Barney and Friends facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barney & Friends |
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| Created by | Sheryl Leach |
| Starring | David Joyner (1991–2001) Carey Stinson (1994, 2002–2009) Josh Martin (1997; Barney suit) Bob West (1988–1999; Barney voice) Duncan Brannan (1999–2002) Tim Dever (1999–2002) Dean Wendt (2001–2009; Barney voice) Jenny Dempsey (1992) Jeff Ayers (1993–2008) Lauren Mayeux (2009; Baby Bop suit) Julie Johnson (Baby Bop voice) Jeff Brooks (1993–2002) Kyle Nelson (2002–2009; B.J. suit) Patty Wirtz (B.J. voice) Adam Brown (Riff suit) Michaela Dietz (Riff voice) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 13 |
| No. of episodes | 248 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Lyrick Studios (formerly The Lyons Group) (1992–2001) HIT Entertainment (2001–2009) Connecticut Public Television (1992–2005) WNET New York (2006–2009) |
| Release | |
| Original network | PBS (PBS Kids) |
| Picture format | NTSC (480i) (1992–2008) HDTV (1080i) (2009) |
| Original release | April 6, 1992 – September 18, 2009 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Barney and the Backyard Gang |
Barney & Friends is a popular American children's television series that first aired on PBS on April 6, 1992. It was created by Sheryl Leach and produced by HIT Entertainment. The show is famous for its main character, Barney, a friendly purple Tyrannosaurus rex who teaches kids important lessons. He does this through fun songs and simple dance routines. Barney always has a positive and happy attitude.
New episodes of Barney & Friends stopped being made on September 18, 2009. However, reruns of the show continued to be shown on many PBS stations for years. The show also aired on Sprout from 2005 to 2015. There were plans to bring the show back in 2016, but new episodes were not broadcast.
Contents
How Barney Began
Barney was first created in 1987 by Sheryl Leach from Dallas, Texas. She thought about what TV shows would be both educational and fun for her own son. Sheryl then gathered a team to create a series of home videos. These videos were called Barney and the Backyard Gang. The actress Sandy Duncan even appeared in the first three videos.
In 1991, a TV executive named Larry Rifkin saw how much his daughter loved one of the Barney videos. He thought the idea could work well for PBS. Larry believed Barney was appealing because he was so positive. He talked to his boss, Jerry Franklin, whose son also loved Barney. They both agreed that kids would enjoy a Barney TV show. Franklin and Rifkin convinced Sheryl Leach to let them adapt the concept for television.
The show, now called Barney & Friends, first aired in 1992. It was produced by Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Lyrick Studios. Later, Lyrick Studios was bought by HIT Entertainment.
Keeping Barney on TV
Even though Barney & Friends was a huge hit, PBS initially decided not to fund more episodes after the first 30. When CPTV found this out, they wrote to other PBS stations asking them to help convince PBS to change its mind. The company that owned Barney also told parents through the Barney Fan Club to contact their local PBS stations. They wanted parents to show their support for the show.
By the time of the yearly meeting for PBS stations, executives from all over the country were upset about the show possibly being canceled. Because of this strong support, PBS finally agreed to continue funding Barney & Friends.
For several years, the show was filmed in Allen, Texas. Then, production moved to Irving, Texas, and later to Carrollton, Texas. Today, the TV series and videos are distributed by HIT Entertainment and Universal Studios. WNET produced the TV series from 2006 to 2009.
Episode Structure
Each episode of Barney & Friends follows a similar pattern. This helps kids know what to expect and makes the show easy to follow.
Starting the Show
Every episode begins with the Barney & Friends theme song. You see clips from different episodes during the song. After the song, the scene changes to a school setting. The children are usually doing an activity related to the episode's topic. Then, the children imagine something, and Barney, who starts as a plush doll, magically comes to life! He becomes the "real" Barney that the children see in their imagination.
The Main Story
This is where the main part of the episode happens. Barney and the children learn about the episode's main topic. Baby Bop, B.J., or Riff often join in the fun. Many songs related to the subject are featured throughout the episode. As the show went on, Baby Bop, B.J., and Riff played bigger roles. In later seasons, episodes also explored places outside the school, like other neighborhoods and even different countries.
Ending the Episode
Barney always ends the show by singing "I Love You" to the children. Then, he changes back into his stuffed doll form and winks at the audience. After this, the children talk about what they learned that day. In earlier seasons, there was a segment called Barney Says. Here, Barney would talk about what he and his friends did, with pictures from the episode shown on screen. Before the credits roll, Barney says goodbye. In some seasons, he would appear on screen to say, "And remember, I love you," and wave goodbye.
Characters You'll Meet
The show features a fun group of dinosaur characters and many children. Sometimes, adults also appear as teachers or storytellers.
The Dinosaurs
- Barney: He is the main character, a big purple and green Tyrannosaurus rex. He comes to life when children use their imagination. His theme song is "Barney is a Dinosaur," which uses the tune of "Yankee Doodle". Barney often says things are "Super dee-duper." Most episodes end with his favorite song, "I Love You," sung to the tune of "This Old Man". Even though he's a dinosaur, Barney loves healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. His favorite snack is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with milk. He also enjoys marching bands and parades.
- Baby Bop: She is a green Triceratops. Baby Bop started as two years old and turned three in the episode "Look at Me, I'm 3!". She first appeared in 1991. Baby Bop wears a pink bow and pink ballet slippers. She always carries her yellow security blanket. She even has a song called "My Yellow Blankey" about how much she loves it. Her favorite foods are macaroni and cheese and pizza. She is B.J.'s younger sister.
- B.J.: He is a seven-year-old yellow Protoceratops. B.J. joined the show in 1993. He is Baby Bop's older brother and often calls her "Sissy." He has his own song called "B.J.'s Song." B.J. wears a red baseball cap and red sneakers. He loves pickles and has tried them in many ways, even on pizza!
- Riff: Riff is an orange six-year-old Hadrosaur. He is Baby Bop and B.J.'s cousin and joined the show in 2006. Riff wears green sneakers. His theme music is "I Hear Music Everywhere." Riff loves music and it's a big part of everything he does. He also enjoys inventing things. For example, he created a special four-sound smoke detector in one episode. He shares Barney's interest in marching bands and parades.
Adult Characters
Adults on the show often play roles like teachers or storytellers.
- Stella the Storyteller: Played by Phyllis Cicero, Stella travels the world collecting new stories to share with Barney and the children. She appeared in several seasons and even gave Barney a photo album of his friends.
- Professor Tinkerputt: Played by Barry Pearl, he appeared in Barney's Imagination Island and a stage show. Professor Tinkerputt learned from Barney and the kids that sharing his invented toys made everyone happier.
- Mr. Boyd: Played by Robert Sweatman, Mr. Boyd was a musician, a janitor, and a park keeper in different seasons. He also had a niece named Colleen.
Puppets
Several puppets appeared in the show. Some of the most well-known puppets were:
- Scooter McNutty, a brown squirrel.
- Miss Etta Kette, a purple bird.
- Booker T. Bookworm, an orange worm who loved books.
Child Actors
Over 100 children appeared in Barney & Friends during its run. Many of them were from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Some of these child actors later became famous:
- Danielle Vega: played Kim from Season 3 to Season 6.
- Demi Lovato: played Angela from Season 7 to Season 8.
- Selena Gomez: played Gianna from Season 7 to Season 8.
- Debby Ryan: played Debby in Season 10.
- Madison Pettis: played Bridget in Season 10.
See also
