dinosaur, is an independent
Independent business
In business, an independent business as a term of distinction generally refers to privately owned companies . Independent businesses most commonly take the form of sole-proprietorships...
children's television
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
show produced in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, aimed at children from ages 1-8. The series, which first aired in 1992, features the title character Barney, a purple anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, optimistic attitude.
Since September 18, 2009, the show has been on hiatus.
Origin and development
Barney was created in 1987 by Sheryl LeachSheryl Leach
Sheryl Lyna Stamps Leach from Dallas, Texas, is one of the creators of the popular children's show Barney & Friends. Kathy Parker is the other creator.-Career:...
of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas. She came up with the idea for the program while considering TV shows that she felt would be educational and appeal to her son. Leach then brought together a team who created a series of home videos, Barney and the Backyard Gang
Barney and the Backyard Gang
Barney and the Backyard Gang is a direct-to-video series produced by The Lyons Group and was produced from October 13, 1988 to October 20, 1991. This series launched the stardom of the PBS television show Barney & Friends....
, which also starred actress Sandy Duncan
Sandy Duncan
Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor...
in the first three videos. Later, Barney was joined by the characters Baby Bop, B.J., and Riff.
Although the original videos were only a modest success outside of Texas, Barney became a major success only when the character and format were revamped for the television series and were picked up by the Public Broadcasting Service
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
(PBS), debuting as Barney and Friends in 1992. The series was produced by Lyrick Studios
Lyrick Studios
Lyrick Studios, Inc. is an American video production and distribution company founded in 1991 and based in Allen, Texas. The company was best known for its distribution of home videos, audio products and children's books and toys for the children's television series Barney & Friends and...
(bought by HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
) and Connecticut Public Television
Connecticut Public Television
Connecticut Public Television is the PBS member network for the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is owned by Connecticut Public Broadcasting, who also owns Connecticut Public Radio. Together, the television and radio stations make up the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network...
. For several years, the show was taped at the Color Dynamics Studios facility at Greenville Avenue & Bethany Drive in Allen
Allen, Texas
Allen is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States, a northern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 84,246.-Geography:According to the City of Allen, the city has a total area of...
, after which it moved to The Studios at Las Colinas
Las Colinas
Las Colinas is an upscale, developed area in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas.Due to its central location between Dallas and Fort Worth and its proximity to DFW Airport, Las Colinas has been a viable place in the Metroplex for corporate and business relocation.As a planned community, it has many...
in Dallas, Texas. Currently, the series is produced in Carrollton, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The TV series and videos are currently distributed by HiT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
and Lionsgate, while the TV series has been produced by WNET
WNET
WNET, channel 13 is a non-commercial educational public television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey. With its signal covering the New York metropolitan area, WNET is a primary station of the Public Broadcasting Service and a primary provider of PBS programming...
since 2006. Sheryl Leach left the show in 2002 after HiT Entertainment bought Lyrick Studios.
Opening sequence
The series opens with the theme song (over clips from various episodes) and the title card before it dissolves into the school. The children are seen doing an activity, occasionally relating to the episode's topic. The children imagine something and Barney comes to life from a plush doll, transforming into the "real" Barney, how he appears to the children while they're imagining.Main sequence
Here, the main plot of the episode takes place. Barney and the children learn about the main topic of the episode, with Baby Bop, B.J., or Riff appearing during the episode and numerous songs themed relating to the subject featured in the series. The roles of Baby Bop, B.J., and Riff have grown larger in later seasons and later episodes venture outside of the school to other places within the neighborhood and to other countries around the world in Season 13.Closing sequence
Barney closes up with "I Love You" before he dissolves back into his original stuffed form. After the children discuss a bit about what they had learned, the sequence cuts to Barney Says where Barney, who is off-screen, narrates what he and his friends had done that day, along with still snapshots from the episode. Then Barney, himself, signs off before the credits roll. In Seasons 3-8, and 12, he later appeared on-screen by saying, "And remember, I love you." After he does that, he waves goodbye.Criticism
Although the show has been criticized for its lack of educational value, YaleYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
researchers Dorothy and Jerome Singer have concluded that episodes contain a great deal of age-appropriate educational material, calling the program a "model of what preschool television should be."
One specific criticism is:
"His shows do not assist children in learning to deal with negative feelings and emotions. As one commentator puts it, the real danger from Barney is 'denial: the refusal to recognize the existence of unpleasant realities. For along with his steady diet of giggles and unconditional love, Barney offers our children a one-dimensional world where everyone must be happy and everything must be resolved right away.'"
It is ranked on TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
's List of the 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time at #50.
Dinosaurs
Barney: The main character is a purple and green Tyrannosaurus RexTyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
in stuffed animal likeness, who comes to life through a child's imagination. His theme song
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
is "Barney Is a Dinosaur," which is sung to the tune of "Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known Anglo-American song, the origin of which dates back to the Seven Years' War. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut...
". Barney often quotes things as being "Super dee-duper". Episodes frequently end with the song "I Love You", sung to the tune of "This Old Man
This Old Man
"This Old Man" is an English language children's song, counting and nursery rhyme with a Roud Folk Song Index number of 3550.-Origins and history:The origins of this song are obscure...
", which happens to be Barney's favorite song. Despite being a carnivorous type dinosaur, Barney likes many different foods such as fruits and vegetables, but his main favorite is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
The peanut butter and jelly sandwich or PB&J is a sandwich, popular in North America, that includes a layer of peanut butter and either jam or jelly on bread, commonly between two slices, but sometimes eaten open-faced....
with a glass of milk. He also loves marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
s and parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
s.
Baby Bop: A three-year-old green Triceratops
Triceratops
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
. Baby Bop has been on the show since July 29, 1991, she debuted in the video "Barney In Concert". She wears a pink bow and pink ballet slippers, and carries a yellow security blanket. She sings the song "My Yellow Blankey" to show how much her security blanket means to her. She likes to eat macaroni and cheese
Macaroni and cheese
Macaroni and cheese, also known as "mac and cheese", "macaroni cheese" in British English, or "macaroni pie" in Caribbean English, is a casserole consisting of cooked macaroni and cheese sauce...
and pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
. She is B.J.'s little sister.
B.J.: A seven-year-old yellow Protoceratops
Protoceratops
Protoceratops is a genus of sheep-sized herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur, from the Upper Cretaceous Period of what is now Mongolia. It was a member of the Protoceratopsidae, a group of early horned dinosaurs...
, B.J. has been on the show since September 27, 1993. He is Baby Bop's older brother. His theme song is "B.J.'s Song". He wears a red baseball cap
Baseball cap
A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a rounded stiff brim. The front of the cap typically contains designs or logos of sports teams ,...
and red sneakers. He lost his hat in the episode "Hats Off to B.J.!", and sometimes says things to hide his fears (for example, in the episode "Barney's Halloween Party", he was shocked by the paper spiders and after learning they were fake, he said "I knew that, sort of"). Pickles are his favorite food and because of that, he actually has had them in different ways such as on pizza (also with pepperoni, peppers, pineapple, and peanut butter).
Riff: An orange six-year-old Hadrosaur
Hadrosaurid
Hadrosaurids or duck-billed dinosaurs are members of the family Hadrosauridae, and include ornithopods such as Edmontosaurus and Parasaurolophus. They were common herbivores in the Upper Cretaceous Period of what are now Asia, Europe and North America. They are descendants of the Upper...
, who is Baby Bop and B.J.'s cousin. Riff has been on the show since September 6, 2006. He wears green sneakers. His theme music is "I Hear Music Everywhere." Riff loves music and it is in almost everything he does. In the episode "Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse", it was revealed that Riff also likes to invent things; he created a four-sound smoke detector
Smoke detector
A smoke detector is a device that detects smoke, typically as an indicator of fire. Commercial, industrial, and mass residential devices issue a signal to a fire alarm system, while household detectors, known as smoke alarms, generally issue a local audible and/or visual alarm from the detector...
(the first three were different alarm sounds and the final one his own voice). He is shown to have an interest in marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
s and parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
s.
One-time guests
| Role | Played by | Episode/description |
|---|---|---|
| Aunt Rachel | Saint Adeogba | Ashley and Alissa's aunt from the episode "Aunt Rachel is Here". |
| Aunt Molly | Mary Ann Brewer | Julie's aunt who appeared in the episode "The Alphabet Zoo". |
| Firefighter Frank | Frank Crim | A real firefighter who appeared in the episode "I Can Be a Firefighter!" |
| Mr. Tenagain | R. Bruce Elliott | A close friend of Barney's, who loves anything to do with the number 10. He appeared in the episode "Having Tens of Fun!" |
| Teri Garr Teri Garr -Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road... |
Teri Garr | She was a guest in Barney's First Adventures. |
| Melissa Gilbert Melissa Gilbert Melissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie... |
Melissa Gilbert | She was a guest in Barney's First Adventures. |
| Rebecca Garcia | Rebecca Garcia | A Mexican dancer who appeared in the episode "Hola Mexíco". |
| Ella Jenkins Ella Jenkins Ella Jenkins is an American folk singer. Dubbed “The First Lady of the Children’s Folk Song” by the Wisconsin State Journal, Jenkins has been a leading performer of children’s music for fifty years.-Family and personal life:... |
Ella Jenkins | A children's singer and a friend of Barney's who appeared in the episode "A Very Special Delivery". |
| Captain Kangaroo Captain Kangaroo Captain Kangaroo is a children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running children's television program of its day... |
John McDonough | This children's TV host was a guest in Barney's First Adventures. |
| Mr. Delivery Man | Mark S. Bernthal | A delivery man who delivered a package to Barney in the episode "Everyone Is Special". |
| Tosha's mom | J.D. Mosley | Tosha's mother, who brought her twins with her father in the episode "A Very Special Delivery". |
| Tina's mom | Sonya Resendez | She appeared in Barney's Campfire Sing-Along Barney and the Backyard Gang Barney and the Backyard Gang is a direct-to-video series produced by The Lyons Group and was produced from October 13, 1988 to October 20, 1991. This series launched the stardom of the PBS television show Barney & Friends.... . |
| Joe Scruggs | Joe Scruggs | A children's musician who appeared in the episode "The Exercise Circus". Lyrick Studios owned the rights to his music in the mid-late 1990's. |
| James Turner | James Turner | A singer who appeared in the episode "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy!" |
| Farmer Henderson | Max Vaughan | Barney's farmer friend who appeared in the episode "Down on Barney's Farm" with a whole bunch of animals. |
| Rainbowbeard the Pirate | Stephen White | A mysterious pirate who left his treasure for Barney and the kids to find in the episode "Treasure of Rainbowbeard". |
| Princess Zulie | Alexander Hairston | The princess of the Land of Make Believe, who Barney and the kids have to return home in the video The Land Of Make Believe. |
| Patty | Donna Kraft | Luci's blind friend from the episode "1-2-3-4-5 Senses". |
| Kathy's Nana | Jane Hall | Kathy's grandmother who appeared in the episode "Grandparents Are Grand!" |
| Granddad Richards | Cliff Porter | Derek's grandfather from the episode "Grandparents Are Grand!" |
| Tosha's dad | David J. Courtney | Tosha's father, who brought her twin baby brothers in the episode "A Very Special Delivery", along with Tosha's mom. He makes a brief appearance in the special Barney's Imagination Island. |
| Doug and Becky | Doug and Becky from Kathy Burk's marionettes | Marionette performers who guest appeared in the episode "Grown Ups For A Day". |
| Joe Ferguson | Joe Ferguson | A storyteller who comes to visit in the episode "My Favorite Things". |
| Old King Cole Old King Cole "Old King Cole" is an English nursery rhyme. The historical identity of King Cole has been much debated and several candidates have been advanced as possibilities... |
DeWayne Hambrick | One of Barney's friends who lives in a castle. He comes to visit the treehouse in the episode "A Royal Welcome" and makes an appearance in the stage show Barney's Big Surprise. |
Multiple appearances
| Role | Real Name | Description and Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Mother Goose Mother Goose The familiar figure of Mother Goose is an imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes which are often published as Mother Goose Rhymes. As a character, she appears in one "nursery rhyme". A Christmas pantomime called Mother Goose is often performed in the United Kingdom... |
Sandy Walper, Michelle McCarel, Julie Johnson | The rhyme master herself appears in the episodes "Let's Help Mother Goose", "Honk! Honk! A Goose On The Loose", "A Little Mother Goose", "Barney's Big Surprise", and "Mother Goose/Fairy Tales". |
| Stella the Storyteller | Phyllis Cicero | Stella travels all around the world, collecting new stories to tell Barney and friends, among other people. She appeared in several episodes from Season 3 to Season 6. Stella reappeared in the video The Best of Barney, where she gave Barney a photo album of his friends over the years she made herself. |
| Professor Tinkerputt | Barry Pearl Barry Pearl Barry Pearl is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Doody, one of the three supporting T-Birds, in the 1978 film version of Grease. He never starred in movies again, but found some fame as a children's theatre/TV actor... |
He appeared in Barney's Imagination Island and in the Barney's Big Surprise stage show tour. Professor Tinkerputt did not want to share his invented toys, until Barney and the kids showed him that good things happen when you share. For this reason, Tinkerputt left Imagination Island with Barney and the others and started a new toy factory. |
| Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola Thomas Anthony "Tomie A." dePaola , is an American author and illustrator of over 200 children's books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and Newbery Honor book 26 Fairmount Avenue. DePaola was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 2011.-Biography:DePaola was born in Meriden,... |
Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola Thomas Anthony "Tomie A." dePaola , is an American author and illustrator of over 200 children's books, including Caldecott Honor book Strega Nona and Newbery Honor book 26 Fairmount Avenue. DePaola was awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 2011.-Biography:DePaola was born in Meriden,... |
The famous children's author is also good friends with Barney and usually meets his friends in the episodes he appeared in, which are "Picture This", "It's Raining, It's Pouring", and "Oh Brother, She's my Sister". |
| Mom | Sandy Duncan Sandy Duncan Sandra Kay "Sandy" Duncan is an American singer, dancer and actress of stage and television, recognized through a blonde, pixie cut hairstyle and perky demeanor... |
Michael and Amy's mom in the Barney and the Backyard Gang videos. |
| Mr. Boyd | Robert Sweatman | His full name is Grady Boyd and he has a niece named Colleen. He first worked as a janitor in Seasons 3 to 6 and as a park keeper in Seasons 7 and 8. |
| Colleen | Claire Burdett | Colleen is Mr. Boyd's niece, who comes to town for a visit and is introduced to Barney and the Children. She is a congenitial amputee born without her right hand, as is her actress. She appeared in two episodes, "A New Friend!" and "A Perfectly Purple Day". |
Children
Over the years, more than one hundred children have appeared as cast members on the show. Barney & Friends mostly uses local talent based in and around North TexasNorth Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
and the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. Some notable children who have appeared on Barney & Friends and in other Barney media include:
- Debby RyanDebby RyanDeborah "Debby" Ryan is an American actress and singer. Ryan is best known for starring as Bailey Pickett in the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life on Deck. The Suite Life on Deck became the most watched children's show on television...
(Teenager on Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse) - Selena GomezSelena GomezSelena Marie Gomez is an American actress and singer best known for portraying Alex Russo in the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place...
(Gianna on Barney & Friends seasons 7 and 8) - Tory GreenTory GreenTory Green is an Australian-born American teen actress who starred as Emily Bennett in Molly: An American Girl on the Home Front, alongside Maya Ritter. She was born on June 24, 1994 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
(Sarah in Barney's Colorful World) - Demi LovatoDemi Lovato"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...
(Angela on Barney & Friends seasons 7 and 8) - Trevor MorganTrevor Morgan (actor)Trevor John Morgan is an American actor. He has appeared in the films Genius, The Sixth Sense, The Patriot, A Rumor of Angels, Jurassic Park III, The Glass House, Chasing 3000, Mean Creek, Barney's Great Adventure, Local Color, Family Plan and Uncle Nino.-Early life:Trevor John Morgan was born...
(Cody in Barney's Great AdventureBarney's Great AdventureBarney's Great Adventure is a 1998 musical adventure film based on the children's television series Barney & Friends, featuring the character Barney the dinosaur...
) - Madison PettisMadison PettisMadison Michelle Pettis is an American teen actress, best known for playing Sophie Martinez on the Disney Channel sitcom Cory in the House and as Peyton Kelly in the 2007 film The Game Plan.-Life and career:...
(Bridget during Season 10) - Kyla PrattKyla PrattKyla Alissa Pratt is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Pratt was born in Los Angeles, the oldest of five children of Kecia Pratt-McCullar, a schoolteacher, and Johnny McCullar, a semi-professional basketball player....
(Marcella in Barney's Great AdventureBarney's Great AdventureBarney's Great Adventure is a 1998 musical adventure film based on the children's television series Barney & Friends, featuring the character Barney the dinosaur...
) - Nonnie (Guest starred as Halle on Barney & Friends)
- Erica Rhodes (Kim on Barney & Friends seasons 4 to 6) auditioned for American Idol season 9American Idol (season 9)The ninth season of American Idol premiered on January 12, 2010 and concluded on May 26, 2010 on Fox. Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi all returned as judges, and Ellen DeGeneres permanently replaced Paula Abdul as the fourth judge. Idol Gives Back also returned for the season and was...
, but was cut in the Hollywood round. - Hunter Pecunia (Rachel on Barney & Friends seasons 9 to 11) won the Kidz BopKidz BopKidz Bop is a brand of compilation albums featuring child session musicians performing contemporary music. The series was developed by Razor & Tie co-founders Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam in 2001...
star search competition in 2010.
Crew
- Sheryl LeachSheryl LeachSheryl Lyna Stamps Leach from Dallas, Texas, is one of the creators of the popular children's show Barney & Friends. Kathy Parker is the other creator.-Career:...
(creator) - Kathy Parker (producer)
- Dennis DeShazer (director)
- Mark S. Bernthal (writer)
- Stephen WhiteStephen White (Barney)Stephen White was the writer for most episodes of the children's television show Barney & Friends through 2006, most of the Barney home videos, as well as many books based on the series, scripts for Barney's concerts, and the film Barney's Great Adventure...
(writer)
Movies and specials
- Barney's Great AdventureBarney's Great AdventureBarney's Great Adventure is a 1998 musical adventure film based on the children's television series Barney & Friends, featuring the character Barney the dinosaur...
(1998) (Theatrical movie, starring Trevor MorganTrevor Morgan (actor)Trevor John Morgan is an American actor. He has appeared in the films Genius, The Sixth Sense, The Patriot, A Rumor of Angels, Jurassic Park III, The Glass House, Chasing 3000, Mean Creek, Barney's Great Adventure, Local Color, Family Plan and Uncle Nino.-Early life:Trevor John Morgan was born...
and Kyla PrattKyla PrattKyla Alissa Pratt is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Pratt was born in Los Angeles, the oldest of five children of Kecia Pratt-McCullar, a schoolteacher, and Johnny McCullar, a semi-professional basketball player....
) - Barney's Big SurpriseBarney's Big SurpriseBarney's Big Surprise was his third international tour. The show started in 1996 and the video was released in 1998. During the 1997 touring, it was the winner of Performance Magazines 1997 Readers Poll Award for Best Variety/Family Show Tour of the Year...
(1998) - Barney's Imagination Island (1994)
- Barney Live In New York CityBarney Live In New York CityBarney Live! In New York City is a Barney & Friends stage show, taped at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 13, 1994 and released on video on August 26, 1994.-Plot:...
(1994)
Airings
Besides the United States, the TV show has aired in Canada, Mexico and Latin America, France, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan (On English-based DVDs under the name "" and on television as simply "" ), the Philippines, Turkey, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. Two known co-productions of Barney & Friends have been produced outside of the US. The Israeli co-production (החברים של ברני Hachaverim shel Barney (The Friends of Barney)) produced from 1997–1999 in Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, was the first of these. Rather than dubbing the original American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
episodes from Seasons 1–3, the episodes are adapted with a unique set and exclusive child actors. The other co-production was one shot in South Korea from 2001–2003, airing on KBS (under the name "바니와 친구들" (Baniwa Chingudeul (Barney and Friends))). This one, however, adapted the first six seasons (including the first three that the Israel co-production did). It was done in a similar manner as the Israel production.
Music
A majority of the albums of Barney & Friends feature Bob WestBob West
Bob West is an American television actor best known as the voice of Barney in the hit children's show Barney & Friends. He has also appeared in several Barney-related shows such as concert tours...
's voice as the voice of Barney, however the recent album The Land of Make-Believe has Dean Wendt
Dean Wendt
Dean Wendt is an American voice actor best known as the voice of Barney on the hit children's show Barney & Friends...
's voice.
Barney's song "I Love You" (as well as songs from Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
) has been used by interrogators at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to coerce the detainees.
See also
- Anti-Barney humorAnti-Barney humorAnti-Barney humor is a form of humor that targets the children's television program Barney & Friends. The notion that the show is saccharine, boring, annoying, sugary, dangerous or uneducational has made the program a target for parody and negative attacks by children of various ages, adolescents,...
- Barney's Hide and SeekBarney's Hide and SeekBarney's Hide and Seek is a game that was released on June 1, 1993 by Sega of America for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis video game system....
(Sega Genesis/Mega Drive console game) - A Day in the Park with BarneyA Day in the Park with BarneyA Day in the Park with Barney is a show at Universal Studios Florida. It opened in 1995, on the former site of The Bates Motel Set used in Psycho IV: The Beginning. It is based on the children's television show, Barney & Friends...
(A show and playground at Universal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
)
External links
- HIT Entertainment official website
- Barney & Friends on PBS Kids
- Barney & Friends on Treehouse
- Barney & Friends on Sprout
- Barney & Friends at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...