Olivia Barash

Background

Olivia Barash was born on January 11, 1965, in Miami, Florida, and was raised in New York City. She entered professional entertainment as a child and worked in acting, singing, and dancing before moving with her family to the Los Angeles area during her teenage years.

Her early stage work included the role of Baby June in the musical Gypsy, in which she appeared with Angela Lansbury. She later attended Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California, graduating in 1982. Her transition from New York theater to Hollywood television and film placed her within the expanding market for young performers in American popular entertainment during the 1970s and 1980s.

Education

Barash attended Palisades High School in Pacific Palisades, California, and graduated in 1982. The school served the Pacific Palisades community of western Los Angeles, an area closely connected with the region's film and television industry.

Her documented professional training and development also came through childhood stage work in New York, where musical theater combined acting, singing, and dancing. No university education is documented.

Career

Barash began working in entertainment as a child, appearing on television and performing in New York stage productions. Her early screen credits included The Secret Storm, A World Apart, Soap, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Charlie's Angels, and The Incredible Hulk. She also appeared in the television film Child of Glass and the feature film American Hot Wax in 1978.

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Barash continued to work in television, including Little House on the Prairie, In the Beginning, Out of the Blue, and Through the Magic Pyramid. Her portrayal of Sylvia in Little House on the Prairie was associated with consideration for an Emmy nomination. She later appeared as Maxie Sharp in Fame and in St. Elsewhere, Night Court, 21 Jump Street, and other television programs.

Her feature-film work included the role of Leila in Alex Cox's Repo Man in 1984, followed by appearances in Tuff Turf, Patty Hearst, Dr. Alien, Grave Secrets, Floundering, Perfect Fit, Repo Chick, and Blue Dream. Repo Man became a cult film within the independent and punk-influenced American cinema of the 1980s, while Barash's later work extended across independent films, music-related projects, and television.

Barash also developed work behind the camera as a director and producer. She participated in the production of Blue Dream and The Fishbone Reality: Unstuck - Part 1 of Intrinsically Intertwined, and she developed projects connected with the history of the Viper Room. In the mid-1990s she worked as an in-house promoter at the Viper Room, the West Hollywood club opened by Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco in 1993 and known for its live-music scene. She has also worked on digital and branded-content projects and continued to combine acting, directing, producing, and music-related activities.

Achievements

• Barash became the first child actor reported to have won the New York Critics Circle Award.

• She established a continuing career across child performance, television acting, independent film, directing, producing, and music-related work.

Works

• film

  • Repo Man

    (Barash played Leila in Alex Cox's independent science-fic...)

    1984

  • American Hot Wax

    (Barash played Susie in the musical drama about the early ...)

    1978

  • Patty Hearst

    (Barash appeared as Fahizah in the biographical crime dram...)

    1988

  • Blue Dream

    (Barash appeared as Rachel Purviance and also received a c...)

    2013

  • Tuff Turf

    (Barash appeared as Ronnie in the drama directed by Fritz ...)

    1985

  • Floundering

    (Barash appeared as Ruthie in the independent comedy-drama.)

    1994

• musical film

  • Gypsy

    (Barash performed the role of Baby June in a New York stag...)

• television film

  • Child of Glass

    (Barash appeared in the Walt Disney television film.)

    1978

• television series

  • The Incredible Hulk

    (Barash appeared in the pilot episode as a girl rescued fr...)

    1978

• TV series

  • Little House on the Prairie

    (Barash appeared as Sylvia in the television series.)

  • Fame

    (Barash played Maxie Sharp in the television series.)

• video

  • The Fishbone Reality: Unstuck - Part 1 of Intrinsically Intertwined

    (Barash contributed as director, producer, and voice perfo...)

    2014

Membership

Barash has been associated with Sag-Aftra and BMI, organizations serving performers and music creators. Sag-Aftra represents actors and other media professionals, while BMI administers public-performance rights for songwriters, composers, and music publishers.

• Sag-Aftra , United States

  1971 - present

• Broadcast Music, Inc. , United States

Personality

Physical Characteristics: Barash has been described as approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall.

Interests

• Barash has maintained interests in independent filmmaking, music, digital content, and documentary projects concerning the Viper Room.

• Music & Bands

  Barash has worked as a singer and songwriter and has had original songs associated with motion-picture projects.

Connections

Barash worked with Angela Lansbury in the New York stage production of Gypsy. Her professional connections also included Johnny Depp during her work at the Viper Room and record producer Dave Jerden in the development of a production company.

Collegue :

Angela Lansbury

Lansbury appeared with Barash in the New York stage production of Gypsy.

Collegue :

Johnny Depp

Depp hired Barash as an in-house promoter for the Viper Room.

Collegue :

Dave Jerden

Barash developed a production company with the record producer.

References

• IMDb, Olivia Barash Reference profile documenting Barash's acting, directing, producing, songwriting, Viper Room work, and principal screen credits.
• Olivia Barash Biographical reference documenting Barash's birth, New York stage work, Palisades High School education, television career, and filmography.
• TV Insider, Olivia Barash Biographical and career reference documenting Barash's birth information, early career, television work, and appearance in Repo Man.