As a child actor, Neil Patrick Harris portrayed a boy genius and medical student on Doogie Howser, M.D. As an adult, he has starred in the long-running CBS situation comedy, How I Met Your Mother. Harris appeared at the 2010 Oscars during the opening act in a musical number about the nominated movies. Harris hosted the Emmy Awards on September 20, 2009.

Rumors circulating prior to the March 7, 2010 broadcast of the Academy Awards indicated that Harris and comedian Martin Short would be performing a musical comedy routine to open the show. Harris later denied the rumor on Twitter.http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2010/03/03/neil-patrick-denies-oscars-rumor-twitter/

How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris opened the 2010 82nd Annual Academy Awards with a musical number featuring a chorus line of dancers, wearing a shimmering tuxedo. His song included shout outs to a number of nominees, as well as Oscar hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

After Doogie ended, Harris starred in a series of Lifetime television movies including A Christmas Wish and My Antonia. He then attempted Broadway and garnered critical acclaim with his performances in a revival of Sweeney Todd, Cabaret and Rent.

Harris had a dramatic comeback in 2004, when he played a caricature of himself in the film Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. He made an additional appearance in the second installment of the series Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. Harris has played the role of "Barney Stinson" on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother since 2005.

Harris has received Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Comedy Actor for his role in How I Met Your Mother, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his appearance in Glee, and Best Special Class Program for hosting the Tony Awards.http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2010/08/neil-patrick-harris-tonys-emmys-news-story.html

Neil Patrick Harris publicly came out of the closet in 2006. He later revealed that he was dating fellow actor David Burtka.Hollywood Heartbreaker: ...Out and About (November 13, 2006)

The couple have announced that they are expecting twins who will be born this fall. Their children will be born by a surrogate mother and the pair is very thrilled at the prospect.http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/08/15/2010-08-15_neil_patrick_harris_announces_he_will_be_a_father_to_twins_with_longtime_partner.html

• Note: The majority of the links in this timeline are to IMDb, which has pop-ups.

• June 15, 1973: Born

• 1988: Clara's Heart

• 1988: Purple People Eater

• 1989-1993: Doogie Howser, M.D.

• 1997: Starship Troopers

• 1999: Stark Raving Mad

• 2002: Undercover Brother

• 2004: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

• 2005: How I Met Your Mother