RELIVE THE MAGIC WITH BARNEY

by Pat Rodgers

“I love you, you love me. We’re a happy family. With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, won’t you say you love me too!”

Those famous lyrics are sung by a friendly, stuffed, purple tyrannosaurus rex named Barney. He comes to life through children’s imaginations, transforming from a plush doll into the "real" Barney. He’s joined by other dino pals—Baby Bop, BJ, and Riff—and a diverse cast of children.

The beloved series starred Barney, who taught children about feelings, sharing, and caring. It was one of the most-watched children’s programs and the first show on public television aimed primarily at toddlers.

Barney & Friends became a Daytime Emmy Award winner in 2001 and was nominated for eleven Emmy Awards during its run. At its peak in the 1996-1997 season, Barney was the No. 1 children's show on PBS, with an average of 2.08 million preschool viewers. By late 1998, it was the most-watched program for ages two to five, drawing ten million viewers weekly.

How It All Began

I had the opportunity recently to sit down with James Johnson, who brought Barney to life for over 25 years. He cherishes those years of live video production and shared the story of how it all began.

James recalls, “In the fall of 1987, Sheryl Leach was a teacher living in Allen, Texas. One day, while stuck in traffic, she began thinking about the lack of videos that held her 2-year-old son Patrick’s attention.”

He continues, “At the time, the only preschool programs were Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, both of which appealed to a broader age range, rather than strictly toddlers.”

Sheryl worked at DLM, an educational publishing company in Allen, and soon engaged her friend Kathy Parker, an early childhood specialist who marketed educational products at DLM. Dennis DeShazer, a video writer and producer, joined them to form a dynamic trio.

Parker also had a 2-year-old daughter named Kaitlin. Leach and Parker began testing videos on their children, taking notes on what worked and what didn’t. They also visited preschools for research.

From their research, they identified twenty essential concepts. These included using live-action instead of animation so children could better relate, having children as role models, featuring simple music, and creating familiar settings. They concluded that imagination and loving messages needed to be at the heart of the show.

James remembers that “a plush, huggable dinosaur costume was developed, and Barney became purple because purple happened to be trendy in the late 1980s.”

The trio produced a series of home videos called Barney and the Backyard Gang, featuring actress Sandy Duncan. These videos were sold directly to the public.

In 1991, Connecticut Public Television executive Larry Rifkin rented a Barney tape for his 4-year-old daughter, Leora. He quickly called Leach’s company, The Lyons Group, to team up and produce 26 original episodes for PBS. Later that year, production began on Barney & Friends.

Each 30-minute episode featured a group of children imagining a teachable moment or scenario, which Barney addressed through song, dance, and storytelling.

Typically, episodes opened with the “Barney Theme Song,” then transitioned to the day’s topic. The children imagined something, and Barney came to life from a plush doll, transforming into the “real” Barney as they saw him in their imagination.

Barney and the children explored the topic together, often joined by Baby Bop, BJ, or Riff, along with songs tied to the theme.

Episodes concluded with Barney singing “I Love You” before returning to his stuffed form and winking at the audience. After the children left, the episode wrapped up with “Barney Says,” a narrated recap with still snapshots, before the credits rolled.

Educational Value

Yale researchers Dorothy and Jerome Singer concluded that Barney & Friends offered age-appropriate educational content and called it a “model of what preschool television should be.” Their research showed the program helped children prepare for structured learning environments.

Barney book sales began in spring 1993 and were self-published through Barney Publishing. By late that year, the first five books had each surpassed a million copies sold.

In 2001, five Barney books made Publisher's Weekly’s All-Time Bestselling Children's Books list. To date, over 80 million Barney books have been sold.

Children Empowerment

According to Dr. Gordon Berry, Professor of Educational Psychology at UCLA, “Barney empowers kids.”

During the World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993, seventeen kindergartners trapped in an elevator for five hours stayed calm by singing “I Love You.” As the adults listened, to the children, they were calmed as well.

In another incident that same year, a 4-year-old girl alerted her family to a middle-of-the-night fire, thanks to what she’d learned from watching Barney & Friends.

Working on the Set and Filming

To get a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of Barney & Friends, I continued my conversation with James Johnson, the longtime crew member who brought Barney to life for over 25 years. James shared what it was like working on the show, both on and off the set.

Q: What was the atmosphere like on set?

A: The set was filled with highly professional creative and technical personnel. We were fortunate to have a fantastic group of people who not only believed in what we were doing but also understood how important it was to demonstrate that commitment to the children on set and to those watching the show.

The entire crew was very mindful of the limited time the children had on set. Whenever they arrived to begin shooting, the team was ready. The children's first stop in the morning was hair and makeup, while the crew prepped the sets, lights, and cameras for the day. Once the prep was complete, the crew would gather to discuss the day's plans, catch up on each other's families, and a group of us would play hacky sack, video games, and chat about movies and television shows.

We would shoot until lunch, then repeat the process in the afternoon.

Q: How did you keep the magic alive while making the show educational?

A: During production, there was always a representative from the education department overseeing the process, adding notes, and double-checking that the script was being followed. Additionally, we had full-time script supervisors who closely monitored the entire script, working with the directors to ensure they stayed true to it. One of the most important rules was that we never allowed visitors, of any age, to see the dinosaur body actors without their full costumes. It was crucial to maintain that sense of magic.

The Cast and Crew

Q: Can you share an interesting story about working with the cast?

A: The dinosaurs were portrayed by two people—one for the voice and one for the body. The body movements were so perfectly synced with the voices that it was difficult to tell it took two people to bring them to life. We called it "Dinosync."

Q: Did you work with Demi Lovato or Selena Gomez when they were on the show?

A: Yes, I worked during the time that Demi and Selena were there. They were both incredibly talented and a pleasure to work with. It was truly wonderful to see them continue to grow in the industry.

Q: How did the adults and child actors interact on set?

A: The children were the most protected part of our production. The entire crew demonstrated what a truly protective village could be for kids. However, they were also part of the Barney family, and we all knew what was happening in each other's lives.

Lasting Legacy of Barney

Q: Looking back, what are you most proud of about your time on Barney & Friends?

A: I’m always thrilled when I meet young adults who grew up watching Barney and I mention that I worked on the show. They always smile and say it was one of their favorites. It’s especially cool when I tell them I wore the costume for events and scene inserts in the videos.

Q: What are some of your fondest memories from the show?

A: The first time we did a Make-A-Wish presentation for children, it was just Barney on stage and these wonderful kids in the audience—some who had never smiled—were laughing and so happy to be there. They couldn’t believe it. That’s when I learned the true magic of Barney: the children made him real. I was operating a camera, struggling to focus as I wiped away tears, unable to stop smiling while witnessing what was unfolding in front of me. I will never forget that day.

The Purple Dinosaur Who Changed Childhood

Barney lives on in the memories of young adults around the world. I hope you and your family are lucky enough to have been part of the Barney magic! Visit the Collin County History Museum to learn more about Barney, our purple dinosaur.