Debra Bernstein

Bernstein, Debra

Appeared in Encore in Death (Monday, June 28 - Thursday, July 1, 2061)

Personal Information

• Description: Piece of work
• Age at Death: 66
• DOD: July 1, 2061
• TOD: 1:00 a.m.
• Relationships: Lloyd Bernstein (ex-husband); Leah Rose (daughter); Steven K. Lewis (ex); J.Z. Kramer (paramour)
• Occupation: Actor

Criminal History

• Fraud, petty theft, operating a business without a license, nonpayment of taxes, nonpayment of rent.
• Outstanding warrants in Kansas, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida.
• Time served when she didn’t make bail, but mostly skimmed off with fines and/or probation.
• She and another dancer got into it in Las Vegas - hair pulling, tit smacking, both were arrested and released, and the charges were dropped.
• The arrest by Eve was for case file H-8546, and additional matters of possession of fraudulent identification, trespassing, theft, fraud, fleeing from police officers and assault on a police officer, resisting arrest.
• Her akas included Debbie Starr, Madame Rose, Rose Stein, Leah Starr, and Debra Rose.

Homicide Information

• Poisoned with cyanide in vodka.
  • Fake suicide note on her ’link: “I can’t take it. I can’t go to prison. I failed. I lost. The bitch won again. I’m going to my Rose.”
  • Murdered by Eliza Lane.

Interesting Facts

• Her employment history was (from most recent): StarLight Traveling Players (went bankrupt to avoid paying civil suits) three years ago, Madam Rose’s Dance School (also closed), Bernstein’s Talent Agency out of the Bronx (also closed), independent vocal coach, acting lessons, as a showgirl in Vegas for a few years, and traveled the carny circuit for a year.
• Fred Aaron told Peabody that in his fifty-odd years of agenting, he had dealt with a lot of stage mothers - fathers, too - but Bernstein was the worst of the breed. Pushy, bitchy, demanding, even after Rose fired her and signed with him. She came to his office and threatened him - said she’d ruin him, say he molested her daughter, raped her unless he cut professional ties. He told her to go right ahead and try it. She then cried, begged, went on about how she dedicated her whole life to Rose, and he suggested she try living her own life for a while.
• Offered to have sex with Gary Proctor if he could get Rose to fire Aaron.
• Maeve Spindal arranged a ticket for Bernstein to see Upstage after Leah had died and sent her money every so often. She said she felt a very deep bond with Leah, so she assisted her mother now and again in her memory.
• Chief Wimbly said she was a piece of work.
• Spindal wired Bernstein $5,000 (to the West End Financial Center) ten days before Brant’s murder.
• Was an extra on a vid David Quaid did twenty-couple years ago, his last project before retiring, they bonded over her daughter and his grandson both dying from addiction, and she hit him up for a few thousand dollars every few years. She sent him a card every year on his birthday. He wired $5,000 to her in New York.
• Steven K. Lewis wired $5,000 to her in New York about a week before Brant Fitzhugh was murdered.
• Paid Kramer $3,000 to set up her phony references so she could get a job with the cleaning company Eliza Lane used and steal her Best Supporting Actress Tony. He called her Lovie and she called him Stud.
• She threatened Proctor at his apartment - told him he was putting pressure on Leah, making demands, cheating on her, specifically but not exclusively, with Lane. Offered to have sex with him if he talked Leah into firing her agent and slapped him when he told her it was her fault Leah took pills, drank too much, stuck her fingers down her throat if she ate a real meal. She grabbed him by the crotch and slapped him, but then his roommate came out and told her to get the hell out or he’d throw her out.
• The night Leah Rose died, the night of the final dress rehearsal, Bernstein went at it with Lane, slapping her. Lane said it was the usual argument.
• Was arrested for stealing Lane’s Tony (and other charges), but Spindal lured Carlton J. Greene out of retirement to defend her.
• Judge Pointer released her on bail, which was paid by Spindal.
• Lane contacted her, pretending to be his admin, L.W. Jacoby, to set up a meet, and killed her in her room at the West End Hotel.