See Neil Patrick Harris’ Best Roles

1 minute read
By Eliana Dockterman

Neil Patrick Harris’ memoir, Choose Your Own Autobiography, promises to trace the actor’s long career — from a nerdy 14-year-old prodigy doctor in Doogie Howser to a metaphorical ladykiller on How I Met Your Mother to a potential actual ladykiller in Gone Girl. Here’s a look at NPH’s many roles as his book hits shelves on Oct. 14.

Neil Patrick Harris in 'Gone Girl' in 2014
Neil Patrick Harris played Amy's old flame with a creepy obession in Gone Girl this year.Twentieth Century Fox
TV CBS Mother
NPH starred as the ultimate lady's man and author of The Bro Code, Barney Stinson, in How I Met Your Mother from 2005 to 2014.Ron P. Jaffe—CBS/AP
From Left: Actors Neil Patrick Harris, Kristen Schaal, Chris Cooper, Jason Segel, Mickey Rooney, Amy Adams, Rico Rodriguez and Rashida Jones arrive at the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' 'The Muppets' on Nov. 12, 2011 in Hollywood.
Harris made a 5-second celebrity cameo during the famous "Man Na Mah Na" song in The Muppets movie in 2011.Mark Davis—Getty Images
Neil Patrick Harris guest starred in Glee on May 18, 2010
Harris showed off his broadway-trained pipes singing "Dream On" on Glee on May 18, 2010.Twentieth Century Fox
NPH starred as a poor man's villain with a sidekick whose only superpower is making things damp in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog in 2008.Mutant Enemy Productions
Neil Patrick Harris, Kal Penn, John Cho in 'Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay' in 2008
Neil Patrick Harris played a version of himself—or at least a washed up, beer guzzling, mushroom-tripping version of himself—in Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay in 2008.Mandate Pictures/New Line Cinema
Stark Raving Mad
Harris made his return to leading man status as an editor with OCD and a myriad of paranoias on the short-lived sit-com Stark Raving Mad from 2007 to 2008.NBC/Getty Images
Will & Grace
Jack pursues Harris' self-proclaimed "ex-gay man" on Will and Grace in 2000.NBC/Getty Images
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Neil Patrick Harris battled giant alien bugs (yes, really) in the militaristic sci-fi movie Starship Troopers in 1997.TriStar Pictures
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS;SAO HER
Neil Patrick Harris got his break as a teenage doctor who aced the SATs at 9 in Doogie Howser, M.D. in 1991. Hard to believe he grew up to be Barney Stinson.ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com