Barney & Friends
Barney & Friends is a children's television show produced in the United States, mainly aimed at preschoolers, starring a large purple tyrannosaurid-like dinosaur named Barney.
Origin and development of the show
Barney was created in 1987 by Sheryl Leach 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. Sheryl then brought together a team who created a series of home videos, the first being (Barney and the Backyard Gang) which also starred actress Sandy Duncan. Barney has joined in with Baby Bop and B.J.
Although the videos were a modest regional success, Barney only became a megahit when picked up by the Public Broadcasting System and debuting as "Barney & Friends" in 1992. For several years, the show was taped at the ColorDynamics Studios facility at Greenville Avenue & Bethany Drive in Allen, Texas, after which it moved to The Studios at Las Colinas in Las Colinas, Texas. Currently, the series shoots in a northern suburb of Dallas. The TV series and videos are distributed by HIT Entertainment.
Cast
- Adam (Alexander Jhin)
- Alex (Dylan Crowley)
- Alex (Rodney Jenkins)
- Alyssa (Maurie A. Chandler)
- Amy (Becky Swonke)
- Andy (Fernando Moguel)
- Angela (Demi Lovato)
- Ashley (Monet A. Chandler)
- Baby Bop (2003, 2004 Jenifer Barlean)
- Baby Bop (2003, 2004 Matthew N. Myers)
- Baby Bop (1991, Dao Knight)
- Baby Bop (1992, Jenny Dempsey)
- Baby Bop (2002, Jeff Ayers)
- Barney (voice) (1988, 2000, and 2001 Bob West)
- Barney (voice) (Sometimes in 1998, 2000 and 2001 Duncan Brennan)
- Barney (voice) (Sometimes in 2000, 2001 and 2002 Tim Dever)
- Barney (voice) (2002-present Dean Wendt)
- Barney (1991-2002, (David Joyner)
- Barney (1988-1991, (David Voss)
- Barney (1997 and 2004, Maurice Scott)
- Barney (2000 and 2001, Antwaun Steele)
- Barney (1997, and 1998 Josh Martin)
- Barney (Carey Stinson)
- Barney (Patrick Mcalister)
- Barney (2003, 2004 Rick Starkweather)
- Beth (Katherine Pully)
- Becky (Haley Ralph)
- B.J. (Kyle Neslon)
- B.J. (Jeff Brooks)
- B.J. (Patty Wirtz - voice)
- B.J. (1993, Jenny Dempsey)
- B.J. (2003, 2004 Jerad Harris)
- B.J. (2003, 2004 Dave Kendall)
- Brian (Chance Jonas-O'Toole)
- Bridget (Madison Pettis)
- Carlos (Corey Lopez)
- Cindy (Mallory Lienberger)
- Cody (Trevor Morgan)
- Danny (Jeffrey Hood)
- David (Emilio Mazur)
- David (1993, Kenny Copper)
- Derek (Rickey Carter)
- Donny (Alex Collins)
- Gianna (Selena Gomez)
- Gina (Alexis Acosta)
- Hannah (Marisa Kuers)
- Jason (Salim Grant)
- Jeffery (Jeffrey Lowe)
- Jessica (Talia Davis
- Jill (Lana Whittington)
- Julie (Susannah Wetzel)
- Justin (Wesket Farbsworth)
- Kathy (Lauren King)
- Kelly (Alexandera O'Brien)
- Kelly (Rebecca Wilson)
- Kenneth (Nathan Regan)
- Kevin (Brandy Love)
- Laura (Julia Nicholson)
- Linda (Adrienne Kangas)
- Luci (Leah Gloria)
- Maria (Jessica Hinojosa)
- Mario (Zachary Soza)
- Matt (Breuer Bass)
- Megan (Carina Conti)
- Michael (Brian Eppes)
- Miguel (Riley Morrison)
- Mike (Blake Garrett)
- Min (Pia Manalo)
- Miss Etta Kette (Brice Armstrong)
- Mom (1988-1989, Sandy Duncan)
- Nick (Grayson Lee Vanover)
- Penny (Hayley Greenbauer)
- Princess Zulie (Alexander Hairston)
- Professor Tinkerputt (Barry Pearl)
- Rachel (Hunter Pecunia)
- Rachel (Vanessa Lauren)
- Sarah (Hayden Tweedie)
- Sarah (Tory Green)
- Scott (Braeden Kennedy)
- Scott (Alex Wilson)
- Shawn (John David Bennett)
- Stacy (Alyssa Franks)
- Stella (Phyllis Cicero)
- Tina (Jessica Zucha)
- Tony (Zachary Fountain)
- Tony (Trent Gentry)
- Tosha (Hope Cervantes)
- Tracy (Victoria Lennox)
- VO Announcer (Barney's appearance in live tours) (Molly Wilson)
- Whitney (Kayla S. Levels)
- Saint Adeogba as Aunt Rachel in "Aunt Rachel Is Here"
- Mary Ann Brewer as Julie's Aunt/Storyteller in "The Alphabet Zoo"
- Frank Crim as himself in "I Want To Be A Firefighter"
- R. Bruce Elliott as Mr. Tenagain, in "Having Tens of Fun"
- Teri Garr as herself in "Barney's First Adventures"
- Melissa Gilbert as herself in "Barney's First Adventures"
- Rebecca Graice as herself in "Hola, Mexico!"
- Ella Jenkins as herself in "A Very Special Delivery !"
- John McDonough as Captain Kangaroo in "Barney's First Adventures"
- Nick Mooney as himself in "Adventures Down Under!"
- J.D. Mosley as Tosha's Dad in "A Very Special Delivery!"
- Tomie dePaola as himself in several episodes
- Sonya Resendeze as Tina's Mom from Barney and the Backyard Gang: "Barney's Campfire Sing-Along"
- Joe Scruggs as himself in "The Exercise Circus!"
- James Turner as himself in "Eat, Drink And Be Healthy"
- Max Vaughan as Farmer Henderson in "Down On Barney's Farm"
- Sandy Walper as Mother Goose in "Let's Help Mother Goose!"
- Stephen White as Rainbowbeard the Pirate in "The Treasure of Rainbow Beard"
Crew
Specials
- Barney's Imagination Island (1994)
- Barney's First Adventure (1998)
Barney & Friends Stage Shows
Criticism
Although many of the reviews of Barney & Friends has been positive, the show has been target of a certain degree of controversy, including some headed towards an an episode in which the phrase "A stranger is a friend you have not met yet," which some parents would view as sending a dangerous message to their children. Another episode was criticized because it supposedly taught children that cheating is good because in the episode, the children are involved in a contest where they have to carry a spoon with a peanut on it without dropping it. One child wins by putting peanut butter on his spoon to make the peanut stick, and then he is rewarded for "creative thinking." It has also been criticized for being excessively sappy and optimistic. This caused most people over the preschool age to find the show tedious to view. The latter gave rise to a phenomenon called Anti-Barney Humor.
See also
- List of Barney & Friends episodes and videos
- List of songs from Barney & Friends
- Barney's Hide and Seek