From PBS to Hollywood: Stars who got their start on public television

Before she even became a young star on the Disney Channel, the future actress and singer appeared for a stretch on "Barney & Friends" for 13 episodes from 2002 to 2004.

His voice is so authoritative he's gotten to play God, yet the veteran actor was a regular on "Electric Company," played a variety of roles throughout the show's run in the '70s.

Now a star on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", the actress made her television debut on "Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood" in 1985 as a royal trumpeter in King Friday's court. You'd be hard-pressed to find more gentle places to start a career. 

In the early '80s, "The Voyage of Mimi" was considered groundbreaking children's educational entertainment, and it was often used in classrooms to teach about aquatic life. It's also noteworthy for giving a future A-lister his start in acting.

Almost two decades before she was Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex in the City," Parker had one of her credits appearing on three episodes of the PBS children's science show "3-2-1 Contact" in 1980.

Jackson had been a screen acting veteran when he appeared on three episodes of "Ghostwriter" in 1992. He had still yet to reach the household name status he would a few years later when he appeared in movies like Jurassic Park and Pulp Fiction.

The second Batman on the list. Keaton's appearance on three episodes of "Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood" were his first screen credits. Back then, he did odd jobs at Pittsburgh PBS affiliate WQED, including stagehand.

Like her fellow pop star, Selena Gomez, Lovato got her start on "Barney & Friends." In fact, Selena was one of her co-stars during the early 2000s.

Hill would later become a TV star on notable series "The West Wing" and "Psych." Of course, for people of a certain age, "Ghostwriter" is a notable PBS kids show. And his appearance on a 1992 episode is one of his first credits.

A few years before breaking out in teen movies like "Save the Last Dance" and "10 Things I Hate About You," the actress got her start appearing in six episodes of the PBS mystery series "Ghostwriter."

The veteran actor can often be sinister and imposing in his bit roles on film. Amusing, then, that one of his first professional credits is in nine episodes of "Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood" from 1983 to 1985.

The accomplished Broadway actor got one of his first screen credits on "Sesame Street" in 1971 and 1972 before embarking on a career in film.

Perhaps it's cheating because he had already been nominated for an Oscar by this point in his career. Still, appearing on four episodes of "Sesame Street" in 1970 surely did something to introduce Arkin to a younger generation.

Just two years before she would forever be associated with Lisa Simpson, the veteran actress appeared on four episodes of PBS' "Square One TV" as a gorilla handler named Jane Rice-Burroughs.

Now a fixture on serious dramas like "The Wire", "Law and Order," and "House of Cards," Cathey once was on 24 episodes of PBS' "Square One TV" in the late '80s and early '90s.

The actress had already made a presence on Broadway by the time she started appearing on episodes of "Sesame Street" beginning in the early '70s. Still, it was a great early part in a screen acting career that has spanned five decades.

Just a year before playing The Rock's daughter in the 2007 movie "The Game Plan," Pettis was on a few episodes and video specials of Barney, late in the show's run.

Another Barney kid who went on to have an thriving acting career, Pratt was in "Barney's Great Adventure" before moving on to a slew of other TV and movie credits.

Now starring in popular teen TV shows like "Unfabulous" and "The Vampire Diaries," Jow was another who got her start in Barney, where she first appeared in 1997.

More recently the star of "Jesse" on The Disney Channel, Ryan's first TV credits were on "Barney & Friends" in 2006, before moving on to Disney shows a few years later.