Who Played Sylvia On Little House On The Prairie's Darkest Episode?

In the nine seasons that it was on the air, "Little House on the Prairie" was an idyllic glimpse at frontier life. The opening credits certainly presented it as a wholesome, family-friendly series, with children happily running through a meadow and a sweeping string instrumental playing in the background.

In reality, "Little House on the Prairie" often took a turn for the dramatic and downright tragic, dealing with issues like disease, addiction, and the scourge of violence. Perhaps the darkest episode of the series was the two-parter "Sylvia" from Season 7. Directed and co-written by series star Michael Landon, the episode follows Sylvia, a shy and troubled girl played by Olivia Barash.

Sylvia is subject to leering and harassment from the local boys, victim blaming from Harriet Oleson (Katherine MacGregor), and cruelty from her father. In Part One, she is brutally raped by a stranger in a clown mask, resulting in her pregnancy. Part Two provides no relief: when she encounters her rapist again, Sylvia falls from a ladder and ultimately dies from her injuries.

Despite the incredibly dark subject matter, the two-part episode was a ratings boon. It also marked Barash's ascendance as a dramatic actor. The teen actress had already appeared on shows like "Charlie's Angels" and "Alice," but she was ready for a more serious role. "I was ready to do it," Barash told Entertainment Weekly in February 2023. "I wanted to do something dramatic."

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Olivia Barash's time on "Little House on the Prairie" was brief yet impactful. Her guest-starring role even put her up for consideration for an Emmy, though she didn't quite have the industry savvy to get seriously involved in the race. "I was a kid, and I didn't really have a manager at that point," Barash continued in the same Entertainment Weekly interview. "We didn't know how to [campaign and] parlay it into the nomination. But I got the letter from the Academy, and it said I was being considered."

The Emmy may not have come to fruition, but Barash credits Michael Landon for her strong performance. "He was one of my favorite directors because he would cry behind the camera, and I could feel that and it made [my performance] so much better," she continued.

After "Little House on the Prairie," other roles followed, including appearances in the James Spader-starring drama "Tuff Turf" and Paul Schrader's 1988 biopic "Patty Hearst." She is perhaps best known, however, for playing the UFO-obsessed Leila in the all-time great car film "Repo Man."

"Little House on the Prairie" and the punk, sci-fi freakout "Repo Man" could not be more different, but for Barash, both gigs instilled in her a reputation as a cult actress. "Because of 'Little House,' I have this really weird fan base," she said. "I'm this cult actress — 'Repo Man,' and all that. It started with 'Sylvia,' no doubt about it."