Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated actor. Prominent roles in his career include the title character of Doogie Howser, M.D., the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, Col. Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, Dr. Horrible of the web series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, and as a fictionalized version of himself in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

Biography

Early life

Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S., and grew up in Ruidoso, New Mexico. His parents, Sheila H. and Ron Harris, were lawyers. He has an older brother, and it was by following his brother to an audition in fourth grade that he first began acting—as Toto in a school production of The Wizard of Oz. He attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and was active in school plays and musicals there. Harris was an honors student and graduated with honors in 1991. He was three years ahead of fellow La Cueva student Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Career

[Patrick Harris by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|Harris at the 2008 [[Comic-Con International|Comic Con] in San Diego, California]].