Olivia Barash
Barash in a 1978 episode of Charlie's Angels
Born (1965-01-11) January 11, 1965
Miami, Florida, U.S.
EducationPalisades High School
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • producer
  • songwriter
  • singer
Years active1968–2015
Known forFame
Gypsy
Repo Man
The Incredible Hulk
Child of Glass

Olivia Barash (born January 11, 1965) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actor, appearing in television series such as Little House on the Prairie, Charlie's Angels, and Soap. She subsequently had a lead role on the short-lived sitcom In the Beginning, which originally aired in 1978. She also had a lead role in the Walt Disney television film Child of Glass (1978). As a young adult, Barash established herself in supporting film roles in Repo Man (1984), Tuff Turf (1985), Patty Hearst (1988), and Floundering (1994).

Biography

Early life and performances

Barash was born January 11, 1965, in Miami, Florida.[1] Barash was raised in New York City, and began acting professionally at age 11.[2] During her early years of acting, singing and dancing in classic musicals on stage in New York, she starred as "Baby June" in Gypsy with Angela Lansbury.[3] She was the first child actress to win the New York Critic's Circle Award. Moving to Hollywood as a teen with her family, she attended Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California, and graduated in 1982.

Barash appeared in the pilot episode of The Incredible Hulk, aping the famous "flower girl" scene from James Whale's Frankenstein. In this version, she befriends the Hulk, but their friendship is cut short by her hunter father, who shoots the Hulk with a rifle, causing the Hulk to hurl him hundreds of feet into a nearby lake. Barash also appeared as a guest in two episodes of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman in 1977, and in 1978, was cast in a main role on the sitcom In the Beginning, which followed a conservative Catholic priest and liberal, socially-conscious nun who run a mission in Baltimore; the series ran only five episodes on CBS, though a total of nine were filmed before the series was canceled.[3] The same year, she starred in the Walt Disney television film Child of Glass, in which she portrayed the ghost of a young girl murdered during the Antebellum era.[4]

Later career

In 1984, Barash appeared in Repo Man, in which she had a supporting role playing a UFO cultist.[5][6] The following year, she appeared opposite Robert Downey, Jr., James Spader and Kim Richards in the teen drama Tuff Turf (1985).[5] In 1987, Barash had a main supporting role in the television series Fame, playing Maxie Sharp.[7] In 1988, she had a supporting role in Paul Schrader's biopic Patty Hearst.[5]

In 1990, Oliver Stone wrote Barash into The Doors portraying a folksinger on the Sunset Strip, performing her original song, Who's Walking Away published by It's True You Boys Music (BMI).

Barash went on to sign to Warner Chappell Music as a songwriter/artist in 1992. Her focus shifted to recording and playing her music through the nineties and into this century.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1978 American Hot Wax Susie
1981 The Time Crystal Baket also known as Through the Magic Pyramid
1984 Repo Man Leila
1985 Tuff Turf Ronnie
1988 Patty Hearst Fahizah
1989 Dr. Alien Leeanne
1989 Grave Secrets Darla
1994 Floundering Ruthie
2001 Perfect Fit Janet
2009 Repo Chick Railroad Employee
2013 Blue Dream Rachel Purviance
2014 Theory of a Deadman: Drown Revivalist Video short
2015 The Fishbone Reality: Unstuck - Part 1 of Intrinsically Intertwined Elvis of Venice (voice) Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1968 The Secret Storm Lupita 1 episode
1970–71 A World Apart Louise TV series
1977 Code R Jan "Suzy's Day Off"
1977 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Brownie 2 episodes
1977 Soap Molly "1.4"
1977 The Incredible Hulk Girl at Lake "The Incredible Hulk"
1978 In the Beginning Willie Main role
1978 ABC Afterschool Special Eugenie Legrand "Michel's Mixed-Up Musical Bird"
1978 Child of Glass Inez Dumaine TV film
1978 Charlie's Angels Sam "Mother Angel"
1978–79 ABC Weekend Special Charlotte Cooper "The Contest Kid and the Big Prize", "The Contest Kid Strikes Again"
1979 Alice Melissa Lloyd "Tommy's First Love"
1979 The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal Ruthie TV film
1979 Out of the Blue Laura Richards Main role
1981 ABC Weekend Special Jenny "Zack and the Magic Factory"
1981 Little House on the Prairie Sylvia Webb "Sylvia: Parts 1 & 2"
1981 The Time Crystal Baket TV film
1983 One Day at a Time Olivia Birvey "A Young Man's Fancy"
1984 Night Court Mary Elaine Montgomery "Santa Goes Downtown"
1984 Spencer Marsha "Fast Times"
1987 Fame Maxie Sharp Main role (season 6)
1987 Ohara Rita Riley "Take the Money and Run"
1988 St. Elsewhere Annette "Down and Out on Beacon Hill"
1989 21 Jump Street Becky "Nemesis"

Theatre

Year Title Role Theatre Venue
1974 Gypsy Baby June Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
1982 Young Artist Award Best Young Actress in a Television Series Little House on the Prairie Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Kaplan, Mike (1989). Variety's Who's Who in Show Business. New York: R.R. Bowker. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-835-22665-3.
  2. ↑ "Olivia Barash". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Leszczak, Bob (2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-786-46812-6.
  4. ↑ Parish, James Robert (1994). Ghosts and Angels in Hollywood Films. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-899-50676-0.
  5. 1 2 3 "Olivia Barash". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  6. ↑ Fischer, Dennis (2011). Science Fiction Film Directors, 1895–1998. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-786-48505-5.
  7. ↑ Hoey, Michael A. (2010). Inside Fame on Television: A Behind-the-Scenes History. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 193–194. ISBN 978-0-786-45573-7.
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