EL SEGUNDO HERALD April 29, 2021 Page 7
Brenda Newman from front page
husband’s wedding ring was returned to his
widow, who would now wear it as a pendant
to remember him by.
“The world was in chaos at that time, and
here we’re holding a baggie of what remains
of Todd Beamer’s watch he wore that day,”
she describes. In her own life, her most personal
piece of jewelry is a ring she keeps on
Debra Sullivan from front page
offerings. As well as appearing in a couple of
films directed by her husband: Let it Snow and
the cheeky and dark movie Secret Santa.
Sullivan said that she is the only one in her
family who cultivated a fervent interest in the
arts, sharing how some family members consider
her “insane.” As a child, Sullivan was all about
performing, whether it be as a ballet dancer,
singer, or budding actor. She would knock on
neighbors’ doors, she said, and offer to sing
for them in exchange for the princely sum
of a quarter. And when it rained, she would
cloister up and write, which led her to put pen
to paper and producing plays and screenplays.
Sullivan said her celluloid turn as “the most
horrible mother on the planet” in the 2018
released movie Secret Santa, in which she not
only starred in, but co-wrote the screenplay, and
co-produced the pic, was “the best time of my
life, making that movie.” She categorized Secret
Santa as a horror-comedy, which allowed her to
“use my comedy chops, and play a part that I
am not normally cast in.” Secret Santa was the
initial foray into film production by Skeleton
Crew Productions, a company formed by Sullivan,
Marcus, and Bryan S. Sexton.
Not one to limit herself, Sullivan has also
appeared in theatrical productions, including
One Quarter Cup, and One West Wacker.
An admitted Valley Girl, Sullivan moved to El
Segundo more than a quarter century ago and
is married to writer/director/ producer Marcus
of Friday the 13th fame. Sullivan said that
she settled in El Segundo because her father
mandated that, as an 18-year-old living in the
Valley, it was time for her to fly the coop and
learn to fend for herself while also counseling
her to select a city that was “safe.”
Sullivan’s father’s secretary lived in El Segundo
and touted the town as a nice, safe city
to move to, and Sullivan heeded the advice. She
has not regretted her relocation to El Segundo.
“For the most part,” she said, “everyone in
town is very friendly.” She also noted that many
of her acquaintances are not exactly sure where
our little town is located, and she is more than
happy to keep them guessing. She said that when
her friends would query whether El Segundo
was in Orange County, she would helpfully,
although not truthfully, tell them, “yes, yes, it is!”
Sullivan collaborates with Marcus in multiple
ways. When approached by this scribe to get
a few thoughts on his wife, Marcus emailed
back that he would be glad to “spill the dirt”
on his “brilliant” wife. Alas, no dirt was spilled.
He had nothing but glowing comments on his
wife of more than 20 years and writing and
business partner. Marcus said, commenting
on Sullivan’s acting skills, “that if she and
I were not married, I would still cast her in
everything that I am involved in. Debra was an
award-winning playwright when I met her. I
had read her work and told her that we should
join forces. The extraordinary thing about Deb
is that she writes men better than I do, and I
write women better than she does.” Continued
Marcus: “We listen to the opposite sex, which
is why we have been married so long and are
so happy. We are both really good listeners,
and that is why our writing styles work so well
with each other. I married my best friend.”
It was Sullivan who decided that the couple
would move to El Segundo. “She makes these
incredible, sweeping decisions,” Marcus said,
“that makes my life so much better.”
“She is the single best mother that I have
seen,” Marcus said of Sullivan, who has two
children from a previous marriage. “The day
that I met Debra is truly the luckiest day in
my life. Marcus spoke of the “A life lived in
fear” quote that drives Sullivan. “It is the way
Deb lives her life,” he said. “That movie was
everything to us, incredibly influential on our
romance, but for Deb, that became her mantra.
My wife is fearless, which sometimes makes
my life a bit of a high-wire act (but) we are
a perfectly-matched set.”
Mira Delaney has known Debra for five years.
Delaney takes acting classes from Adam and
Debra. “She is one of the best women that I
have ever met in my life…incredibly warm and
strong,” Delaney said. “She loves El Segundo
so much. They are both great ambassadors
for the city of El Segundo, because they tell
everyone how much they love it.” When she
visits the city, Delaney feels the vibe of “an
incredibly friendly” city. “Debra Sullivan is
one of the people who I am most grateful for,
because of her humanity, and her humor, and
the support of everyone around her. She is such
an extraordinary actress, has such depth and
warmness, she listens so deeply. Any chance
I have to work with her, I think that I have
hit the jackpot.” Debra and Adam,” continued
Delaney, both make this world a better and
happier place.”
Delaney was familiar with the “life lived
in fear” line from the Strictly Ballroom film
and correlated those words with the actions of
Sullivan, calling that mantra “A bar she sets
for herself and encourages all the rest of us to
examine.” which has prompted Delaney, she
said, to challenge herself to achieve similar
accomplishments.
Melissa Corkern has been friends with Sullivan
for more than 20 years. She is a fabulous
actor,” Corkern said. “A fabulous person, there
is a real depth to her. She sees the things
outside of her, is very compassionate. She is
very empathetic, (which not only) makes her
a good actor, but a good friend. Sometimes
you need tough love, sometimes you need a
shoulder to cry on.” She called Sullivan a “surrogate
mother” to the actors who take acting
classes from Marcus and Sullivan. “She guides
everybody and pushes them in the right direction.
To know Deb is to be loved by Deb. She
is tireless, always going, a miracle to watch.”
Debra Sullivan lives the motto, “never take
no for an answer.” She related a story from
back-in-the-day when she was a student at El
Camino College and was interested in auditioning
for a part in the collegiate production of
The King and I. She showed up, looking for a
part in the production, but soon found out that
the show had already been cast. Undeterred,
Sullivan approached the powers-that-be and was
told that she was out of luck. But she persisted,
and soon landed a spot in the production, and
even garnered some speaking lines.
Said Sullivan: “You can tell me no, (but)
that doesn’t mean that I am going to listen to
you. If I think that I am right for something
and viable, I will let people know. What have
I got to lose?”
Not a bad mantra to follow. •
Debra Sullivan and husband Adam Marcus. Photo courtesy of Debra Sullivan.
and get final approval. Truly, each experience
is custom and a process that fits the specific
needs of the customer.
Other times, Newman says, jewelry is brought
into her store for repairs or reworking. This
could be an inherited gemstone, an old wedding
ring, a broken necklace, or something vintage
to be recut. “It’s all about emotion,” she says,
an element of jewelry not often considered.
The most emotionally difficult project she’s
worked on was a jewelry assignment in the
wake of 9/11. Douglass Mortuary had retrieved
items from several victims of the tragedy
and asked if Brenda could repair all of the
jewelry that they found to be returned to the
victims’ families.
“I’ll never forget, I said, ‘Oh my god, this
piece of jewelry. This band, it’s flat as a pancake,’”
she recalls. Among several wedding
bands, many had names engraved in them,
and many were completely destroyed in the
disaster. She got all of the pieces in presentable
condition and watched on the news as a Newman combined her parents’ wedding rings after their passing, and carries it as a charm on her bracelet.
her charm bracelet. After the passing of her
father, she inserted an angel into his wedding
ring, which her mother wore as a necklace for
many years. At the passing of her mother, she
combined the stone from her mother’s ring
with her father’s band, and she wears it on
her wrist every day.
On May 5th, her store is holding its annual
estate sale full of vintage jewelry. From
pieces cut back in the 1800s to a 14-carat
gold toothpick given to Ryan O’Neal by Farah
Fawcett, she sees the full range of jewelry
come through her space.
Every piece of jewelry, old or new, has
a story. That’s what Brenda specializes in.
The stones can be learned, the metals can be
shaped, but ultimately, each piece tells a story
that uniquely belongs to the person wearing it.
Brenda Newman uses her gem skills to help
shape each story.
You can meet Brenda and her labradoodle
Gemma in her shop 337 Main Street, Downtown
El Segundo. •
REACH THOUSANDS OF VIEWERS
We’re HIRING!
Help Wanted!
For RENT!
For SALE!
CLASSIFIED ADS – ONLY $40
for twenty words or less.
Email class@heraldpublications.com or call 310-322-1831 for more information.
your business YOUR NAME
your dreams
we can help
DBAS PUBLISHED FOR ONLY $75.00
Email dba@heraldpublications.com or call 310-322-1830 for more information.