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.

Early life

Barsi was born in Los Angeles County, California, on June 6, 1978, the daughter of József Istvan and Maria Barsi.

Career

Maria Barsi began preparing her daughter to become an actress when Judith was five. 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 () allowing her family to buy a three-bedroom house in West Hills, Los Angeles. As she was short for her age— at age 10 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. The physical violence continued, with Barsi telling a friend that her father threw pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed. As a result of being abused, Judith began gaining weight Maria's friends urged her to follow through on the plan, but she hesitated for fear of losing the family home and belongings.

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." József shot Maria in the hallway of their home and Judith in her bed. Barsi and her mother were buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in adjoining plots.

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".]]

Final films

She was featured as a voice actress in two films following her death: The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven.

Filmography

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+Film and television work by Judith Barsi

|-

!scope="col"| Year

!scope="col"| Title

!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Role

!scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

|-

| rowspan= "2" |1984

!scope="row"| Fatal Vision

| Kimberly MacDonald (age three)

| Miniseries

|-

!scope="row"| Jessie

| Katie

| Episode: "Valerie's Turn"

|-

| rowspan= "6" |1985

!scope="row"| Kids Don't Tell

| Jennifer Ryan

| TV movie

|-

!scope="row"| Do You Remember Love

| Kathleen

| TV movie

|-

!scope="row"| Knots Landing

| Bratty Girl

| Episode: "#14 with a Bullet"

|-

!scope="row"| The Twilight Zone

| Bertie

| Segment: "A Little Peace and Quiet"

|-

!scope="row"| There Were Times, Dear

| Molly Reed

| TV movie

|-

!scope="row"| The Fall Guy

| Little Girl

| Episode: "Escape Claus"

|-

| rowspan= "8" |1986

!scope="row"| Remington Steele

| Laurie Beth Piper

| Episode: "Suburban Steele"

|-

!scope="row"| Punky Brewster

| Anna

| 2 episodes

|-

!scope="row"| Trapper John, M.D.

| Lindsay Christmas

| Episode: "Life, Death and Dr. Christmas"

|-

!scope="row"| Cheers

| Child #1

| Episode: "Relief Bartender"

|-

!scope="row"| Cagney & Lacey

| Shauna Bard

| Episode: "Disenfranchised"

|-

!scope="row"| The New Gidget

| Little Girl

| Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll"

|-

!scope="row"| Eye of the Tiger

| Jennifer Matthews

|

|-

!scope="row"| The Love Boat

| Christmas Angel

| Episode: "The Christmas Cruise: Part 2"

|-

| rowspan= "3" |1987

!scope="row"| Destination America

| Amy

| TV movie

|-

!scope="row"| Slam Dance

| Bean

|

|-

!scope="row"| Jaws: The Revenge

| Thea Brody

|

|-

| 1987–1988

!scope="row"| The Tracey Ullman Show

| Little Girl / Karen

| 2 episodes

|-

|rowspan= "4" |1988

!scope="row"| St. Elsewhere

| Debbie Oppenheimer

| Episode: "The Abby Singer Show"

|-

!scope="row"| Growing Pains

| Young Carol

| Episodes: "Graduation Day"<br />"The Last Picture Show: Part 2" (archive footage from "Graduation Day")

|-

!scope="row"| ABC Afterschool Special

| Billie Foster

| Episode: "A Family Again"; released posthumously

|-

!scope="row"| The Land Before Time

| Ducky (voice)

| Released posthumously

|-

| 1989

!scope="row"| All Dogs Go to Heaven

| Anne-Marie (voice)

| Released posthumously

|}

References