David Joyner (actor) facts for kids

David Eugene Joyner, born on July 4, 1963, is an American actor. He is most famous for playing the friendly purple dinosaur, Barney, from 1991 to 2001. He wore the Barney costume while other actors provided the voice. David played Barney in the TV show Barney & Friends and earlier videos like Barney & the Backyard Gang. Later, he also played the main character in the children's show Hip Hop Harry.

Early Life

David Joyner was born in Decatur, Illinois. His parents were Roscoe and Mary Joyner. He went to MacArthur High School. After high school, he studied Electronic Engineering Technology at the ITT Technical Institute in Indianapolis, Indiana. Before becoming an actor, he worked for six years as a software analyst.

Career

David Joyner shared an interesting story about how he got the role of Barney. The night before his audition, he had a dream that Barney needed help. The next day, he saw a sign that inspired him to "breathe life" into the character.

He first auditioned for the role in 1991. He was originally chosen as a backup performer. However, he soon took over the main role because the first actress found it hard to stay in the heavy costume for long periods.

Joyner first played Barney in two Barney & the Backyard Gang videos. He then continued as Barney for the first six seasons of the TV series Barney & Friends. He also performed as Barney in live shows. He took a short break to film Barney's Great Adventure in 1998. He returned to play Barney in Barney in Outer Space in 1997. Even after leaving the main TV series, he sometimes played Barney for special appearances until 2005.

After his time as Barney, David Joyner played the main character, Hip Hop Harry, in the children's show Hip Hop Harry from 2006 to 2008. In this role, he also wore a costume.

Film and Television Roles

David Joyner has appeared in various films and TV shows. Here are some of his notable roles:

Film

Television

Web Series

Theater