March 2022 Author’s Addendum: Debra Mayer’s death has been officially ruled a “suicide by acute multiple prescription drug intoxication.” However, the following article remains in it’s original, unedited form.
Actress Debra Lynn Mayrovitz passed away on May 5th, 2015. She went professionally by Debra Mayer. Her death was not reported by any news sources or media outlets, only by some friends of hers on social media and at a few entertainment websites that mainly covered horror, since that was the genre she was best associated with. To date, there are still fans and people who worked with her, who aren’t aware of how she died, or if it was ever even officially confirmed that she died.
It can’t be said that Debra was “best known” or will be “best remembered” as any particular role or character, but certainly one of the highlights of her career had to have been in country music star Toby Keith’s music video to his 1999 number one hit “How Do You Like Me Now?” in which she played Toby’s then-high school love interest, who sees the star he became and regrets shunning him in high school. She had no lines in the video, but her facial expressions and body language painted a clear picture as Toby and his band performed the song on their old high school football field. Above right is the last photo Debra posted of herself at her now-memorialized Facebook page.
I wasn’t very familiar with Debra’s works, but I did recall her from the Toby Keith video and a 2004 horror film entitled Dr. Moreau’s House of Pain. I first heard of her death from a Facebook post made by a friend and colleague of hers. I was shocked and saddened when I read it and decided to do some research to get more information on her sudden passing. In the days that followed the initial post about Debra’s death, the only other things I found unofficially confirming her passing were a “Tweet” and a Facebook post from a director she had worked with, but absolutely no reports from any news sources or media outlets. I thought that is was very strange for an actress’ death to go unreported in the news and began to question the unofficial reports of her death, even though two of those aforementioned social media posts came from someone I believe was fairly close to her, at least at one time. He didn’t state Debra’s cause of death (if he knew), but by the original wording of his Facebook post (which was later edited and reworded), he seemed to imply it was, or probably was, a suicide. Of the few posts at blogs and entertainment sites in the wake of her death, one of the most notable ones was by my fellow entertainment journalist John Shelton, who ran this article on her passing. However, it was just based off of information he got from the aforementioned social media posts.
A few days after posts about Debra’s death, when I still hadn’t found anything from any news sources or even a newspaper obituary for her or anyone who might be her (considering Debra Mayer may have been just her professional name and that her real name would have been officially listed), I was thinking hoax. Why would someone want to fake their own death? I can think of a whole laundry list of reasons. However, my skeptical mind was soon set straight. Soon after my hoax suspicions, which had then been several days after the buzz of Debra’s passing hit cyberworld, I finally learned that funeral services for Debra, under her birth name, “Debra Lynn Mayrovitz,” were scheduled at Forest Lawn’s Hollywood Hills cemetery, where she was then laid to rest in their “Ascending Dawn” section and is now listed in their search database under the name “Debra Lynn Mayer.” (Forest Lawn’s grave sites are publicly searchable by the deceased’s name, so I’m not revealing any confidential information here by adding this. You can also view a photo of Debra’s grave marker, which was posted 10 months after her death, and get its location at FindaGrave.com.) There was also a subsequent estate sale of Deborah’s belongings, advertised on Craigslist, that a friend of Debra’s posted of on social media. So, unless that estate sale was a ruse and Forest Lawn administrators were paid off to go along with some elaborate scheme to fake Debra’s demise, these facts can be taken by fans and those still wondering, as official and irrefutable conformation of her death on May 5, 2015.
While writing this article, I texted with a friend and colleague of Debra’s, who worked with her on a few projects while she was with Full Moon Productions and she had this to say:
“Debra had a tough life. However, I remember her when she was so fun and full of life. I remember going to a club in Hollywood once with her and she danced all night on the stage. We had a blast She had such a childlike charm and approach on life. Once again, cutthroat Hollywood took a beautiful life.”
It’s odd that to this day, exactly three years later, I have yet to find any article or mention of Debra’s death that was published or broadcast by any news source or a newspaper obituary. Her IMDb page was eventually revised to refer to her in the past tense and state the month and year she died and, other than her listing at Forest Lawn, that is about as close to an official confirmation that there is on her death. Perhaps the late Miss Mayer, due to the lack of public information about her sudden and untimely passing, will achieve a sort of posthumous cult status among fans.
Left to right: Performing stand-up at The Comedy Store, circa 2010, as Mary Anne in
the 2004 campy horror film Dr. Moreau’s House of Pain, and as Miss Simpkins from
the Youtube comedy short REALLY Bad Teacher!
Toby Keith’s music video to his 1999 hit, “How Do You Like Me Now?” features a then-30-year-old Debra as Keith’s high school love interest, returning to their old high school football field to see the successful Keith showing her what she missed out on 20 years earlier. The song spent five weeks at Number One on the Billboard U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and gave Debra some good exposure. However, being featured in a hit music video was not the springboard to stardom for Debra like it was for Courtney Cox.
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About the author
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Chris flirted with the music business there and in Nashville before joining the U.S. Army and serving in South Korea. He remained in Asia for several years afterwards, teaching English, traveling, and covering the regional entertainment scenes. Currently in a mindset between Seoul and San Francisco, besides Idol Features, you can also catch his writings in the print edition of the monthly magazine, Effective.
As a fan who wasn’t sure if she passed away or it was just rumored, thanks for this.
Remember the Toby Keith video, remember her in it, but didn’t know anything about her until now. Very interesting and sad footnote to the video.
I am shocked and sad. I have always watched her in Toby Keith’s video, and never knew who she was. It is a surprise to know that she’s dead. I never knew her anywhere else. I’m so sorry for her passing. RIP Debra Mayer. 🙁
Thanks for this. I remember reading this post at the Gates of Gore blog and the author saying he will update everyone as soon as he finds out. Guess they never found out, but from reading this – it probably was a suicide. Guess it would be morbid to ask how she killed herself?
A little morbid, but it’s a natural curiosity. The person who posted the first word I caught on Debra’s death would know that information, but I don’t know her well enough to ask her and she would most likely take offense to being asked that question.
I was sad to find this out. Another true talent gone too soon.
Such a Beautiful Lady. Rest In Peace
Damn, that sucks. She was so gorgeous and great in her B-movie flicks. RIP.
I got her name after searching for the girls in the Toby Keith music video and a further search led me here. It is very odd that an actress’ death would go unreported. This article is the only one I have found that gives any information on her (probable) cause of death.
She was on a couple of episodes of “Charmed” about 20 years ago – She played Elizabeth Turner, who was a demon. At the Charmed wiki site the info on her (Debra, the actress not the character) says “She stopped acting in 2013 and died on May 5th, 2015. Her cause of death was never announced to the public, or reported on by any major news outlets.” I did not know she had died and I was looking for more info about her death and that’s what brought me here. No doubt she is dead, but still no info on HOW she died??
Debra is/was one of the most beautiful and sincere human beings, inside and out, that anyone could dream to call a dear friend. As one of the pallbearers honored to escort her into her next starring role, I will note that Debra lived fully and brilliantly while with us, and her journey now continues beyond our physical sight. She is deeply missed and for those of us blessed to have shared her journey know, love always lives on…
Searching for the actresses in Toby Keith’s video brought me here. Interesting and kind of eerie backstory on her. It is very odd that with her being a celeb, no cause of death is publicly known.
I also got here after searching for the actresses names in the Toby Keith video. Sad to learn about Debra – may she rest in peace and maybe I shouldn’t ask this here – but this seems like a site that can turn up info about actresses that’s hard to find, but who is the OTHER girl in the video? The one that plays the younger girl. I can’t find any info on her anywhere!
When I Google “debra mayer cause of death” or “debra mayer suicide” this site is at the top of the results, so I guess if and when her cause of death is found out it will be posted here sooner or later. From what I have read, it does sound like it was a suicide.
I came upon this page after looking up the cast members of the horror film Stitches. The movie is odd but Debra was interesting in it. I was shocked to see a date of death on her IMDb. Anyhow, according to that site, her death is attributed to “Suicide by acute multiple prescription drug intoxication.” Of course, IMDb can be wrong but considering it’s nearly seven years on since she died, the info is probably correct. Very sad.
Yes, the cause of death now given at her IMDb bio is very plausible. I know those close to Debra knew her cause of death, but didn’t state it publicly.
I remember her being in Blood Dolls. No one seemed to know what happened to her and this is why… sad and strange.