The following article contains an overview of BJ through the years on video and television. Depicted as a live-action costumed character for Barney & Friends, the look for the series has followed a look that's remained the same design wise, with minor touches in addition to the previous iteration it follows. While these appearances have mainly been used in live-action, they've also been used in illustrative and licensing depictions at times, still conveying the original depiction and design that was captured on video during its respective time. The look of BJ during Barney & Friends would eventually be dubbed as the classic iteration of the character.
Variants
Classic
The following design appearances are based on the live-action appearances of BJ (as shown in Barney & Friends).
| Image | As seen in | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Barney & Friends Season 2 | 1993 | The first BJ costume is notably unique in that it includes a tongue, and he is as tall as Barney. Overall, the mouth is a lot more movable than future costumes, as his head is connected directly to his body, and the jaw mechanism is similar to Barney's. This costume also has a blinking mechanism (albeit rarely utilized). The three hairs on the head of this costume are more disheveled than in future costumes. He was performed by Jenny Dempsey in season two. Like Baby Bop's 1991-1992 costume in season one, his costume was also used in season two only. |
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Imagination Island & Barney Live! at Radio City | 1994-1995 |
A smaller and shorter concept of the first costume: BJ became shorter and was about the same size as Baby Bop in her then-second-season form. The bottom jaw is connected to the top of his stomach. His shoulders are shaped differently, being more rounded. BJ's hat is also recycled from the first costume. hair hair strands are thinner and more separated from each other. This was the first time BJ was performed by Jeff Brooks, who continued to play him until 2002. Like Baby Bop's 1993-1994 costume, this was also used on live appearances and in Barney Books until 1995. |
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Barney & Friends Season 3 | 1995 | This is a prototype version of the season three costume that was used in the episode "If The Shoe Fits...". The only differences are the eyes being slightly different and the mouth being less movable when Brooks bobs the head. Beginning with this season, BJ lacks a tongue. |
| 1995-1996 | BJ was finally around the same height as Baby Bop. His head became narrower but also rounder and separate from the rest of his body. The performer bobbed his head up and down to make the mouth move, much like Baby Bop. BJ's pupils are a lot smaller; the costume's three hairs are slightly longer and thicker. The blinking mechanism is phased out. BJ's snout was remade, and his eyes were brought closer together.
There is an alternate version of this suit with a different head sculpt used in the episodes "Gone Fishing!", "Who's Who On The Choo Choo?", and "Hats Off To BJ!" which had him with a cuter and smaller version of the main costume. In “Hats Off To BJ!”, the alternate version is used but with the red hat removed from his head for a while, and then towards the end of the episode, the original version is used with his hat back on). | ||
| Barney's Fun & Games | 1996-1998,
2001 |
This costume is not much different from the previous version, except that his pupils became slightly bigger, and his body spots were brighter. His head was made slightly smaller and wider, and the top of his frill was more indented and rounded. This was also used in Barney Books until 1998.
Notice: In Barney's Sense-Sational Day and later appearances of this costume up until early season four, BJ's mouth is noticeably less movable. An alternate version was used in season four in the episodes "We've Got Rhythm" and "Going On A Bear Hunt", with the frills being slightly smaller and his head being slightly larger similar to the third season, but of course with the features being much rounder than the previous. A similar version was used previously in Barney's 1-2-3-4 Seasons. This suit would notably be used on various home video covers and promotional material from 1996 until 1998. It was later used again in Let's Go To The Zoo, where BJ gets wet so that the 1997 costume wouldn't be splashed and damaged. | |
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My Party with Barney | 1997-2002 | The head became more rounded, the jaw was made smaller, and, unlike the previous costume, the jaw is barely moveable. The face has a "friendlier" design than the previous and future costumes.
Two variations on the costume were made:
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Barney's Dino Dancin' Tunes | 1999-2001 | He has a resemblance to the costume used for season six. BJ’s eyes are wider and closer together, his teeth are larger, his frill is rounder and a little taller, and his jaw is larger and more movable. Now, BJ is performed by Kyle Nelson.
This suit was previously used in the Barney's Musical Castle tour. |
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Barney's Christmas Star | 2002 | This costume has a resemblance to the costume used in Barney's Musical Castle and Barney's Dino Dancin' Tunes, but BJ's pupils are much bigger, and his head is smaller and wider.
This costume was later used for the Barney's Beach Party stage show in Hawaii on April 26-28, 2002. |
| Barney & Friends Season 7- I Love My Friends | 2002-2012 | BJ's head was made wider, and his mouth was designed to be more visible and flexible. The three points on his frill became longer and less bent than in previous incarnations. His three hairs protruding from his hat also became shorter. BJ was performed by Kyle Nelson and soon after, Jerad Harris.
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See also
- Billy - a dinosaur based on BJ featured in the series Barney's World, with a different design.
- Alternate BJ Costumes - officially produced costumes that weren't explicitly used on camera for BJ's appearances on Barney & Friends.
Character Evolutions
- Barney Through the Years - officially produced costumes used on camera for Barney's appearances on Barney & The Backyard Gang, Barney & Friends and Barney's World.
- Baby Bop Through the Years - officially produced costumes used on camera for Baby Bop's appearances on Barney & The Backyard Gang, Barney & Friends and Barney's World.