Clips from the animated 1989 movie, “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” have been making rounds all over the social media platform, TikTok. The clips mainly feature the end scene of the movie, highlighting the emotional moment where Charlie (voiced by Burt Reynolds) says goodbye to Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi).
Not only is this a heart-wrenching scene of a child saying goodbye to her canine friend, but it has become a poignant part of Reynolds’s film career as he says his final goodbye to child actress, Judith Barsi.
The Story Behind the Final Scene of “All Dogs Go to Heaven”
Reynolds was a charismatic and talented actor in the ’80s, gracing the big screens in live-action movies, such as “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Boogie Nights,” and lending his voice to the animated feature “All Dogs Go to Heaven.”
Reynolds had a surprisingly close connection to young Barsi, and developed a strong friendship with the child actress which added to his grief felt when the child passed.
What Happened to Actress Judith Barsi?
Barsi, best known for lending her voice not only to Anne-Marie but also to Ducky in “The Land Before Time,” was only 10 years old when she was murdered in a double murder-suicide with her mother at the hands of her father.
Judith was a rising star in the film industry, capturing the hearts of movie viewers everywhere. The child had only just finished recording her final lines in “All Dogs Go to Heaven” when she was killed, leaving the movie as her final legacy.
Burt Reynolds Says Goodbye to the Late Actress
The clip went viral after TikTok, ghostfacepanda333, revealed the tragic backstory behind the movie’s final scenes to their audience.
The TikTok claims that Reynolds asked for a closed studio for the day while he finished his lines for the movie, and took more than 60 takes before he could finish his role.
Reynolds was so heartbroken over the loss that he kept having to redo his lines, and finished off with, “Goodbye isn’t forever” while looking at a photo of the late actress. Even with so many takes, Reynolds’ voice can still be heard breaking in the final clip that made it into the movie.
Reynolds’s portrayal not only affected his voice but also the script itself. Director Don Bluth had animators change the final scene to match Reynolds’s final words of the movie, as well as changing the mannerisms and design of Anne-Marie to look like the late Judith Barsi in honor of her memory.
The studio’s reaction and coping show how much they cared for the young girl, and how much her loss not only affected her family but also those who were graced with the chance to know her.
