Why did they make Barney purple and green, and who plays Barney?

Like many products, the reason why Barney is purple and green is proprietary  
information and will most likely not be disclosed by PBS.    
 
We can, however, postulate why the friendly 6-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex was  
fashioned in such majestic colors.  Here's a good question to start with: Is it  
unreasonable to have a purple and green Tyrannosaurus Rex?  According to the  
Arts and Letters website, it's impossible to know what the color of any  
dinosaur was.   Since color is pigmentation of the skin and we do not have any  
evidence, then it isn't unreasonable to have such a brightly colored Trex. 
 
Arts and Letters 
Color of Dinosaurs 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html">http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html">http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
The Tyrannosaurus Rex was known to be a fierce fighter and possibly a  
carnivore.  Could the color purple mellow out his prehistoric characteristics  
and help children swallow a kindler, gentler, lovable Barney? 
 
Let's look at the color purple for a moment.  According to carhops.com, the  
color purple in children's rooms help develop the imagination.  A splash of  
green on Barney's chest denotes relaxation.  If we place these two together we  
begin to see parallels with Barney's philosophy as taken from PBS  
online: &amp;quot;Barney is an incredibly lovable, warm, and friendly six-foot purple  
dinosaur who comes to life from a plush toy by way of children's imaginations.  
Barney serves as a guide or facilitator for the children to use their  
imaginations to problem solve and to discover the world around them… Barney is  
a friend to all children-they feel safe with Barney and look to him for  
reassurance and security.&amp;quot; 
 
Carhops.com 
Purple Imagination 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm">http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm">http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Infoplease.com 
Green as Relaxation 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html">http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html">http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
PBS Kids 
Barney Philosophy 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html">http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html">http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Could purple and green have anything to do with turning a fierce predator into  
a lovable icon for kids to open their imagination and stimulate childhood  
development?   We'll never really know, but we can only speculate. 
 
Zaprobo (See Comment Below) is correct in naming David Joyner as the actor  
playing Barney in the television series and movie. 
 
Internet Movie Database 
David Joyner 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David">http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David">http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Additional Websites that may interest you: 
 
Arts and Letters 
Color of Dinosaurs 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html">http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html">http://www.arts-letters.com/dino2/ency/DINOTHRY05.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Carhops.com 
Purple Imagination 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm">http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm">http://www.carhops.com/lover's_leap/meaning/purple.htm</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Infoplease.com 
Green as Relaxation 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html">http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html">http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
PBS Kids 
Barney Philosophy 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html">http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html">http://pbskids.org/barney/html/Philosophy.html</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Internet Movie Database 
David Joyner 
&lt;a href=&quot;<a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David">http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David</a>&quot;&gt;<a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David">http://us.imdb.com/Name?Joyner,+David</a>&lt;/a&gt; 
 
Search Terms Used: 
 
barney 
color theory 
purple psychology 
 
Regards, 
Trailhead  

The researcher was unable to conclusively answer this question.

Barney The Dinosaur, played by David E Joiner ("http://us.imdb.com/Name?
Joyner,+David") and voiced by Bob West IV ("http://us.imdb.com/Name?West,+Bob+
(IV)")

While there are many websites dedicated to the search to the immortal question 
of why Barney is purple (://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%
22why+is+barney+purple%22), there is no definitive answer. However, purple is a 
bright colour that may well appeal to children. Unfortunately, research on the 
psychology of colour is somewhat less reassuring:
http://www.shibuya.com/garden/colorpsycho.html#CHILDREN'S%20PICTURE

Additonal interesting newsgroup post:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=midnite.821951227%
40monitor.cc.iastate.edu&rnum=20

I wouldn't venture to answer this. However, I understand that there is a 
peninsula on the north shore of Long Island that archeologists have long wished 
to excavate due to persistent rumors about Barney's ancestral colorings. 
Homeowners, however, have blocked the dig thus far. Stay tuned.

Hi there!

Although I couldn't find any actual information on why Barney is the Purple dinosaur, I did locate the name of the firm in Dallas, Texas that holds the 
intellectual property rights, Lyons Partnership, LP.  I am sure if you wrote or called them they could answer that question.

Here is a very interesting site detailing just one of the lawsuite Lyons Partnership is involved in regarding parody websites about Barney.

The EFF is chronicling the Barney affair at:
  http://www.chillingeffects.org/protest/notice.cgi?NoticeID=92

The name of Lyons Partnership's New York attorney is:
  Matthew Carlin, but you can find many of their lawyers named on the following page:

Here is a web site with most of the "Barney Litigation" lawsuit information.
http://www.ferencelaw.com/barney/

And of course here is the Barney Home on the Interent and I'm sure you can e-mail the webmaster here and get addresses and phone number to write or 
call.

http://www.barneyonline.com/

According to a friend of a friend of a Barney nut (it's true, honest!):

Barney the Dinosaur is Purple. Why? Because originally he was meant to be red, 
which as one of the primary  colours would hopefully attrach young children's 
attention.

However, a child psychologist informed the production team that a bright red  
dinosaur could be perceived as threatening, which would cause fear, so  purple 
was selected as a compromise as yellow and blue were deemed inapprioprate.

There you go(!)

Also, the likely reason he is purple *and* green is because those are
'complementary' colors. They are opposite one another on a color wheel
and thus look well together.

Also, red is one of the most difficult colors for your television to
reproduce. If the television is too old or not adjusted correctly, red
can appear overbright and screen artifacts could possibly appear quite
scary to a small child. Purple is probably a good compromise color-
dark like red, but but much easier to technologically reproduce.

I figure, the only person that can answer the immortal question of why
Barney is purple, and not blue, or gold, or red, is his creator.  So I
found interviews with her.  (And I really don't think all the
red/whatever thought went into it.) Sheryl Leach, the creator of
Barney, was a past computer software designer, and former elementary
school teacher (there's a shocker).  She came up with the idea for
Barney while stuck in traffic with her hyperactive 2 year old boy. 
She had been wanting to make a children's show for some time, and
originally it was supposed to be a teddy bear until she saw how
fascinated her son was with dinosaurs.

About the color, the only thing she has to say about his appearance,
is this:
"He's a bright color, tall, round and rather maternal looking. And
he's always smiling - children like the acceptance he portrays"

For the links I visited, go to: 

http://www.canoe.ca/JamMoviesArtistsB/barney.html  - for the interview
w/ Leach

http://www.yesterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/saturday/sa1634.php -
factual info

http://www.characterproducts.com/info/character_histories/barney_doorway.htm
 - the history of Barney


Hope this helps!

-Rebekah