Matthew Ansara

Matthew Ansara was a budding American actor who appeared on Harper Valley P.T.A. He was the only son of American actor Michael Ansara and Barbara Eden. As a son of talented celebrities, Ansara had the potential to become a star of the American movie industry.

However, with the premature death of Matthew, the American movie industry lost yet another potential star. In this article, let's get to know the life of the late actor and celebrity son Matthew.

Matthew Ansara Cause Of Death

Matthew Ansara died due to an overdose of heroin. His body was found in the pickup truck at a gas station in Monrovia, California, on June 25, 2001. An autopsy found a lethal amount of heroin in Ansara's body.

On the truck vials of anabolic steroids were found. Further investigation saw that his death was accidental. His mother, Barabara Eden, has openly discussed his death in public.

The American actor Matthew met his untimely death at the tender age of 35. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California.

Barbara Eden Discovered Ansara's Drug Problem Late 

Ansara dropped out of San Fernando Valley City College due to his drug addiction. It was only in 1984 that the I Dream of Jeannie star noticed the unusual behavior of her child afterward.

Eden said -- "At first we didn't recognize the behavior — the sleeping and the bouts of anger that would come up all of a sudden with this charming, darling boy. I was scared to death,"

Matthew started taking drugs following his parents' divorce. At that time, he was just ten years old. However, Barbara Eden was unaware of her son's addiction problem earlier. Later, in 1999, he opened up about his problem to the public.

Ansara was in and out of rehab for fourteen years to turn sober. However, his battle with the addiction was a failure, as Eden died due to a heroin overdose.

It's not like Matthew did not try to remain sober. In 1994, Ansara was diagnosed with clinical depression and was on prescribed medication. He did not touch the drugs for some time. His mother, Eden, said

"When Matthew was clean and sober, he was such a beautiful human being, inside and out,"

Matthew Ansara, Blessing To His Parents

Did you know? Barbara Eden and her first husband, Michael Ansara, tried for seven years to conceive a baby. However, they were not successful. However, in 1964, the doctor told the actress was pregnant with Matthew.

Matthew's arrival was a blessing for her parents. On the same day, she learned about being pregnant, I Dream of Jeannie had sold out. Ansara was born in Los Angeles on August 29, 1965, and it was the best day for Michael and Barbara.

Ansara was raised in California. He was a student at the University of California, just like actress Jae Suh Park. He also attended classes at a series of schools, UC, Santa Barbara, and Valley College.

Ansara's Parents Separated In 1974 

Unfortunately, Barbara Eden and Michael Ansara separated in 1974. Despite having a child, Matthew, the former pair decided to end their 16-year-long married life. 

Barbara and Michael first crossed paths on a studio-arranged publicity date in October 1957. It was set up by their publicity man, Booker McClay. A year later, i.e., Matthew Ansari's parents married on January 17, 1958, the same year Andy Garcia's wife, Marivi Lorida Garcia, was born.

Besides Matthew, Eden became pregnant with yet another child in 1971. However, it turned out to be a stillborn baby. The depression Barbara went through following the loss of her child became the cause of the couple's divorce.

Following the divorce, Michael married Beverly Kushida in 1977 and had a blissful nuptials till 2013. On the other hand, Eden has been married to Jon Eicholts since 1991.

Who Was Matthew Ansara Married To?

Before dying, Matthew Ansara had found love in Leanna Green. The couple were engaged and was set to marry in the same year he died. Yes, Ansara's marriage date with Green was fixed for September 2001.  

But fate had its way, and the wedding never happened. Nonetheless, Matthew did have an experience of walking on the aisle. Yes, the late actor Ansara was married to Unveiled director Julie Ansara.

Julie and Matthew tied the knot in a private wedding ceremony on 24th July 1993. The former pair remained married for three years before it hit rock. Did Ansara have a child? No, Matthew did not have a child in his three years of marriage.

Matthew's Brief Acting Venture

Born in a family of actors, Matthew has been talented since childhood just like Ashna Rabheru. He made a stage debut at the mere age of 19. Yes, he appeared alongside Barabara on The Mike Douglas Show.

Similarly, Ansara again appeared with his mother at Harper Valley P.T.A. in the episode of ‘To Dunk or Not To Dunk’. Besides this, he has four other credits as an actor on his IMDb profile.

Eden's son's other movies and videos are Con Games, To Protect and Serve, One World, and Your Mother Wears Combat Boots. Matthew was a star in the making, but his acting career ended with his untimely demise.

Matthew Ansara's Net Worth At The Time Of Death

At the time of death, Matthew Ansara's net worth was speculated to be around $200k. He was an actor with lots of potential. Ansara grew up in a wealthy environment and was spoiled by his mother.

Speaking of which, Barbara Eden has a net worth of $10 Million. In her successful acting career, Eden was involved in many commercially acclaimed movies. 

Matthew is not known to have any real estate and properties in his name. Likewise, the investments and holdings while he was alive are unknown to the public.

Ansara's Body Building Passion

Many people are unaware of Matthew's body-building passion. Yes, Barbara Eden's son found love in body-building and healthy living after becoming sober.

But Ansara had started injecting steroids. He had a height of 6 ft and 4 inches. In addition to this, Matthew's charming personality would have made him a well-fitted person.

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