Stephen White

Stephen White
Born	September 3, 1952 (age 72) Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alternate names	Steve
Occupation	Writer
Years Active	Barney 1991-2006
Spouse(s)	Kathy Gabrielson (died 2022)
Education	Indiana University (BA)
Children	1
Social media	@stevewhite9854
Website	https://www.stephenwhiteonline.com/
See also	Category

Stephen White (born September 3, 1952 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American freelance writer, scriptwriter and songwriter. He is best known to be the primary writer (and brief head writer) for Barney & Friends. He only did not write many of the Barney & Friends episodes and home videos, but also Barney's Great Adventure, many books, live appearances, and even some original songs for the franchise.

Stephen White next to Barney the Dinosaur.

Career

Barney & Friends

Beginnings

For a number of years, White had been writing and co-producing shows for the the Chuck E. Cheese franchise, headquartered in the Dallas area. The productions he wrote and co-produced would be used for audio production for the animatronic characters in Chuck E. Cheese locations. One of the people White worked with during audio sessions was Bob West. Upon asking West what he's been up to since they last saw each other, White learned that West was voicing Barney for the Barney & The Backyard Gang video series.

White became interested in the video series and wrote to Sheryl Leach pitching himself that he would like to work with the crew. White never heard anything back afterwards. White then saw a newspaper article that Barney & The Backyard Gang was to be spun into a television series on PBS. After seeing the ad, White assumed that the project was continuing without him. White sent another letter to Leach to remind her of his availability and one of congratulations. Leach quickly got back in touch, eager for White to come in for an interview. White gave Leach some of his work from Chuck E. Cheese. White had never written a television script but was sure he could learn when the opportunity was given.

Out of the thirty writers interviewed, White was hired alongside Mark S. Bernthal. White (alongside Bernthal) was hired due to not inquiring what the job paid. White wrote the first episode for Barney & Friends which was "The Queen of Make-Believe".

Head writer

White was eventually promoted to head writer of Barney & Friends during the seventh season for a brief period. When promoted to head writer for the brief period, in he wrote the Barney bible, a thick book that discussed the individual characters and how to write a script. White stepped down as a head writer due to reasons involving the legal department of Barney & Friends. White returned to no longer being a head writer starting with season eight of Barney & Friends.

Changes

Around the time Karen Barnes became the executive producer of Barney & Friends, White's father passed. White took a break from Barney & Friends to help his mother. After taking a break, White was never contacted again from the new management of Barney & Friends. White's final writing credit for Barney & Friends was for the eleventh season.

Achievements

Stephen White and Barney, posing with Barney & Friends' 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Live and Direct to Tape Sound Mixing.

Barney & Friends

White was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1993 in the category of "Outstanding Writing in a Children's Series" in honor of his work on the first season of Barney & Friends. Mark S. Bernthal, another writer for Barney & Friends, was nominated alongside him.

Credits

Barney & Friends

• Episodes
• Home Videos
• Live Shows
• Songs
• Books

1. "The Queen Of Make-Believe"
   
2. "Playing It Safe"
   
3. "Eat, Drink And Be Healthy!"
   
4. "Four Seasons Day"
   
5. "The Treasure Of Rainbow Beard"
   
6. "Caring Means Sharing"
   
7. "Happy Birthday, Barney!"
   
8. "Let's Help Mother Goose!"
   
9. ""I Just Love Bugs""
   
10. "When I Grow Up..."
    
11. "Hi, Neighbor!"
    
12. "Carnival Of Numbers"
    
13. "Doctor Barney Is Here!"
    
14. "Home Sweet Homes"
    
15. "Everyone Is Special"
    
16. "Grandparents Are Grand!"
    
17. "May I Help You?"
    
18. "Honk! Honk! A Goose On The Loose!"
    
19. "I Can Do That!"
    
20. "Look At Me, I'm 3!"
    
21. "My Favorite Things"
    
22. "Stop, Look And Be Safe!"
    
23. "An Adventure In Make Believe"
    
24. "A Very Special Delivery!"
    
25. "Shawn & The Beanstalk" (co-written with Mark S. Bernthal)
    
26. "First Day of School"
    
27. "We've Got Rhythm"
    
28. "Play Ball!"
    
29. "Tree-Mendous Trees"
    
30. "Easy, Breezy Day!"
    
31. "E-I-E-I-O"
    
32. "Books Are Fun!"
    
33. "Trading Places"
    
34. "Howdy, Friends!"
    
35. "A Royal Welcome"
    
36. "Five Kinds Of Fun!"
    
37. "Excellent Exercise!"
    
38. "Brushing Up On Teeth"
    
39. "A "Little" Mother Goose"
    
40. "Ready, Set, Go!"
    
41. "You Are Special"
    
42. "All Aboard!"
    
43. "Tea-riffic Manners"
    
44. "Puppy Love"
    
45. "Bunches of Boxes"
    
46. "Stop! Go!"
    
47. "Red, Yellow and Blue!"
    
48. "A New Friend"
    
49. "Play It Safe!"
    
50. "It's a Happy Day!"
    
51. "Splish! Splash!" (co-written with Sandra J. Payne)
    
52. "BJ's Really Cool House"
    
53. "A Fountain of Fun"
    
54. "Play Piano With Me!"
    
55. "Squares, Squares Everywhere"
    
56. "It's Your Birthday, Barney!"
    
57. "At Home In The Park"
    
58. "Everybody's Got Feelings"
    
59. "Caring Hearts"
    
60. "Coming On Strong"
    
61. "Let's Play Games!"
    
62. "On the Road Again"
    
63. "Seeing"
    
64. "Hearing"
    
65. "Neighborhoods"
    
66. "Careers"
    
67. "Pistachio"
    
68. "Full Team Ahead"

1. Barney's Magical Musical Adventure
   
2. Barney Live! In New York City
   
3. Imagination Island
   
4. Barney's 1-2-3-4 Seasons
   
5. Once Upon A Time
   
6. Camp Wannarunnaround
   
7. Barney In Outer Space
   
8. Barney's Big Surprise
   
9. Barney's Halloween Party
   
10. Barney's Great Adventure
    
11. Barney's First Adventures
    
12. Walk Around The Block With Barney
    
13. Let's Play School
    
14. Barney's Night Before Christmas
    
15. Barney's Rhyme Time Rhythm
    
16. Barney's Super Singing Circus
    
17. Come on Over to Barney's House
    
18. Let's Go to the Zoo
    
19. Barney's Dino Dancin' Tunes
    
20. Barney's Pajama Party
    
21. Barney's Beach Party
    
22. Round and Round We Go
    
23. Barney's Christmas Star (co-written with Mark S. Bernthal)
    
24. Read With Me, Dance With Me (co-written with Mark S. Bernthal)
    
25. Barney's Best Manners: Your Invitation to Fun!
    
26. Happy Mad Silly Sad: Putting a Face to Feelings
    
27. Movin' and Groovin'
    
28. Barney's Colorful World!
    
29. Ready, Set, Play!
    
30. Let's Go to the Farm
    
31. The Land of Make Believe
    
32. Best Fairy Tales

1. Barney Live! In New York City
   
2. Barney's Big Surprise
   
3. Barney's Colorful World!
   
4. Barney Live! - The Let's Go Tour

1. "Animal Parade"
   
2. "Buckle Up My Seatbelt"
   
3. "Walk Across the Street"
   
4. "Four Seasons Day"
   
5. "The Career March"
   
6. "That's What an Island Is"
   
7. "Respect"
   
8. "Just One More Thing"
   
9. "The Butter Song"
   
10. "Apples"
    
11. "Wrap It Up"
    
12. "A Circle's Shape is Round"
    
13. "The Pudding Song"
    
14. "Patter of the Rain"
    
15. "Topsy Turvy Tea"
    
16. "We're Having a Party"
    
17. "In the Kitchen"
    
18. "The Hopping Song"
    
19. "Captain Pickles"
    
20. "When I'm Old Enough to Join the Team"
    
21. "The Not-So-Magical Magician"

1. Barney's Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes
   
2. Barney's Favorite Mother Goose Rhymes Vol. 2
   
3. Barney's Magical Picnic
   
4. Baby Bop Discovers Shapes
   
5. A Tent Too Full
   
6. Barney Says, "Please and Thank You"
   
7. Barney's Imagination Island
   
8. BJ's Silly Story
   
9. Barney's Wonderful Winter Day
   
10. BJ's Fun Week
    
11. Just Like You
    
12. What Can It Be?
    
13. Barney Says, "I Love You"
    
14. Uh-Oh!
    
15. Barney's Easter Egg Hunt
    
16. Barney's Christmas Wishes
    
17. The Best Christmas Eve!
    
18. Barney's Thanksgiving
    
19. Barney's Night Before Christmas
    
20. Come On Over To Barney's House!

Trivia

Barney

• Out of all the other Barney writers, White has written the most episodes.
• When writing the Barney character, White tried to portray him as the father he wanted to be for his own daughter.
• White has expressed interest in wanting to consult on the upcoming Barney film being co-produced by Daniel Kaluuya.
• While not being the writer for the episodes "Imagine That!", "Look What I Can Do!" and "My Friends, The Doctor and the Dentist", White would write the additional dialogue for the UK variants of the respective episodes.

Appearances

• White portrayed Rainbow Beard in "The Treasure of Rainbow Beard".
• White voiced Mr. Toodles in the episode "Grandparents Are Grand!"
• White appeared in the documentary I Love You, You Hate Me and the podcast titled Generation Barney.

Favorites

• White's favorite Barney video is Barney's Night Before Christmas.
• White's favorite Barney memory is opening night of Barney Live! In New York City.

Projects

Changed

• White's original vision of Barney's Great Adventure was much different compared to the final version of the film. Much of the film was changed due to the director, Steve Gomer, viewing White's script as lengthy.
• The original vision of Barney's Musical Castle came from Stephen White. The show was turned over to multiple writers in order to put the script together.

Scrapped

• In 1994, White co-wrote a song titled "When You Kiss Me, It Doesn't Make Me Sick" alongside Bob Singleton, which was meant for the film Barney's Great Adventure but was eventually scrapped.
• In 1997, White wrote a song titled "Biscuits 'n' Beans", which was meant for Riders in the Sky to sing in the episode "Howdy, Friends!".
• White penned a script titled "Barney's Get Well Card" on October 30, 1996. The script saw Barney and the kids going to the hospital to visit a friend. The project was scrapped due to the producers viewing the concept frightening for young viewers.
• White penned a treatment titled "Barney's Magic of Music" on February 27, 2005. The treatment saw Barney take everyone to a magical music jungle where everything makes sound and music and eventually, Barney took his friends to the orchestra. where the kids help fill in for some orchestra members. The video would've been the big introduction for the character of Riff.
  • In the treatment for "Barney's Magic of Music", Riff was named "Zack" due to him not having a name yet.

Videos

Interviews

The Words of Barney with Head Writer Steve White - Purple Tales Podcast Episode 5