Julie Johnson (born November 16, 1958 in Whitewright, Texas)[2] is a country singer and actress. Johnson has portrayed many roles in various musicals such as Memphis, Sweeney Todd, Always, Patsy Cline, Look Homeward, Honky Tonk Angel and Come Fly Away. Johnson has also been in films such as Pure Country with George Strait and The Apostle with Robert Duvall.
Among her many acting roles, she is best known as the original voice of Baby Bop on Barney & Friends.
Career[]
Barney[]
Barney & The Backyard Gang[]
Johnson got a call from her agent in regards to the Barney & The Backyard Gang video series. Her agent suggested that she go audition for the series. Around this time, Johnson played Sister Mary Amnesia for the musical Nunsense. During the audition for Barney & The Backyard Gang, Johnson looked at the Baby Bop costume, unsure of what she would do, and thought of the voice of a whining child desiring for a toy in a store. Johnson's voice for Baby Bop was also similar to her voice for Sister Mary Amnesia. After doing the gig for the video series, Johnson didn't hear anything back from the crew due to it being suggested that Baby Bop would be a one-time character.
Barney & Friends[]
A few months later, Johnson's mother saw an article that discussed Barney & The Backyard Gang becoming a series on PBS. Unsure if she would retain her role, Johnson was contacted three days later in regards to joining the show. Johnson portrayed Baby Bop from 1991 until 2010.
Credits[]
Barney[]
Baby Bop[]
- Barney's Magical Musical Adventure
- Barney Live! In New York City
- Imagination Island
- Barney Safety
- Barney Songs
- Barney's Fun & Games
- Once Upon A Time
- Barney's Musical Scrapbook
- Camp WannaRunnaRound
- Barney's Adventure Bus
- It's Time for Counting
- Barney in Outer Space
- My Party with Barney
- Barney's Big Surprise
- Barney's Halloween Party
- Barney's Great Adventure
- Sing and Dance with Barney
- What a World We Share
- Walk Around the Block with Barney
- Let's Play School
- Barney's Night Before Christmas
- More Barney Songs
- Barney's Rhyme Time Rhythm
- Super Singing Circus
- Come on Over to Barney's House
- Be My Valentine, Love Barney
- Barney's Dino Dancin' Tunes
- Let's Go to the Zoo
- Barney's Musical Castle
- Barney's Pajama Party
- Barney's Beach Party
- Round and Round We Go
- Barney's Christmas Star
- Barney Songs From the Park
- Read with Me, Dance with Me
- Barney's Best Manners: Your Invitation to Fun!
- Barney's Colorful World!
- Let's Go to the Farm
- The Land of Make Believe
- Can You Sing That Song?
- Let's Make Music
- Let's Go to the Fire House
- Barney's Dino-Mite Birthday!
- Celebrating Around The World
- Barney's Animal ABC's
- Hi! I'm Riff!
- The Best of Barney
- Once Upon a Dino-Tale
- Barney's Top 20 Countdown
- Let's Go on Vacation
- Barney's Jungle Friends
- Let's Play Outside
- A-Counting We Will Go
- Barney's Best Fairy Tales
- A Very Merry Christmas
- I Love My Friends
- Barney in Concert
- Barney Live! In New York City
- A Day in the Park with Barney
- Barney's Big Surprise
- Barney's Musical Castle
- Barney
- Barney's Colorful World!
- Christmas Fun with Barney & Friends
- Barney Live! - The Let's Go Tour
- Barney's Christmas Star
- Barney's Let's Imagine
- Christmas with Barney & Friends
- Barney's Dino-Mite Birthday! - Live On Stage
- Barney's Space Adventures
- Barney's World of Imagination
- Barney Live in Concert - Birthday Bash!
- Sing and Dance with Barney
- Barney's We're All Friends Show (archival)
- Barney & Friends Favourite Hits (archival)
- Barney's Greatest Hits - Live On Stage (archival)
- Barney's Birthday Surprise (archival)
- Barney & Friends: Party Time (archival)
- Barney's Magical Christmas (archival)
- Barney's Favorites, Volume 1
- Barney's Favorites, Volume 2
- Barney's Sleepytime Songs
- Run, Jump, Skip and Sing
- Barney's Big Surprise! Live on Stage
- Happy Holidays Love, Barney
- Barney's Sing Along: Halloween Party
- Barney's Great Adventure Sing Along
- Songs in the Key of Purple
- I Love to Sing with Barney
- Barney's Sing Along: In Outer Space
- Barney's A Great Day for Learning
- Barney's Sing Along: Night Before Christmas
- Barney Rocks!
- Barney's Greatest Hits: The Early Years (archival)
- Start Singing With Barney
- Barney's Colorful World! LIVE!
- The Land of Make Believe
- Sing Along with Barney & Friends
- Let's Go to the Beach
- Let's Go to the Farm
- Music for Me!
- Perfectly Platinum: 30 Dino-Mite Songs
- Barney Live in Concert - Birthday Bash!: Original Cast Recording
- The Today Show (February 16, 1993)
- Barney Street Celebration (April 3-18, 1993)
- A Day at Shea with BJ (September 27, 1993)
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1994, 1997, 1999-2004)
- Barney at Grand Ole Opry (September 16-17, 1995)
- Kids for Character (1996)
- Live with Regis and Kelly (January 23, 2006)
Other[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Barney Under The Sea | Hootin' Annie | Voice role |
| 1998 | Barney's Halloween Party | Featured Extra | On-camera role |
| 2000 | Come on Over to Barney's House | Jill | Voice role |
| 2005 | The Land of Make Believe | Parrot | |
| 2006 | "Mother Goose" | Mother Goose | On-camera role |
Gallery[]
Barney[]
Behind the scenes[]
Trivia[]
- Johnson's son was in several episodes of Barney & Friends as an extra on set.
- Prior to being on Barney, Johnson knew Patty Wirtz, the original voice of BJ, from doing the musical Nunsense together and worked together at Casa Mañana Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas.
- For a while, Johnson was available for public and private shows. Carey Stinson, one of the costume performers of Barney, was the contact for her booking information.
- Sonny Franks, who was in Come on Over to Barney's House and Let's Go to the Fire House, wrote a few songs for Johnson's discography.[3]
- Johnson was meant to be interviewed for the documentary of I Love You, You Hate Me, but due to conflicts between her time on tour and when the crew could film, it didn't work out.[4]
Videos[]
Interviews[]
References[]
- ↑ Dylan Paul Thomas
- ↑ About Julie
- ↑ Purple Roads Episode Twenty Two | Julie Johnson (Voice of Baby Bop)
- ↑ “I LOVE YOU, YOU HATE ME” DIRECTOR TOMMY AVALLONE | Film Threat Interviews October 15, 2022 Retrieved October 16, 2022