Wikipedia

List of Barney characters

Barney is a children's educational musical adventure media franchise that originated with the 1988 direct-to-video series Barney & the Backyard Gang by Sheryl Stamps-Leach and Kathy O'Rourke-Parker. Barney consists of three series—Barney & the Backyard Gang (1988–1991), which consists of only eight episodes, Barney & Friends (1992–2010), a television series that ran on PBS Kids, and Barney's World (2024), a fully animated series set to air on Cartoon Network's Cartoonito, and which is currently streaming on Max[1]—and is currently distributed by 9 Story Media Group, under license from Mattel Television.

The Barney franchise follows the titular character Barney, a purple anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus rex who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, huggable and optimistic attitude,[2][3][4][5]

Overview

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Characters Main television series Animated television series Film
Barney & the Backyard Gang Barney & Friends Barney's World Barney's Great Adventure
Season
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Barney (costume) David Voss (Episodes 1–6)
David Joyner (Episodes 7, 8)[6] 		David Joyner[6][7][8] David Joyner
Josh Martin (Episodes 14–16, 18–20)
Maurice Scott (Episode 17) 		David Joyner Carey Stinson[9]
Maurice Scott (Episode 4 (one scene)) 		Carey Stinson Carey Stinson
Maurice Scott (Episodes 3–4 (white screen scenes)) 		Carey Stinson David Joyner[6]
Barney (voice) Bob West Dean Wendt Jonathan Langdon Bob West
Baby Bop (costume) Dao Knight Jenny Dempsey Jeff Ayers Jeff Ayers
Jennifer Romano (Episode 1)
Jeff Brooks (Episode 9) 		Jeff Ayers
Jennifer Romano (Episode 20) 		Jeff Ayers Jennifer Barlean
Jeff Ayers (Episode 2) 		Lauren Mayeux Lauren Mayeux (New material)
Jeff Ayers 		Jeff Ayers
Baby Bop (voice) Julie Johnson Bryn McAuley Julie Johnson
BJ (costume) Jenny Dempsey Jeff Brooks Jeff Brooks
Adam Brown (Episode 20 (some scene)) 		Jeff Brooks Kyle Nelson Jeff Brooks
BJ / Billy (voice) Patty Wirtz Jonathan Tan Patty Wirtz
Riff (costume) Adam Brown Jerad Harris
Jeff Ayers (Episodes 6, 7, 10) 		Jerad Harris Jerad Harris (New material)
Adam Brown
Riff (voice) Michaela Dietz
Jason Salim Grant
Michael Brian Eppes
Kim Danielle Vega
Angela Demi Lovato
Gianna Selena Gomez
Jamal Peyton Alex Smith Peyton Alex Smith
Debby Debby Ryan
Bridget Madison Pettis
Joshua Jaren Lewison
Jill Mikayla Abdalla

Main characters

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Dinosaurs

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Barney

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Barney
Barney character
 
Barney, as seen in Barney's World
First appearance
Voiced by
Motion capture
  • David Voss (1998–1990)
  • David Joyner (1991–2001)[6][7][8]
  • Josh Martin (1997)
  • Maurice Scott (1997–2004)
  • Carey Stinson (2002–2010)[9]
In-universe information
SpeciesTyrannosaurus rex
GenderMale

Barney is the main character of the Barney franchise. He is a purple Tyrannosaurus with a green stomach in stuffed animal likeness, who comes to life through a child's imagination. His theme song is "Barney is a Dinosaur", whose tune is based on "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". Despite being a carnivorous type dinosaur, Barney does not have a carnivore's fearsome teeth. He 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.

Baby Bop

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Baby Bop
Barney character
First appearance
Created by
Voiced by
Motion capture
  • Dao Knight (1991)
  • Jenny Dempsey (1992)
  • Jeff Ayers (1993–2008; 2010)
  • Jennifer Romano (1999; 2002)
  • Jeff Brooks (1999)
  • Lauren Mayeux (2009–2010)
In-universe information
AliasSissy
SpeciesTriceratops
GenderFemale

Baby Bop is a green Triceratops wearing a pink bow and pink ballet slippers and carrying a yellow security blanket. First appearing in the Barney & the Backyard Gang episode "Barney in Concert", she was originally two years old; however, in the Barney & Friends episode "Look at Me, I'm 3!", she turned three. 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.[10] She is the younger sister of Billy.

Billy

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Billy
Barney character
First appearance
Voiced by
  • Patty Wirtz (1993–2010)
  • Jonathan Tan (2024–present)
Motion capture
  • Jenny Dempsey (1993)
  • Jeff Brooks (1995–2000)
  • Adam Brown (2000)
  • Kyle Nelson (2002–2010)
In-universe information
NicknameBJ
SpeciesProtoceratops
GenderMale

Billy, originally known as BJ, is a seven-year-old yellow Protoceratops[11] who wears a red baseball cap and red sneakers. First appearing in the Barney & Friends episode "Look at Me, I'm 3!", he is the older brother of Baby Bop, whom he frequently calls "Sissy" and occasionally calls by her name. He sings "BJ's Song", a song about himself. He lost his hat in the Barney & Friends episode "Hats Off to BJ!". Pickles are his favorite food, and he has tried them in various ways, such as on pizza.

Riff

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Riff
Barney character
First appearance
Last appearance
  • "The Princess and the Frog"
  • Barney & Friends
  • 2010
Voiced byMichaela Dietz
Motion capture
  • Adam Brown (2006–2007; 2010)
  • Jerad Harris (2008–2010)
  • Jeff Ayers (2008)
In-universe information
SpeciesHadrosaur
GenderMale

Riff is a character who has only appeared in Barney & Friends from Seasons 10 through 14 and in some Barney home videos. First appearing in "Welcome, Cousin Riff", he is an orange six-year-old[citation needed] Hadrosaur who wears green sneakers, and he is Baby Bop and BJ's cousin. 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 voice). He is shown to have an interest in marching bands and parades.[citation needed] His most recent appearance is in "The Princess and the Frog", a Barney & Friends episode from Season 14.

Children

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Jason

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Jason
Barney & the Backyard Gang character
First appearance
  • "The Backyard Show"
  • Barney & the Backyard Gang
  • 1988
Last appearance
  • "A Day at the Beach"
  • Barney & the Backyard Gang
  • 1989
Portrayed bySalim Grant
In-universe information
GenderMale

Jason is a character who appeared in the first three episodes of Barney & the Backyard Gang. He is able to tap dance and likes animals. However, he can also make waves with his arms, which he likes to do as well.

Michael

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Jason
Barney character
First appearance
Last appearanceSing & Dance with Barney (1999)
Portrayed byBrian Eppes
In-universe information
GenderMale
Family
  • Michael and Amy's Mom (mother)
  • Michael and Amy's Dad (father)
  • Amy (sister)

Michael is a character from the Barney franchise. First appearing in the Barney & the Backyard Gang episode "The Backyard Show", he also appeared in Barney & Friends, with his first appearance being "The Queen of Make-Believe". Michael lives with his sister named Amy, his parents, and their dogs, Buster and Sparky. He likes to search for rocks when camping, meaning that he has a rock collection at home in a box. Michael is also a school crossing guard. In addition to his favorite food being cold watermelons, Michael is able to play the cello because he likes music; he is also known for playing soccer, however.

Kim

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Kim
Barney character
First appearanceBarney's Sense-Sational Day (1997)
Last appearanceBarney's Beach Party (2002)
Portrayed byDanielle Vega
In-universe information
GenderFemale

Kim is a character who appeared in various Barney episodes like with Barney & Friends episodes from Seasons 4 through 6. She lives with her parents, an older sister, and an adopted baby brother, and she has a friend named Kristen. Kim perfers to dance and sing. However, she also knows how to play the flute. Her favorite bear is the giant panda. In "A Picture of Health" it was revealed that Kim once damaged her foot and needed to head to the hospital for an X-ray.

Recurring characters

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Mother Goose

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Mother Goose
Barney character
First appearance
Last appearance
  • "Mother Goose"
  • Barney & Friends
  • 2010
Portrayed by
  • Sandy Walper (1992–1993)
  • Michelle McCarel (1998)
  • Barbara Lowin (2000)
  • Julie Johnson (2006–2010)
In-universe information
GenderFemale

Mother Goose is a character from Barney & Friends. Based on the fictional storyteller of the same name, she is an imaginary author who lives in the "Land of Mother Goose" (a land featuring her house, her garden, other characters from nursery rhymes, etc.) and perfers to speak in "rhyme". Mother Goose has been around for a large number of years for a quite long time and has a pet goose named Clarence (who appeared in "Honk! Honk! A Goose on the Loose!" and Barney's Big Surprise). Frequently, she already knows Barney's friends, as she knows the name of everyone who has ever read her rhymes.

References

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  1. ^ Porter, Rick (February 13, 2023). "Barney the Dinosaur Gets Relaunch from Mattel". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  2. ^ Gorman, James (April 11, 1993). "TELEVISION VIEW; Of Dinosaurs Why Must This One Thrive?". The New York Times. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "Stuuuupendous!". Time. December 21, 1992. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Cerone, Daniel (April 3, 1993). "Dinosaur Is a Star, Spreading Love With Hugs, Kisses, Songs". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "Barney the launching pad". Los Angeles Times. January 30, 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Petit, Stephanie (June 8, 2017). "Barney Unmasked! Meet the Man Who 'Loved' Playing the Iconic Purple Dinosaur for a Decade". People. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Ramirez, Marc (January 25, 2018). "Where's Barney now? Actor who played purple dinosaur a tantric sex therapist". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Sager, Rebekah (January 23, 2018). "The Guy Who Played Barney the Dinosaur Now Runs a Tantric Sex Business". Vice. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Giggy, Sean (March 14, 2019). "Purple Tales: The stories and secrets behind Barney". WFAA. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  10. ^ "Barney & Friends". Universal Kids. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  11. ^ "THIRD DINOSAUR JOINS CAST OF 'BARNEY'". Buffalo News. September 14, 1993. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
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