One of the original script ideas called for Barbara to be a very strong, charismatic character. Instead, George A. Romero and the producers loved Judith O’Dea’s portrayal as a terrified young girl much better, and edited the script to accommodate the part.
The idea of Barbara being a strong, central character was revisited in Night of the Living Dead (1990).
Find more behind-the-scenes facts about this zombie classic at IMDb Trivia: Night of the Living Dead (1968).
The Devil's Muse 