Samuel Garza Bernstein’s life and writing reflect the wild intersections of modern life. He was born to an undocumented Mexican mother who passed as white, using a fake name; and a psychotic Jewish father who allegedly sold arms to the Palestinians in Egypt, where his family lived for a year when he was a kid. They traveled all over the world—occasionally on the lam—and lived in Cairo, Honolulu, Austin, Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, and Ft. Collins, Colorado.
Most recently he was the Co-Showrunner and Co-Executive Producer of the third season of 6-time Emmy Award-winning “After Forever,” dropping June 2024 on Amazon; His pilot for "The Secret World of Danny Lopez" was named a Writers Guild of America television comedy access project honoree but was also a drama winner at the New York Film Awards and a Content London International Drama Summit nominee for Best Pilot Script.
He won Best Screenplay at the London Independent Film Awards for "Elephant & Castle" and a G.L.A.A.D. nomination for the Showtime film "Bobbie’s Girl," which also garnered its star Bernadette Peters an Emmy nomination. Episodic credits range from the CBS drama "Judging Amy" to Nickelodeon's "Shimmer and Shine." With composer David Snyder he first adapted his non-fiction book "Mr. Confidential" as a stage musical, developing it at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and directing its world premiere at Actors Theatre of Indiana. His non-fiction anthology "Uncommon Heroes" won a Stonewall Book Award from the American Library Association. His latest book, “Starring Joan Crawford: The Films, The Fantasy, and the Modern Relevance of a Silver Screen Icon” is a 2024 bestseller.
Samuel started his career as an actor and singer, most notably performing in several productions of “Evita” as Eva’s first conquest, the tango singer “Magaldi.” He also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for trans foster children for five years. He and husband Ronald Shore have been together for over 30 years and split their time between LA and Porto, Portugal. They are currently the hostages of three incorrigible dachshunds.
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AWARDS
THE SECRET WORLD OF DANNY LOPEZ: WGA Inclusion and Equity Honoree; NY Film Awards Best Screenplay, LA Film Awards Best Comedy Screenplay; Nominee Best Pilot Script, Content London International Drama Summit
ELEPHANT & CASTLE: NY International Screenplay Award Winner; Best Original Screenplay, London Independent Film Awards, Special Commendation, British Independent Film Festival
BOBBIE'S GIRL: GLAAD Nominee Best Television Film; Emmy Nomination Bernadette Peters; Advocate Top Ten Television Events of the Year
UNCOMMON HEROES: American Library Association Stonewall Book Award
