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{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Short description|American child actress (1978–1988)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Judith Barsi
| name = Judith Barsi
| image = Barsi Judith.jpg
| image = Barsi Judith.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Barsi on an episode of ''[[Punky Brewster]]'' in 1986
| image caption = Barsi on an episode of ''[[Punky Brewster]]''
| birth_name = Judith Eva Barsi
| birth_name = Judith Eva Barsi
| birth_date = {{birth date|1978|6|6}}
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date|1978|6|6|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1988|7|25|1978|6|6}}
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1988|7|25|1978|6|6|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[Canoga Park, Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| death_cause = [[Homicide]] by [[gunshot]]
| resting_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills]], California, U.S.
| death_cause = Homicide by [[gunshot]]
| occupation = Actress
| resting_place = [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills]]
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1984–1988
| years_active = 1984–1988
}}
}}
'''Judith Eva Barsi''' (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American [[Child actor|child actress]]. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television series, as well as the 1987 film ''[[Jaws: The Revenge]]''. She also provided the voices of [[List of The Land Before Time characters#Ducky|Ducky]] in ''[[The Land Before Time (film)|The Land Before Time]]'' and Anne-Marie in ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'', both released after her death. She and her mother, Maria, were killed in July 1988 in a double [[murder–suicide]] committed in their home by her father, József Barsi.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news |title=A Script of Fear: Repeated Threats by Father of Child Actress Carried to Tragic End |first1=John |last1=Johnson |first2=Gabe |last2=Fuentes |date=August 7, 1988 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-07-me-382-story.html |access-date=September 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424030102/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-07-me-382-story.html |archive-date=2024-04-24 |url-status=live}}</ref>


== Early life ==
'''Judith Eva Barsi''' (June 6, 1978 &ndash; July 25, 1988) was an American [[child actor|child actress]] of the mid to late 1980s. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television shows, and later appeared in the films ''[[Jaws: The Revenge]]'', ''[[The Land Before Time]]'', and ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'', supplying the voice for animated characters in the latter two. In 1988, after years of physical and mental abuse, her father, József, shot and killed Judith and her mother, Maria, before fatally shooting himself in a double [[murder–suicide]].
Barsi was born in [[Los Angeles County, California]], on June 6, 1978, the daughter of József Istvan Barsi and Maria Barsi (née Virovacz), both immigrants to the U.S. who fled the [[Hungarian People's Republic]] following the [[Hungarian Revolution of 1956|1956 uprising]].<ref name=LAT/><ref name=agibarsi>{{cite book|first=Ági|last=Barsi|title=What Will You Do?|publisher=A Better Life|date=1999|isbn=0967169399}}</ref> The two immigrated at different times and met at a restaurant in [[California]], where Maria worked as a waitress. Both had been previously married.<ref name=LAT/>


==Family history==
== Career ==
Maria Barsi began preparing her daughter to become an actress when Judith was five.<ref name=LAT/> Barsi's first role was in ''[[Fatal Vision (miniseries)|Fatal Vision]]'', playing Kimberley MacDonald. She went on to appear in more than seventy commercials and guest roles on television.<ref name=latimes1>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-23-me-919-story.html|title=Local News in Brief: Child-Abuse Files Ordered Opened|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|location=Los Angeles, California|date=August 23, 1988|access-date=September 26, 2011|archive-date=October 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017133825/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-08-23/local/me-919_1_child-abuse-files|url-status=live}}</ref> As well as her career in television, she appeared in several films, including ''[[Jaws: The Revenge]].'' She provided the voices of Ducky in ''[[The Land Before Time (film)|The Land Before Time]]'', and Anne-Marie in ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]''.
Judith's father, József, [[Hungarian diaspora|fled]] [[People's Republic of Hungary|Communist Hungary]] at the age of nineteen after the [[1956 Hungarian Revolution#Soviet intervention of 4 November|1956 Soviet occupation]]. He eventually relocated to [[New York]] in 1964, and then to California,<ref name=agibarsi>Barsi, Ági (1999), ''What will you do?'', A Better Life, ISBN 0967169399</ref> where he met Maria Virovacz.<ref name=latimes>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-08-07/local/me-382_1_child-abuse|title=A Script of Fear: Repeated Threats by Father of Child Actress Carried to Tragic End|last=Johnson|first=John|author2=Fuentes, Gabe|date=1988-08-07|publisher=latimes.com|accessdate=26 September 2011}}</ref> She, a Hungarian immigrant escaping the Soviet occupation, was born in rural southern Hungary,<ref name=latimes /> and suffered psychological and physical abuse from her father. They married, and Judith's birth quickly followed in [[Los Angeles, California]], where she was raised.<ref name = "Documentary">{{cite video | title=DEATH OF A FAMILY - Judith Barsi's story | publisher = Arnold Shapiro Productions|date=February 15, 1989|accessdate=July 9, 2013}}</ref>


By the time she began fourth grade, Barsi was earning an estimated $100,000 per year ({{Inflation|US|100000|1988|r=-3|fmt=eq}}) allowing her family to buy a three-bedroom house in [[West Hills, Los Angeles]].<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book|first=Paul|last=Donnelley |title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|location=London, England|date=2005|edition=3rd|page=122|isbn=1-84449-430-6}}</ref> As she was short for her age—she was {{height|ft=3|in=8|out=cm}} at age 10<ref name=LAT/>—she began receiving [[Growth hormone therapy|hormone injections]] at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]] to encourage her growth. Her petiteness led casting directors to cast her in roles as children who were younger than her actual age. Her agent Ruth Hansen was quoted in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' as saying that when she was ten, "she was still playing 7, 8 (years of age)."<ref name=LAT/>
==Career==
According to her uncle, Joseph Weldon, Maria began grooming Judith at the age of two to become an actress.<ref name=latimes /> Eventually, at the age of five, she was discovered at a skating rink, mistaken for a three year old, and starred in the TV Mini Series, [["Fatal Vision"]], as the three-year-old counterpart of Kimberly MacDonald, which this role had a slight fore-shadowing of her own fate. <ref name=latimes /> She went on to appear in seventy-two commercials and guest roles on television.<ref name=latimes1>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-08-23/local/me-919_1_child-abuse-files|title=Local News in Brief: Child-Abuse Files Ordered Opened|date=1988-08-23|publisher=latimes.com|accessdate=26 September 2011}}</ref> As well as her career in television, she appeared in several films including ''[[Jaws: The Revenge]]'' and provided the voice of [[List of The Land Before Time characters#Ducky|Ducky]] in ''[[The Land Before Time]]''.


== Abuse and death ==
By the time she started fourth grade, Judith was earning an estimated $100,000 a year, which helped her family buy a three-bedroom house in [[West Hills, Los Angeles]].<ref name=donnelley>{{cite book|last=Donnelley|first=Paul |title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries|publisher=Omnibus Press|date=2005-11-01|edition=3|pages=122|isbn=1-84449-430-6}}</ref> As she was short for her age (she stood {{height|ft=3|in=8}} at age 10),<ref name=latimes /> she began receiving hormone injections at [[UCLA]] to encourage her growth. Her petiteness led casting directors to cast her as children that were younger than her actual age. Her agent, Ruth Hansen was quoted in ''The Los Angeles Times'' as saying that when she was ten, "she was still playing 7, 8".<ref name=latimes />
As Barsi's career success increased, her father József, an alcoholic, became increasingly angry, and repeatedly threatened to kill himself, his wife, and his daughter. He was arrested three times for [[drunk driving]].<ref name=LAT/> Before Judith left to film ''Jaws: The Revenge'', József reportedly held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she didn't return.<ref name="Garfinkle">{{Cite magazine |title=How Did Judith Barsi Die? Inside the Harrowing Murder of the 'All Dogs Go to Heaven' Child Star |url=https://people.com/judith-barsi-murder-what-to-know-8701466 |last=Garfinkle |first=Maddie |date=August 27, 2024 |access-date=October 29, 2024 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |language=en}}</ref> In December 1986, Maria reported his [[Domestic violence|threats and physical violence]] against her to the police. After the police found no physical signs of abuse, she decided not to press charges against him.<ref name=LAT/>


After the incident with the police, József reportedly stopped drinking, but continued to threaten Maria and Judith with violence, including threats to burn down the house. He also reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in [[Hungary]] had died, hoping to prevent her from leaving the United States with Judith.<ref name="sherry">{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-18-vw-2980-story.html|title=A Lesson Learned From Family Tragedy|last=Barber|first=Sherry|date=September 18, 1988|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=June 9, 2012|archive-date=September 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920070221/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-18/news/vw-2980_1_family-tragedy|url-status=live}}</ref> The physical violence continued, with Barsi telling a friend that her father threw pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed.<ref name="NE">{{cite news|title=Girl who appeared on 'Growing Pains' told show's star: My dad says he's going to kill me!|date=September 16, 1988|newspaper=[[The National Enquirer]]|publisher=[[American Media, Inc.]]|location=New York City}}</ref> As a result of being abused, Judith Barsi began gaining weight<ref name=sherry/> and developed compulsive behaviors, such as [[Trichotillomania|plucking out her eyelashes]] and pulling out her cat's whiskers.<ref name=LAT/> In May 1988, after breaking down in front of her agent, Ruth Hansen, Judith was taken by Maria to a [[Developmental psychology|child psychologist]], who identified severe [[Psychological abuse|physical and emotional abuse]] and reported her findings to [[child protective services]].<ref name=LAT/>
==Abuse and murder==
As Judith's career success increased, József became increasingly abusive, jealous, and paranoid, and would routinely threaten to kill himself, Maria, and Judith. His alcoholism worsened, and resulted in three separate arrests for [[Driving under the influence|drunk driving]].<ref name=latimes /> In December 1986, Maria reported his threats and physical violence toward her to the police. After they found no physical signs of abuse, she eventually decided not to press charges against him.<ref name=latimes />


The investigation was dropped after Maria assured the case worker that she intended to begin divorce proceedings against József and that she and Judith were going to move into a [[Panorama City, Los Angeles|Panorama City]] apartment she had recently rented as a daytime haven from him.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-07-me-1411-story.html|title=Inquiry in Barsi Case Dropped Too Soon, Panel Says|last=Fuentes|first=Gabe|date=September 7, 1988|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=September 26, 2011|location=Los Angeles, California|archive-date=October 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018120412/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-07/local/me-1411_1_judith-barsi|url-status=live}}</ref> Maria's friends urged her to follow through on the plan, but she hesitated for fear of losing the family home and belongings.<ref>{{cite web |last1=John |first1=Johnson |title=Barsi Probe: Judge Asked to Reveal Files on Slain Child |url=http://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-17-me-417-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 16, 2020 |date=August 17, 1988}}</ref>
After the incident, József reportedly stopped drinking, but continued to threaten Maria and Judith, which included threats of cutting their throats as well as burning down the house before they left to film "Jaws: The Revenge". He reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in Hungary had died, in an attempt to prevent her and Judith from leaving America.<ref name=sherry>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-18/news/vw-2980_1_family-tragedy|title=A Lesson Learned From Family Tragedy|date=1988-09-18|publisher=''[[The Los Angeles Times]]''|accessdate=9 June 2012}}</ref> Physical violence continued, with Judith telling a friend about him throwing pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed.<ref name=NE>{{cite news|url=|title=Girl who appeared on 'Growing Pains' told show's star: My dad says he's going to kill me!|date=1988-09-16|publisher=''[[The National Enquirer]]''|accessdate=}}</ref> Due to his abuse, she began putting on weight<ref name=sherry/> and exhibited disturbing behavior, which included plucking out all her eyelashes and pulling out her cat's whiskers.<ref name=latimes /> After breaking down hysterically in front of her agent during a singing audition for ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'', she was taken by Maria to a child psychologist, who identified severe physical and emotional abuse and reported her findings to [[Child Protective Services]].<ref name=latimes />


Months before her murder, Barsi had reportedly told friends, "I'm afraid to go home [...] My daddy is miserable. My daddy is drunk every day and I know he wants to kill my mother."<ref name="Garfinkle"/>
The investigation was dropped after Maria assured the case worker that she intended to begin divorce proceedings against József and that she and Judith were going to move into a [[Panorama City]] apartment she had recently rented as a daytime haven from him.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-07/local/me-1411_1_judith-barsi|title=Inquiry in Barsi Case Dropped Too Soon, Panel Says|date=1988-09-07|publisher=''[[The Los Angeles Times]]''|accessdate=26 September 2011}}</ref> Friends urged her to follow through with the plan, but she resisted, reportedly because she did not want to lose the family home and belongings.<ref name=latimes />


On July 28, 1988, the ''Los Angeles Times'' reported that three people had been found dead in an apparent [[murder–suicide]] and that the bodies were believed to be those of Barsi, her mother Maria, and her father József.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local News in Brief: Bodies Identified as Child Actress, Mother |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-29-me-7875-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 29, 1988 |access-date=June 16, 2020 |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003031717/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-07-29/local/me-7875_1_child-actress |url-status=live }}</ref> József shot Maria in the hallway of their home and Judith in her bed.<ref name="Garfinkle"/> The article quoted Police Lt. Warren Knowles as saying that a flammable liquid, presumably gasoline, had been poured on the bodies of Maria and Judith by József. József's body was found in the garage; he had died from what was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Neighbor Eunice Daly said that she had heard a gunshot around 8:30{{nbsp}}a.m. on July 27, prompting her to call the police.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/30/us/child-actress-is-slain-apparently-by-father.html|title=Child Actress Is Slain, Apparently by Father|last=Ap|date=July 30, 1988|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 9, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=June 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601230956/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/30/us/child-actress-is-slain-apparently-by-father.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Barsi and her mother were buried in [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park]] in adjoining plots.<ref name="dailynews">{{cite news|title=Child actress Barsi, mother buried|last=Phillips|first=Deidre C.|date=August 10, 1988|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|publisher=Southern California News Group|location=Los Angeles, California}}</ref>
[[File:Judith Barsi Headstone Grave.jpg|right|Judith's grave decorated with roses in 2004|thumb|200px]]
[[File:Judith Barsi Headstone Grave.jpg|thumb|Barsi's gravestone, paid for by fan subscription in 2004; It contains her ''Land Before Time'' catchphrase ("Yep! Yep! Yep!") and an allusion to the [[Martina McBride]] song "[[Concrete Angel]]."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retrojunk.com/a/oE1ta30m6v/our-concrete-angelyepyepyep|title=Retro Junk|website=www.retrojunk.com|access-date=July 4, 2023|archive-date=July 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704202823/https://www.retrojunk.com/a/oE1ta30m6v/our-concrete-angelyepyepyep|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
Judith was last seen riding her bike on the morning of July 25, 1988.<ref name = "Documentary"/> That evening, József shot her in the head while she was sleeping, and then Maria.<ref name=donnelley /> He spent the next two days wandering around the house,<ref name = "Documentary"/> and said during a phone conversation with Judith's agent the next night that he intended to move out for good, and just needed time to "say goodbye to my little girl."<ref name=latimes /> He then poured gasoline on the bodies and set them on fire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-07-29/local/me-7875_1_child-actress|title=Local News in Brief: Bodies Identified as Child Actress, Mother|date=1988-07-29|publisher=latimes.com|accessdate=26 September 2011}}</ref> After incinerating the bodies, he went to the garage and shot himself in the head with a .32 caliber pistol.<ref name = "fuentes">{{cite web | url=http://articles.latimes.com/1988-07-28/local/me-9912_1_apparent-murder-suicide | title=Three Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide | publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=July 28, 1988 | accessdate=February 10, 2012 | author=Fuentes, Gabe}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/30/us/child-actress-is-slain-apparently-by-father.html|title=Child Actress Is Slain, Apparently by Father|date=1988-07-30|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=22 November 2009}}</ref> On August 9, 1988, Judith and Maria were interred at the [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park]] in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name=dailynews>{{cite news | title=Child actress Barsi, mother buried |publisher=Los Angeles Daily News| date=1988-08-10 | accessdate=September 28, 2011 | author=C. Phillips, Deidre}}</ref>


==Aftermath==
== Since 1988 ==
Judith's final film, ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'', in which she voices the orphan Anne-Marie, was released in 1989.<ref>{{cite book|last=Beck|first=Jerry|title=The Animated Movie Guide|year=2005|publisher=Chicago Review Press|isbn=1-55652-591-5|pages=13–14}}</ref> [[Don Bluth]], the director of ''The Land Before Time'', described her as "absolutely astonishing. She understood verbal direction, even for the most sophisticated situations,"<ref>{{cite web|title=Don Bluth - .... on Movies, Games and Visions|url=http://www.yiya.de/reviews/b/blut01e1.shtml|accessdate=9 July 2013}}</ref> and he had intended to feature her extensively in his future productions.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cawley|first=John|title=Don Bluth All Dogs Go To Heaven|url=http://www.cataroo.com/DBdogs.html|accessdate=9 July 2013}}</ref>
Both ''[[The Land Before Time (film)|The Land Before Time]]'' and ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]'' were released after her death.<ref>{{cite book|last=Beck|first=Jerry|title=The Animated Movie Guide|url=https://archive.org/details/animatedmoviegui0000beck|url-access=registration|date=2005|publisher=[[Chicago Review Press]]|location=Chicago, Illinois|isbn=1-55652-591-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/animatedmoviegui0000beck/page/13 13–14]}}</ref> In an interview, [[Don Bluth]], the director of both films praised her as being "absolutely astonishing. She understood verbal direction, even for the most sophisticated situations". Bluth had remarked on the difficulty in finding child actors for roles<ref>{{cite web|title=Don Bluth – .... on Movies, Games and Visions|url=http://www.yiya.de/reviews/b/blut01e1.shtml|access-date=July 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116133556/http://www.yiya.de/reviews/b/blut01e1.shtml|archive-date=January 16, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> and had intended to continue to feature her extensively in his future productions.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cawley|first=John|title=Don Bluth All Dogs Go To Heaven|url=http://www.cataroo.com/DBdogs.html|access-date=July 9, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103084802/http://www.cataroo.com/DBdogs.html|archive-date=January 3, 2014}}</ref>


==Filmography==
== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Film and television work by Judith Barsi
|-
|-
! Year
!scope="col"| Year
! Title
!scope="col"| Title
! class="unsortable" | Role
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|-
| 1984
| rowspan= "2" |1984
| ''[[Fatal Vision (TV)|Fatal Vision]]''
!scope="row"| ''[[Fatal Vision (miniseries)|Fatal Vision]]''
| Kimberly (age 3)
| Kimberly MacDonald (age three)
| Miniseries
| [[Miniseries]]
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Jessie (1984 TV series)|Jessie]]''
| 1984
| ''[[Jessie (TV Series)|Jessie]]''
| Katie
| Katie
| Episode: "Valerie's Turn"
| Episode: "Valerie's Turn"
|-
|-
| 1985
| rowspan= "6" |1985
| ''[[Kids Don't Tell]]''
!scope="row"| ''[[Kids Don't Tell]]''
| Jennifer Ryan
| Jennifer Ryan
| Television movie
| [[TV movie]]
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Do You Remember Love (film)|Do You Remember Love]]''
| 1985
| ''[[Do You Remember Love (TV film)|Do You Remember Love]]''
| Kathleen
| Kathleen
| Television movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Knots Landing]]''
| 1985
| Bratty Girl
| ''[[The New Twilight Zone]]''
| Episode: "#14 with a Bullet"
| Gertie
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)|The Twilight Zone]]''
| Bertie
| Segment: "[[A Little Peace and Quiet]]"
| Segment: "[[A Little Peace and Quiet]]"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''There Were Times, Dear''
| 1985
| ''[[There Were Times, Dear]]''
| Molly Reed
| Molly Reed
| Television movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[The Fall Guy]]''
| 1985
| ''[[The Fall Guy]]''
| Little Girl
| Little Girl
| Episode: "[[List of The Fall Guy episodes#Fifth Season 1985-86|Escape Claus]]"
| Episode: "Escape Claus"
|-
|-
| 1986
| rowspan= "8" |1986
| ''[[Remington Steele]]''
!scope="row"| ''[[Remington Steele]]''
| Laurie Beth Piper
| Laurie Beth Piper
| Episode: "[[List of Remington Steele episodes#Season 4: 1985–86|Suburban Steele]]"
| Episode: "Suburban Steele"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Punky Brewster]]''
| 1986
| ''[[Punky Brewster]]''
| Anna
| Anna
| 2 episodes
| 2 episodes
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Trapper John, M.D.]]''
| 1986
| ''[[Trapper John, M.D.]]''
| Lindsay Christmas
| Lindsay Christmas
| Episode: "Life, Death and Dr. Christmas"
| Episode: "Life, Death and Dr. Christmas"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Cheers]]''
| 1986
| ''[[Cheers]]''
| Child #1
| Child #1
| Episode: "[[List of Cheers episodes#Season 4: 1985–86|Relief Bartender]]"
| Episode: "Relief Bartender"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]''
| 1986
| ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]''
| Shauna Bard
| Shauna Bard
| Episode: "[[List of Cagney & Lacey episodes#Season 6: 1986–1987|Disenfranchised]]"
| Episode: "Disenfranchised"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[The New Gidget]]''
| 1986
| ''[[The New Gidget]]''
| Little Girl
| Little Girl
| Episode: "[[The New Gidget#Season 1|It's Only Rock & Roll]]"
| Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Eye of the Tiger (film)|Eye of the Tiger]]''
| 1986
| ''[[Eye of the Tiger (film)|Eye of the Tiger]]''
| Jennifer Matthews
| Jennifer Matthews
|
|
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[The Love Boat]]''
| 1986
| Christmas Angel
| ''[[The Love Boat]]''
| Christmas angel
| Episode: "The Christmas Cruise: Part 2"
| Episode: "The Christmas Cruise: Part 2"
|-
|-
| 1987
| rowspan= "3" |1987
| ''[[Destination America (TV film)|Destination America]]''
!scope="row"| ''Destination America''
| Amy
| Amy
| Television movie
| TV movie
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Slam Dance (film)|Slam Dance]]''
| 1987
| ''[[Slam Dance (film)|Slam Dance]]''
| Bean
| Bean
|
|
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Jaws: The Revenge]]''
| 1987
| ''[[Jaws: The Revenge]]''
| Thea Brody
| Thea Brody
|
|
|-
|-
| 1987–1988
| 1987
| ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''
!scope="row"| ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''
| Little Girl
| Little Girl / Karen
| 2 episodes
| Episode #2.3
|-
|-
| 1988
|rowspan= "4" |1988
| ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''
!scope="row"| ''[[St. Elsewhere]]''
| Karen
| Episode #2.17
|-
| 1988
| ''[[St. Elsewhere]]''
| Debbie Oppenheimer
| Debbie Oppenheimer
| Episode: "[[List of St. Elsewhere episodes#Season Six (1987–1988)|The Abby Singer Show]]"
| Episode: "The Abby Singer Show"
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[Growing Pains]]''
| 1988
| ''[[Growing Pains]]''
| Young Carol
| Young Carol
| Episodes "[[List of Growing Pains episodes#Season 3: 1987-1988|Graduation Day]]"
| Episodes: "Graduation Day"<br />"The Last Picture Show: Part 2" (archive footage from "Graduation Day")
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[ABC Afterschool Special]]''
| 1988
| ''[[ABC Afterschool Special]]''
| Billie Foster
| Billie Foster
| Episode: "A Family Again"; Released posthumously
| Episode: "A Family Again"; released posthumously
|-
|-
!scope="row"| ''[[The Land Before Time (film)|The Land Before Time]]''
| 1988
| ''[[The Land Before Time]]''
| [[List of The Land Before Time characters#Ducky|Ducky]] ([[Voice acting|voice]])
| Released posthumously
| [[List of The Land Before Time characters#Ducky|Ducky]]
| Voice; Released posthumously
|-
|-
| 1989
| 1989
| ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]''
!scope="row"| ''[[All Dogs Go to Heaven]]''
| Anne-Marie
| Anne-Marie (voice)
| Voice; Released posthumously
| Released posthumously
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Growing Pains]]''
| Young Carol
| Episode: "[[List of Growing Pains episodes#Season 7: 1991-1992|The Last Picture Show, part 2]]" (archive footage)
|}
|}


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Judith Barsi}}
{{Portal|Biography}}
*{{IMDb name|0058279}}
*[http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/blog/article/child-actress-judith-barsi-a-life-cut-tragically-short/index.html Child Actress Judith Barsi: A Life Cut Tragically Short], ''[[Crime Library]]''
*{{Find a Grave|3038}}


== External links ==
{{Commons category|Judith Eva Barsi}}
* {{Find a Grave}}
* {{IMDb person}}
* {{TCMDb person}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portalbar|California|Biography}}

{{Persondata<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
|NAME= Barsi, Judith
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Barsi, Judith Eva
|SHORT DESCRIPTION= Child actress
|DATE OF BIRTH= June 6, 1978
|PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
|DATE OF DEATH= July 25, 1988
|PLACE OF DEATH= [[Canoga Park, California]], U.S.
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barsi, Judith}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barsi, Judith}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:1988 deaths]]
[[Category:1988 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Los Angeles, California]]
[[Category:Actresses from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:American child actresses]]
[[Category:American child actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
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[[Category:Child abuse resulting in death]]
[[Category:Child abuse resulting in death]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in California]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in California]]
[[Category:Murdered American children]]
[[Category:Filicides in California]]
[[Category:Murdered actresses]]
[[Category:Child murder in the United States]]
[[Category:Murder–suicides in the United States]]
[[Category:Murder–suicides in California]]
[[Category:People murdered in California]]
[[Category:People murdered in California]]
[[Category:People murdered in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:American murder victims]]
[[Category:Murdered actors]]
[[Category:Murdered children]]
[[Category:Familicides in the United States]]
[[Category:Uxoricides]]

Latest revision as of 09:56, 25 December 2024

Judith Barsi
Barsi on an episode of Punky Brewster in 1986
Born
Judith Eva Barsi

(1978-06-06)June 6, 1978
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 25, 1988(1988-07-25) (aged 10)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of deathHomicide by gunshot
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1984–1988

Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American child actress. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television series, as well as the 1987 film Jaws: The Revenge. She also provided the voices of Ducky in The Land Before Time and Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven, both released after her death. She and her mother, Maria, were killed in July 1988 in a double murder–suicide committed in their home by her father, József Barsi.[1]

Early life

Barsi was born in Los Angeles County, California, on June 6, 1978, the daughter of József Istvan Barsi and Maria Barsi (née Virovacz), both immigrants to the U.S. who fled the Hungarian People's Republic following the 1956 uprising.[1][2] The two immigrated at different times and met at a restaurant in California, where Maria worked as a waitress. Both had been previously married.[1]

Career

Maria Barsi began preparing her daughter to become an actress when Judith was five.[1] Barsi's first role was in Fatal Vision, playing Kimberley MacDonald. She went on to appear in more than seventy commercials and guest roles on television.[3] As well as her career in television, she appeared in several films, including Jaws: The Revenge. She provided the voices of Ducky in The Land Before Time, and Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven.

By the time she began fourth grade, Barsi was earning an estimated $100,000 per year (equivalent to $258,000 in 2023) allowing her family to buy a three-bedroom house in West Hills, Los Angeles.[4] As she was short for her age—she was 3 ft 8 in (112 cm) at age 10[1]—she began receiving hormone injections at UCLA to encourage her growth. Her petiteness led casting directors to cast her in roles as children who were younger than her actual age. Her agent Ruth Hansen was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying that when she was ten, "she was still playing 7, 8 (years of age)."[1]

Abuse and death

As Barsi's career success increased, her father József, an alcoholic, became increasingly angry, and repeatedly threatened to kill himself, his wife, and his daughter. He was arrested three times for drunk driving.[1] Before Judith left to film Jaws: The Revenge, József reportedly held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her if she didn't return.[5] In December 1986, Maria reported his threats and physical violence against her to the police. After the police found no physical signs of abuse, she decided not to press charges against him.[1]

After the incident with the police, József reportedly stopped drinking, but continued to threaten Maria and Judith with violence, including threats to burn down the house. He also reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in Hungary had died, hoping to prevent her from leaving the United States with Judith.[6] The physical violence continued, with Barsi telling a friend that her father threw pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed.[7] As a result of being abused, Judith Barsi began gaining weight[6] and developed compulsive behaviors, such as plucking out her eyelashes and pulling out her cat's whiskers.[1] In May 1988, after breaking down in front of her agent, Ruth Hansen, Judith was taken by Maria to a child psychologist, who identified severe physical and emotional abuse and reported her findings to child protective services.[1]

The investigation was dropped after Maria assured the case worker that she intended to begin divorce proceedings against József and that she and Judith were going to move into a Panorama City apartment she had recently rented as a daytime haven from him.[8] Maria's friends urged her to follow through on the plan, but she hesitated for fear of losing the family home and belongings.[9]

Months before her murder, Barsi had reportedly told friends, "I'm afraid to go home [...] My daddy is miserable. My daddy is drunk every day and I know he wants to kill my mother."[5]

On July 28, 1988, the Los Angeles Times reported that three people had been found dead in an apparent murder–suicide and that the bodies were believed to be those of Barsi, her mother Maria, and her father József.[10] József shot Maria in the hallway of their home and Judith in her bed.[5] The article quoted Police Lt. Warren Knowles as saying that a flammable liquid, presumably gasoline, had been poured on the bodies of Maria and Judith by József. József's body was found in the garage; he had died from what was determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Neighbor Eunice Daly said that she had heard a gunshot around 8:30 a.m. on July 27, prompting her to call the police.[11] Barsi and her mother were buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in adjoining plots.[12]

Barsi's gravestone, paid for by fan subscription in 2004; It contains her Land Before Time catchphrase ("Yep! Yep! Yep!") and an allusion to the Martina McBride song "Concrete Angel."[13]

Since 1988

Both The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven were released after her death.[14] In an interview, Don Bluth, the director of both films praised her as being "absolutely astonishing. She understood verbal direction, even for the most sophisticated situations". Bluth had remarked on the difficulty in finding child actors for roles[15] and had intended to continue to feature her extensively in his future productions.[16]

Filmography

Film and television work by Judith Barsi
Year Title Role Notes
1984 Fatal Vision Kimberly MacDonald (age three) Miniseries
Jessie Katie Episode: "Valerie's Turn"
1985 Kids Don't Tell Jennifer Ryan TV movie
Do You Remember Love Kathleen TV movie
Knots Landing Bratty Girl Episode: "#14 with a Bullet"
The Twilight Zone Bertie Segment: "A Little Peace and Quiet"
There Were Times, Dear Molly Reed TV movie
The Fall Guy Little Girl Episode: "Escape Claus"
1986 Remington Steele Laurie Beth Piper Episode: "Suburban Steele"
Punky Brewster Anna 2 episodes
Trapper John, M.D. Lindsay Christmas Episode: "Life, Death and Dr. Christmas"
Cheers Child #1 Episode: "Relief Bartender"
Cagney & Lacey Shauna Bard Episode: "Disenfranchised"
The New Gidget Little Girl Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll"
Eye of the Tiger Jennifer Matthews
The Love Boat Christmas Angel Episode: "The Christmas Cruise: Part 2"
1987 Destination America Amy TV movie
Slam Dance Bean
Jaws: The Revenge Thea Brody
1987–1988 The Tracey Ullman Show Little Girl / Karen 2 episodes
1988 St. Elsewhere Debbie Oppenheimer Episode: "The Abby Singer Show"
Growing Pains Young Carol Episodes: "Graduation Day"
"The Last Picture Show: Part 2" (archive footage from "Graduation Day")
ABC Afterschool Special Billie Foster Episode: "A Family Again"; released posthumously
The Land Before Time Ducky (voice) Released posthumously
1989 All Dogs Go to Heaven Anne-Marie (voice) Released posthumously

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Johnson, John; Fuentes, Gabe (August 7, 1988). "A Script of Fear: Repeated Threats by Father of Child Actress Carried to Tragic End". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  2. ^ Barsi, Ági (1999). What Will You Do?. A Better Life. ISBN 0967169399.
  3. ^ "Local News in Brief: Child-Abuse Files Ordered Opened". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. August 23, 1988. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  4. ^ Donnelley, Paul (2005). Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries (3rd ed.). London, England: Omnibus Press. p. 122. ISBN 1-84449-430-6.
  5. ^ a b c Garfinkle, Maddie (August 27, 2024). "How Did Judith Barsi Die? Inside the Harrowing Murder of the 'All Dogs Go to Heaven' Child Star". People. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Barber, Sherry (September 18, 1988). "A Lesson Learned From Family Tragedy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  7. ^ "Girl who appeared on 'Growing Pains' told show's star: My dad says he's going to kill me!". The National Enquirer. New York City: American Media, Inc. September 16, 1988.
  8. ^ Fuentes, Gabe (September 7, 1988). "Inquiry in Barsi Case Dropped Too Soon, Panel Says". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. Archived from the original on October 18, 2018. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  9. ^ John, Johnson (August 17, 1988). "Barsi Probe: Judge Asked to Reveal Files on Slain Child". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  10. ^ "Local News in Brief: Bodies Identified as Child Actress, Mother". Los Angeles Times. July 29, 1988. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  11. ^ Ap (July 30, 1988). "Child Actress Is Slain, Apparently by Father". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 1, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  12. ^ Phillips, Deidre C. (August 10, 1988). "Child actress Barsi, mother buried". Los Angeles Daily News. Los Angeles, California: Southern California News Group.
  13. ^ "Retro Junk". www.retrojunk.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press. pp. 13–14. ISBN 1-55652-591-5.
  15. ^ "Don Bluth – .... on Movies, Games and Visions". Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  16. ^ Cawley, John. "Don Bluth All Dogs Go To Heaven". Archived from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
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