Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Of 2025Holiday Watch GuideGotham AwardsCelebrity PhotosSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
How I Met Your Mother
S6.E19
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Legendaddy

  • Episode aired Mar 21, 2011
  • TV-PG
  • 22m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
Neil Patrick Harris, John Lithgow, and Nancy Travis in How I Met Your Mother (2005)
How I Met Your Mother: Legendaddy
Play trailer1:04
1 Video
10 Photos
ComedyDramaRomance

Barney finally meets his biological father, but is disappointed to discover that he leads a boring life and is nothing like him.Barney finally meets his biological father, but is disappointed to discover that he leads a boring life and is nothing like him.Barney finally meets his biological father, but is disappointed to discover that he leads a boring life and is nothing like him.

  • Director
    • Pamela Fryman
  • Writers
    • Dan Gregor
    • Doug Mand
    • Matt Kuhn
  • Stars
    • Josh Radnor
    • Jason Segel
    • Cobie Smulders
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    4.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Pamela Fryman
    • Writers
      • Dan Gregor
      • Doug Mand
      • Matt Kuhn
    • Stars
      • Josh Radnor
      • Jason Segel
      • Cobie Smulders
    • 8User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    How I Met Your Mother: Legendaddy
    Trailer 1:04
    How I Met Your Mother: Legendaddy

    Photos9

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 4
    View Poster

    Top Cast13

    Edit
    Josh Radnor
    Josh Radnor
    • Ted Mosby
    Jason Segel
    Jason Segel
    • Marshall Eriksen
    Cobie Smulders
    Cobie Smulders
    • Robin Scherbatsky
    Neil Patrick Harris
    Neil Patrick Harris
    • Barney Stinson
    Alyson Hannigan
    Alyson Hannigan
    • Lily Aldrin
    John Lithgow
    John Lithgow
    • Jerry
    Nancy Travis
    Nancy Travis
    • Cheryl
    Will Shadley
    Will Shadley
    • J.J.
    Lyndsy Fonseca
    Lyndsy Fonseca
    • Daughter
    David Henrie
    David Henrie
    • Son
    Marieve Herington
    Marieve Herington
    • Betty
    Michael Rupnow
    Michael Rupnow
    • Scott
    Bob Saget
    Bob Saget
    • Narrator
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Pamela Fryman
    • Writers
      • Dan Gregor
      • Doug Mand
      • Matt Kuhn
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    8.24.1K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10bevo-13678

    Dick

    I like how he really is a dweeb but Barney pretends his father is really cool
    10Sumit_Dutta

    NPH♥

    NPH was just awesome in this... But the background music just made me cry at the end
    8swordsnare

    Neil Patrick Harris.

    Neil Patrick Harris seems to be one the outstanding constant throughout this series. In conjunction with the great John Lithgow, playing Jerry, this is memorable episode with a more serious tone.
    10dylanmortiz

    If you were going to be some lame, suburban dad...

    This Barney-centric episode is one of my absolute favorite episodes. Perhaps the most caricaturized main cast-member of the show, Neil Patrick Harris flashes his acting chops in a very heartfelt performance.

    This show does a great job at slowing down and staying quiet during its more heartfelt moments. The writers know that scenes and episodes like these need room to breath. I appreciate subtle use of laugh-tracks that never overpower scenes that are meant to be pivotal for characters and their growth. This episode is no exception.

    If you follow these characters closely over the first 5 seasons, you know most of Barney's problems stem from his abandonment issues. And if you allow yourself to really see how those issues affect not just his life, but the relationships he tries to maintain with his closest friends, then you may also find yourself wanting the same closure Barney is trying to get on his childhood. I think this episode, you see Barney at his most vulnerable and I love it.
    8slightlymad22

    Another Sad Episode

    Neil Patrick Harris knocks it out if the park once again as Barney Stinson in another sad episode of "How I Met Your Mother". He is both touching, and in the last scenes heartbreakingly sad.

    Plot In A Paragraph: Barney finally meets his Dad Jerry (an awesome John Lithgow) but is disappointed to learn that he is not as legend-wait for it- dairy, as he hoped, when he learns he is a boring suburban Dad.

    Any episode that features the brilliant Neil Patrick Harris's character Barney Stinson in the main storyline is always excellent. I could go on and on about the brilliance of this episode, and in particular Neil Patrick Harris but I won't bore you with it.

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This episode is Barney's first interaction with his father. The episode is season 6 episode 19 (6x19). Father's Day in 2011 was June 19th (6/19).
    • Quotes

      Jerry Whitaker: [Jerome "Jerry" Whittaker sees Barney try to dismantle a basketball hoop over his driveway] Barney, what is going on?

      Barney Stinson: This is *mine*.

      Jerry Whitaker: I don't understand.

      Barney Stinson: JJ gets a childhood, a dad, a real family, and a basketball hoop? No, no, I at least get the hoop, I'm taking it with me.

      Jerry Whitaker: Please, just come down and talk to me.

      Barney Stinson: [Angry] Why? Why should I? You're lame, okay? You're just some lame, suburban dad.

      Jerry Whitaker: Why does that make you so mad?

      Barney Stinson: Because if you were going to be some

      [agitated]

      Barney Stinson: lame, suburban dad, why couldn't you have been that for *me*?

      Jerry Whitaker: Look, Barney, I know I screwed up.

      Barney Stinson: Oh, "screwed up" doesn't even begin to describe what I've been through...

      Jerry Whitaker: I know, I know, I KNOW! I want to fix this and I don't know how! Please, tell me what I can do! I'll do anything!

      [Barney continues trying to remove the hoop, Jerry briefly goes back inside and returns with a tool box]

      Jerry Whitaker: You'll never get it down like that.

      [gives screwdriver to Barney, who hits hoop with it like a hammer]

      Jerry Whitaker: No, Barney, Barney! Put the pointy end into the grooves. That's it, now turn it. Righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.

      [Barney begins unscrewing]

      Jerry Whitaker: I have no good excuse, Barney. It took me years before I was even able to look myself in the mirror for the way I let you down. It took courage to send me that letter. More courage than I've ever had. I owe you a lifetime of apologies, and I, I just... I have no idea where to begin.

    • Connections
      Featured in How I Met Your Mother: Hopeless (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Hey Beautiful
      Written by The Solids

      Performed by The Solids

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 21, 2011 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Bays Thomas Productions
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 22m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.