Steve Burns

Steven Michael Burns (born October 9, 1973) is an American actor, musician and television host. He portrayed a fictional version of himself as the host of the children's television series ''Blue's Clues'' from 1996 until 2002, for which he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2001. He has also done extensive voice-over work for advertising, including the "Snickers satisfies" advertising campaign.

Early life and career

Burns was born in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, to Joseph Burns Jr. (1938–2015) and Janet Burns (née Petaccio). He has two sisters. His father served in the U.S. Navy and later became the human resources director of Safeguard Business Systems. He attended Boyertown Area Senior High School in Berks County, graduating in 1992.

During his high school and college years, Burns played in several bands: Sudden Impact US, Nine Pound Truck, and the Ivys, the latter of which he called a "Morrissey rip-off band". He studied theatre under an acting scholarship at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley, where he was discovered by an agent. He dropped out of school and moved to New York City to become a professional actor. He lived in a basement apartment near Times Square, finding his first success as a voice-over artist for ads and making appearances on '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' and ''Law & Order''.

''Blue's Clues''

In 1994, Burns auditioned for ''Blue's Clues'', thinking it was a voice-over role for a game show. He modeled his audition performance after Christopher Walken. He had long hair and an earring. "I was a bit of a skate rat," he said. Initially, the Nickelodeon executives were not supportive of Burns hosting their new show; in subsequent auditions, the show's creators requested that he dress more conservatively. (Burns reported that the creators, in a call-back phone conversation, asked him, "Could you not look like yourself tomorrow morning?") It became apparent, however, that he was the favorite with preschool test audiences. Executive producer and co-creator Traci Paige Johnson reported that of the 100 people they auditioned, Burns was "the realest". As Alice Wilder, Nickelodeon's Director of Research and Development, said: "There was just something about this kid, who was fresh out of Pennsylvania, who just knew where to look in the camera to really talk to kids. He was just right."

''Blue's Clues'' premiered on September 8, 1996, on Nick Jr. and was an instant hit due to Burns's performances as much as the show's format. He became "a superstar" among his audience and their parents, but unknown to everyone else, and enjoyed what he called being a "micro-celebrity, about as small a celebrity as you can be". As ''The New York Times'' reported, he "developed an avid following among both preteen girls and mothers. The former send torrents of e-mail; the latter scrutinize the show with an intensity that might make even Elmo, the red Muppet, blush." In 2000, ''People'' included Burns in their annual list of America's most eligible bachelors. According to writer Diane Tracy, Burns was "destined for the part". Also, according to Tracy, Burns was not the typical children's television host: "There is nothing syrupy about him—his humor is sometimes borderline offbeat, but never inappropriate for preschoolers."

The show was filmed in a studio in Tribeca, Manhattan. Burns became "very involved" with the production of ''Blue's Clues'' from the beginning. One of the most challenging aspects of hosting the show was performing on the " blue screen" before the animation was added. Burns called it "maddening" and likened it to "acting at the bottom of a swimming pool".

Departure

After nearly six years and nearly 100 episodes, Burns announced he was leaving ''Blue's Clues'' in January 2001 and in his final episodes, which aired as a three-part special on April 29, 2002, "Steve" introduced new host Donovan Patton as his younger brother, Joe.

According to Johnson, Burns never wanted to become a "children's host". He loved kids, but stated, "he could not make a life-long career out of it." Burns went on by saying, "I knew I wasn't going to be doing children's television all my life, mostly because I refused to lose my hair on a kid's TV show, and it was happening, fast." The day following the filming of his final episode for the show, he shaved his head – something that he wanted to do for several years, but the show's producers would not allow. He explained in a 2016 interview that "a lot of the original people on the show, like the people who created it, were all moving on to other careers. It just felt like time." In a 2022 ''Variety'' interview, Burns revealed that he suffered from clinical depression while on the show.

Burns's departure led to the resurfacing of rumors that had circulated about him since 1998, including death from a heroin overdose, being killed in a car accident, and (similar to rumors about Paul McCartney in 1966) being replaced with a look-alike. Burns made an appearance on ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' to dispel these rumors, and he and co-creator Angela Santomero appeared on ''The Today Show'' to help concerned parents extinguish the fears of kids who may have heard these rumors.

Burns consulted on the casting for the revival of ''Blue's Clues'', titled ''Blue's Clues & You!'' and hosted by Josh Dela Cruz. He and Patton reprised their roles in the premiere episode to welcome their "cousin" Josh, as well as on a recurring basis for the rest of the series. Burns and Patton also made prominent appearances in the Paramount+ movie ''Blue's Big City Adventure'' in 2022. In addition, Burns has written and directed several episodes of the revival.

Burns appeared in videos for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the premiere of ''Blue's Clues'' in 2021, including a widely watched Twitter video on Nick Jr.'s Twitter account in which he – in character as the host of the show – explained reassuringly that he had never forgotten the viewers after leaving to go to college, and marveling at how much each of them had experienced since then.

Music and film & television career

Burns worked on material for his first album, '' Songs for Dustmites'', for two and a half years at a small studio in his home in Brooklyn before it was produced by PIAS Records in late 2002. He started work on the album after he left ''Blue's Clues'' in 2002, and it was released in 2003. He posted eleven songs on his webpage and then realizing he needed help with drums and arrangements went to Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips for advice. Drozd assisted Burns with six tracks, Lips bassist Michael Ivins engineered the album, and longtime Lips producer Dave Fridmann produced it. One of the songs from the album, "Mighty Little Man", is used as the opening theme for the CBS series ''Young Sheldon''. Burns made several appearances on the series beginning in January 2022, playing a ''Star Trek'' enthusiast whom the title character meets.

Burns started a band, Steve Burns and the Struggle, and completed his second album, ''Deep Sea Recovery Efforts'', which was released in 2009. Members of the Struggle include Drozd and Ryan Smith of A Million Billion.

Burns acted in the 2007 horror-comedy film '' Netherbeast Incorporated'' with Darrell Hammond and Dave Foley, playing the part of a vampire. In 2008, he played an astronaut in ''Christmas on Mars'', a science fiction film from the Flaming Lips. In March 2012, he appeared in the YouTube comedy series ''The Professionals''.

He appeared in DeSales University's production of ''Amadeus'' as the title character in 2007 and also appeared in ''The Comedy of Errors''.

In late 2016, Burns released a children's album with Drozd, titled ''Foreverywhere'' under the name "STEVENSTEVEN". They released a video of the album's first song, "The Unicorn and Princess Rainbow".

Burns made a guest appearance on Tim Kubart's 2018 children's album ''Building Blocks''.

Personal life

After residing in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for much of his adult life, Burns told the ''New York Post'' in 2020 that he had been living mostly near the Catskill Mountains for the past four years.

Filmography

TV series

* ''Blue's Clues'' – himself (also producer, co-producer, and consulting producer on some episodes)
* ''Blue's Clues & You!'' – himself, Mapbook (voice) (also directed and wrote several episodes)
* ''Figure It Out'' – himself, panelist (1999)
* '' Homicide: Life on the Street'' – David Tarnofski
* ''Jack's Big Music Show'' – himself/performer along with Steven Drozd – episode: "Ground Hog Day"
* ''Law & Order'' – Kevin Jeffries
* '' Little Bear'' – Mr. Skunk (voice; uncredited) – episode: "The Painting/The Kiss/The Wedding"
* ''The Bedtime Business Song'' – himself
* ''The Early Show'' – himself
* '' The Panel'' – himself
* ''The Professionals'' – Investor X
* ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show'' – himself
* ''Today'' – himself
* ''Yes, Dear'' – himself (uncredited) – episode: "Arm-prins"
* ''Young Sheldon'' – theme song performer, Nathan

TV specials

* ''The 42nd Annual New York Emmy Awards'' – himself/Presenter
* ''Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade'' – himself

Video games

* '' Blue's 123 Time Activities'' – himself
* '' Blue's ABC Time Activities'' – himself
* ''Blue's Alphabet Book'' - himself
* '' Blue's Art Time Activities'' – himself
* ''Blue's Big Musical'' – himself
* '' Blue's Birthday Adventure'' – himself
* '' Blue's Reading Time Activities'' – himself
* '' Blue's Treasure Hunt'' – himself

Shorts

* ''Blue's Birthday'' – himself
* ''La lecon'' – Arthur Knudson
* ''The Bill'' (2001) – Bill
* ''Hot Pants'' – Ben

Stage

* ''Amadeus'' – Mozart
* ''The Comedy of Errors'' – Dromio

Movies

* ''Blue's Big Musical Movie'' – himself
* ''Christmas on Mars'' – Major Lowell
* ''Marie and Bruce'' – Fred
* '' Netherbeast Incorporated'' – Otto Granberry
* ''Who Framed Jesus'' – The Narrator
* ''Blue's Big City Adventure'' – himself

Documentaries

* ''The Fearless Freaks'' – himself
* ''I Love You, You Hate Me'' – himself

Discography

* '' Songs for Dustmites'' (2003)
* '' Deep Sea Recovery Efforts'' (2009) (as Steve Burns and the Struggle)
* '' Foreverywhere'' (2017) (with Steven Drozd, as STEVENSTEVEN)

References

External links

*
* at MySpace

Burns discusses his Blue's Clue experience on an episode of "The Moth Presents"

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burns, Steve
1973 births
Living people
People from Boyertown, Pennsylvania
Male actors from Pennsylvania
Guitarists from Pennsylvania
Singers from Pennsylvania
American male film actors
American male guitarists
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
American rock guitarists
American rock singers
American people of Italian descent
American people of Irish descent
DeSales University alumni
Nickelodeon people
20th-century American singers
20th-century American guitarists
21st-century American guitarists
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
20th-century American male singers
21st-century American male singers
21st-century American singers