EMMY AWARD WINNER NEIL PATRICK HARRIS RETURNS TO HOST "THE 66TH ANNUAL TONY(R) AWARDS," TO BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE BEACON THEATER IN NEW YORK, SUNDAY, JUNE 10 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Emmy Award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris, star of the CBS comedy HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, returns to host THE 66TH ANNUAL TONY(R) AWARDS, to be broadcast live from The Beacon Theater in New York, Sunday, June 10 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET; delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. This will be the third time that Harris has hosted the TONY Awards, previously serving as host for both THE 63RD ANNUAL TONY AWARDS in 2009 and THE 65TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS in 2011. As he did in 2011, Harris will also act as a producer, along with executive producers Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of this year's TONY Awards," said Neil Patrick Harris. "Not only will I be shining a spotlight on the best that Broadway has to offer, but hopefully I'll score some free house seats to a show - or five!"

"We are excited to have Neil Patrick Harris return as host of the TONY Awards," said Jack Sussman, Executive Vice President, Specials, Music and Live Events, CBS Entertainment. "Neil is the ultimate showman. He brings great talent, energy and creativity to the Tony stage and usually a surprise or two. I can't wait to see what he has in store this year."

Equally successful on stage and screen, Harris currently stars as Barney Stinson on the hit CBS sitcom, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, a role which has garnered him multiple Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations, as well as a People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actor, and a Critics' Choice Award for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. A veteran of the theater, Harris recently tackled the role of Bobby in the New York Philharmonic's production of Stephen Sondheim's "Company" at Lincoln Center. Harris made his Broadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Proof," and subsequently starred on the Great White Way as the Emcee in "Cabaret," and as the Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald in the Tony Award-winning production of "Assassins." His additional theater credits include roles in "All My Sons," "Tick, Tick... Boom," "The Paris Letter," "Sweeney Todd," "Rent" and "Romeo and Juliet." Harris made his theatrical directorial debut with "I Am Grock" at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Additionally, he directed a production of Jonathan Larson's "Rent" at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and more recently he helmed a production of "The Expert at the Card Table" at the Broad Stage Theater.

On screen, Harris most recently starred in the third installment of the comedy franchise, "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas," and the live-action/animated feature, "The Smurfs." His additional film credits include roles in "Beastly," "The Best and the Brightest," "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," "Undercover Brother," "The Next Best Thing," "The Proposition," "Starship Troopers" and "Clara's Heart," which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

On television, Harris gained notoriety as the beloved title character in "Doogie Howser, M.D." Recently, he won an Emmy Award for his guest-starring turn in "Glee." Harris' additional television credits include a series regular role on "Stark Raving Mad," as well as guest-starring roles in "Numb3rs," on the Network, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Will & Grace" and "Boomtown."

This year marks the 66th anniversary of the TONY Awards, which were first held on April 6, 1947, at the Waldorf Astoria's Grand Ballroom. The American Theatre Wing's TONY Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. The Tonys were founded in memorial to Antoinette ("Tony") Perry, the American Theatre Wing's World War II chairperson.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producers. Weiss will also serve as director for the 13th consecutive year. In 2010, Kirshner and Weiss, along with host Neil Patrick Harris, earned an Emmy Award on behalf of THE 63RD ANNUAL TONY AWARDS in the category of Outstanding Special Class Program.

RATING: To Be Announced