Judith Eva Barsi was a talented child actress from America who rose to fame in the 1980s. Known for her roles in popular films and TV projects such as ‘The Land Before Time’ and ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’, Barsi’s career was tragically cut short when she and her mother were killed in a double murder-suicide. Despite her young age, Barsi had already made a significant impact in the entertainment industry, earning a substantial income and gaining recognition for her performances. Her untimely death in 1988 left a void in the industry, but her legacy lives on through her final film, ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’, which was released after her passing.
Quick Facts
- Also Known As: Judith Eva Barsi
- Died At Age: 10
- Family:
- Father: József Barsi
- Mother: Maria Virovacz Barsi
- Died Young
- Child Actresses
- Height: 1.12 m
- Died on: July 25, 1988
- Place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States
- Cause of Death: Homicide By Gunshot, Murder–suicide
- Ancestry: Hungarian American
- U.S. State: California
Childhood & Early Life
Judith Barsi was born on June 6, 1978, in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, József Barsi and Maria Virovacz, had escaped communist Hungary after it was occupied by Soviet Russia in 1956. József first came to New York and later moved to California, where he met Maria. They got married.
Career
Barsi’s mother wanted her to become a child actress and began training her at a young age. At the age of five, Barsi was discovered at a skating rink in San Fernando Valley. However, her short stature confused people, and she was mistaken for a three-year-old girl. She appeared in her first commercial for Donald Duck Orange Juice and went on to feature in over 70 commercials.
In 1984, Barsi made her acting debut in NBC’s miniseries ‘Fatal Vision’ and also appeared in an episode of ABC’s police drama series ‘Jessie’. She continued to guest-star in various television shows and appeared in television films like ‘Kids Don’t Tell’, ‘Do You Remember Love’, and ‘There were Times, Dear’. In 1986, she portrayed the recurring character Anna in NBC’s sitcom ‘Punky Brewster’ and made her big screen debut in the film ‘Eye of the Tiger’.
In 1987, Barsi worked with Tom Hulce, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Virginia Madsen, and Harry Dean Stanton in the thriller film ‘Slam Dance’, which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival. She also appeared in episodes of Fox’s variety show ‘The Tracey Ullman Show’ and ABC’s sitcom ‘Growing Pains’. In 1988, she voiced the character Ducky in the animated film ‘The Land Before Time’. Her final project was the animated film ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’, where she voiced the character Annie-Marie. The film was released 16 months after her death.
Abuse & Murder
Barsi’s father, József, was an alcoholic whose addiction worsened as Barsi’s career became more successful. He was abusive towards his wife and daughter, often threatening to kill them. Despite being arrested once, he was let go due to lack of physical abuse evidence. Barsi started gaining weight and displayed troubling behaviors as a result of the abuse. She confided in a friend about her father throwing pots and pans at her, causing her nose to bleed from stress. Child Protective Services were called, but Maria never followed through with divorcing her husband.
On July 25, 1988, József shot both Barsi and Maria before burning their bodies and then taking his own life in the garage. Barsi and her mother were buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.