Chrisann Brennan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chrisann Brennan
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Chrisann Brennan in the 1972 edition of the Pegasus yearbook produced by Homestead High School
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| Born | September 29, 1954 Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation | Painter |
| Notable works | The Bite in the Apple (memoir) |
| Partner | Steve Jobs (1972–1977) |
| Children | Lisa Brennan-Jobs |
Chrisann Brennan, born on September 29, 1954, is an American artist and writer. She is known for her paintings and for writing a book called The Bite in the Apple. This book shares her experiences and memories of her time with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. They had one daughter together, named Lisa Brennan-Jobs.
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Early Life
Chrisann Brennan was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1954. She was one of four daughters. Her father worked for a company called Sylvania. Because of his job, her family lived in different places like Colorado Springs and Nebraska.
Eventually, her family settled in Sunnyvale, California. After moving to Buffalo, New York, her parents divorced. Chrisann went to Homestead High School in Cupertino, California. This is where she first met Steve Jobs in early 1972.
Time with Steve Jobs
Chrisann and Steve Jobs became close friends in 1972 when they were in high school. They stayed in touch even when Steve went to Reed College. In mid-1973, Steve moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. They continued to spend time together.
After high school, Chrisann visited Steve at a place called the All One Farm. This was a commune in Oregon. She learned a lot from the people she met there. In 1975, Chrisann also joined a Zen Buddhist group in Los Altos. Through this group, she met a Zen master named Kobun. Chrisann was also very focused on her art studies at Foothill College.
Around this time, she became close with Greg Calhoun, who was a former classmate of Steve's. Chrisann moved to the All One Farm and lived with Greg. They later moved back to the Bay Area and then traveled through India for a year. Their time together ended when she returned to the United States.
Working at Apple
After her trip to India, Chrisann visited Steve Jobs at his parents' home. They became close again. Chrisann noticed that Steve had changed, and she believed it was because of Kobun, the Zen master she also followed. During this time, Steve showed Chrisann and his parents a very early version of the Apple I computer.
Chrisann felt that Steve was very focused on two things: Apple and Kobun. By early 1977, she and Steve spent time at her home at Duveneck Ranch in Los Altos. This place was a hostel and an environmental education center. Chrisann also worked there, teaching children about the farm.
As Apple became more successful, Chrisann and Steve's friendship became more complicated. In 1977, Chrisann, Daniel Kottke, and Steve moved into a house near the Apple office in Cupertino. Chrisann said Steve wanted them all to live together. She felt their friendship was sometimes good and sometimes difficult.
Chrisann had planned to focus on her art. However, she also needed a job. She started working at Apple in the Shipping Department. She helped test, assemble, and ship Apple II computers. She also took art classes at De Anza College.
A New Chapter
Chrisann's friendship with Steve was changing as Apple grew. In October 1977, an Apple employee named Rod Holt offered her a job designing blueprints for Apple computers. Both Rod and Steve thought her artistic skills would be perfect for the role.
However, Chrisann found out she was going to have a baby, and Steve Jobs was the father. She told Steve, and he was surprised by the news. Chrisann felt unsure about what to do. She talked to Kobun, who encouraged her to have the baby and offered his support. Steve continued to encourage her to take the job at Apple, saying she could work there while pregnant. But Chrisann decided not to take the job and left Apple.
Lisa Brennan-Jobs
After leaving Apple, Chrisann was on welfare and cleaned houses to earn money. She sometimes asked Steve for help, but he refused. Chrisann kept her pregnancy private for as long as she could. She continued her Zen meditation. At the same time, Steve started telling people that he couldn't have children, suggesting the baby wasn't his.
A few weeks before her baby was due, Chrisann went to the All One Farm in Oregon. She gave birth to her daughter, Lisa Brennan, on May 17, 1978. Steve Jobs was not there for the birth. He visited later after a mutual friend contacted him. Steve and Chrisann worked together to name the baby. Chrisann suggested "Lisa." Steve liked the name, even though he was publicly saying he wasn't the father. Chrisann later found out that Steve was planning to name a new computer after Lisa.
Chrisann thought about adoption before and after Lisa was born, but she decided to raise Lisa herself. Steve later apologized for his behavior. He said he should have taken responsibility. Over time, Steve developed a strong bond with Lisa. Lisa wanted her name changed, and Steve agreed. So, her birth certificate was updated to Lisa Brennan-Jobs.
When Lisa was a baby, a DNA test confirmed that Steve was Lisa's father. He was required to pay Chrisann a small amount of money each month. When Apple became a public company, Steve became a millionaire. He then started giving Chrisann more money each month. Chrisann worked as a waitress in Palo Alto.
Later, Chrisann gave an interview to Michael Moritz for Time magazine in 1982. She decided to be honest about her friendship with Steve. In the Time magazine issue, Steve questioned the DNA test results. The magazine also noted that "the baby girl and the machine on which Apple has placed so much hope for the future share the same name: Lisa." After this, Chrisann didn't pay much attention to Steve's career.
Over the years, Chrisann and Steve learned to work together to raise Lisa, especially after Steve left Apple for a time. Chrisann believes that Steve's biological sister, Mona Simpson, helped improve the relationship between Lisa and Steve.
Painter
In the late 1980s, Chrisann decided to finish her art education. She began studying at the California College of Arts and Crafts. She asked Steve to pay for her schooling, and he agreed. This was part of his growing relationship with Lisa. In 1989, she moved to the San Francisco Art Institute.
Chrisann Brennan has lived in Monterey, California, and works as a professional painter. She calls her art "light encoded paintings." She often creates art for private clients or companies. She has also painted large murals for places like the Ronald McDonald House, Los Angeles County Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and Packard Children's Hospital. Chrisann says that painting is like a language for her.
Works
- Brennan, Chrisann. The Bite in the Apple. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2013.
Portrayals
Chrisann Brennan has been shown in several movies and an opera:
- She was played by Gema Zamprogna in the movie Pirates of Silicon Valley.
- Ahna O'Reilly played her in the film Jobs.
- Katherine Waterston played her in the movie Steve Jobs.
- Chrisann is also a main character in the opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.
