Judith Barsi

Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an

American child actress. She began her career in television, making
Judith Barsi
appearances in commercials and television series as well as in the
film Jaws: The Revenge. She provided voices for animated
characters in The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven.
She and her mother, Maria, were killed in July 1988 in a double
murder–suicide perpetrated in their home by her father, József
Barsi.[1]

Contents Barsi on an episode of Punky

Brewster
Early life
Born Judith Eva Barsi
Career June 6, 1978
Abuse and death Los Angeles,
Aftermath California, U.S.

Filmography Died July 25, 1988

(aged 10)
References
Canoga Park,
External links California, U.S.
Cause of Homicide by gunshot
death
Early life
Resting Forest Lawn
Barsi was born in Los Angeles County, California, on June 6, place Memorial Park,
1978, the daughter of József Istvan Barsi and Maria Barsi (née Hollywood Hills,
Virovacz), both immigrants to the U.S. who fled the Hungarian California, U.S.
People's Republic following the 1956 uprising.[1][2] The two Occupation Actress
immigrated at different times and met at a restaurant in California,
where Maria worked as a server. Both had been previously Years active 1984–1988
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, and provided the voices of Ducky in The Land Before Time, and
Anne-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven.

By the time she started fourth grade, Barsi was earning an estimated $100,000 per year (equivalent to
$219,000 in 2020), which helped her family buy a three-bedroom house in West Hills, Los Angeles.[4] As
she was short for her age—she stood 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 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."[1]

Abuse and death

As Barsi's career success increased, her father József, an alcoholic, became increasingly angry and would
routinely threaten to kill himself, his wife and daughter. His drinking led to three arrests for driving under
the influence of alcohol.[1] In December 1986, Maria reported his threats and physical violence toward 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. His various threats included cutting their throats as well as burning down the house. He also
reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in Hungary had died, in an attempt to prevent her
from leaving the United States with Judith.[5] The physical violence continued, with Barsi telling a friend
that her father threw pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed.[6] As a result of her abuse, Barsi began
gaining weight[5] and exhibited disturbing behavior, such as plucking out her eyelashes and pulling out her
cat's whiskers (see trichotillomania).[1] In May 1988, after breaking down in front of her agent, Ruth
Hansen, Barsi 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.[7] Maria's friends urged her to follow through with the
plan, but she hesitated due to her fear of losing the family home and belongings.[8]

On July 28, 1988, the Los Angeles Times reported that three people were 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.[9] The article quoted Police Lt. Warren Knowles as saying a flammable liquid, likely gasoline, had
been poured on the bodies of Maria and Judith by József. József's body was found in the garage, dead of a
self-inflicted gunshot wound. Neighbor Eunice Daly stated she heard a gunshot around 8:30 a.m. on July
27, prompting her to call the police.[10] Barsi and her mother were buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park,
in adjoining plots.[11]

Aftermath
Barsi's final film, All Dogs Go to Heaven, in which she provided the speaking voice of Anne-Marie, was
released posthumously in November 1989.[12] In an interview, Don Bluth, the director of both The Land
Before Time and All Dogs Go To Heaven, praised her as being "absolutely astonishing. She understood
verbal direction, even for the most sophisticated situations".[13] Bluth stated he intended to feature her
extensively in his future productions.[14] The closing credits song "Love Survives" was dedicated in her
memory.

Filmography
 Year Title Role Notes
Kimberly MacDonald
Fatal Vision Miniseries
1984 (age three)
Jessie Katie Episode: "Valerie's Turn"
Kids Don't Tell Jennifer Ryan Television movie
Do You
Kathleen Television movie
Remember Love
Knots Landing Bratty Girl Episode: "#14 with a Bullet"
1985
The Twilight Zone Bertie Segment: "A Little Peace and Quiet"
There Were
Molly Reed Television movie
Times, Dear
The Fall Guy Little Girl Episode: "Escape Claus"
Remington Steele Laurie Beth Piper Episode: "Suburban Steele"
Punky Brewster Anna 2 episodes
Trapper John,
Lindsay Christmas Episode: "Life, Death and Dr. Christmas"
M.D.

1986 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"
Destination
Amy Television movie
America
1987 Slam Dance Bean
Jaws: The
Thea Brody
Revenge
1987– The Tracey
Little Girl / Karen 2 episodes
1988 Ullman Show
St. Elsewhere Debbie Oppenheimer Episode: "The Abby Singer Show"
Episodes: "Graduation Day"
Growing Pains Young Carol "The Last Picture Show: Part 2" (archive footage from
"Graduation Day")
1988
ABC Afterschool
Billie Foster Episode: "A Family Again"; Released posthumously
Special
The Land Before
Ducky (voice)
Time
Released posthumously
All Dogs Go to
1989 Anne-Marie (voice)
Heaven

References
1. Johnson, John; Fuentes, Gabe (August 7, 1988). "A Script of Fear: Repeated Threats by
Father of Child Actress Carried to Tragic End" (https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-198
8-08-07-me-382-story.html). Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. 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" (http://articles.latimes.com/1988-0
8-23/local/me-919_1_child-abuse-files). Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California.
August 23, 1988. 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. Barber, Sherry (September 18, 1988). "A Lesson Learned From Family Tragedy" (http://articl
es.latimes.com/1988-09-18/news/vw-2980_1_family-tragedy). Los Angeles Times.
Retrieved June 9, 2012.
6. "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.
7. Fuentes, Gabe (September 7, 1988). "Inquiry in Barsi Case Dropped Too Soon, Panel Says"
(http://articles.latimes.com/1988-09-07/local/me-1411_1_judith-barsi). Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles, California. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
8. John, Johnson (August 17, 1988). "Barsi Probe: Judge Asked to Reveal Files on Slain
Child" (http://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-17-me-417-story.html). Los Angeles
Times. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
9. "Local News in Brief: Bodies Identified as Child Actress, Mother" (https://www.latimes.com/ar
chives/la-xpm-1988-07-29-me-7875-story.html). Los Angeles Times. July 29, 1988.
Retrieved June 16, 2020.
10. Ap (July 30, 1988). "Child Actress Is Slain, Apparently by Father" (https://www.nytimes.com/
1988/07/30/us/child-actress-is-slain-apparently-by-father.html). The New York Times.
ISSN 0362-4331 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0362-4331). Retrieved October 9, 2019.
11. Phillips, Deidre C. (August 10, 1988). "Child actress Barsi, mother buried". Los Angeles
Daily News. Los Angeles, California: Southern California News Group.
12. Beck, Jerry (2005). The Animated Movie Guide (https://archive.org/details/animatedmoviegui
0000beck). Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press. pp. 13–14 (https://archive.org/details/a
nimatedmoviegui0000beck/page/13). ISBN 1-55652-591-5.
13. "Don Bluth – .... on Movies, Games and Visions" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140116133
556/http://www.yiya.de/reviews/b/blut01e1.shtml). Archived from the original (http://www.yiy
a.de/reviews/b/blut01e1.shtml) on January 16, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
14. Cawley, John. "Don Bluth All Dogs Go To Heaven" (https://web.archive.org/web/201401030
84802/http://www.cataroo.com/DBdogs.html). Archived from the original (http://www.cataroo.
com/DBdogs.html) on January 3, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2013.

External links
Judith Barsi (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0058279/) at IMDb
Judith Barsi (https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/10751/wp) at the TCM Movie Database
Judith Eva Barsi (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3038) at Find a Grave

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