Sam Cohen(1954-2023)

Born in New York City to a Spanish-Greek-Polish-Jewish family, Sam was raised near Rockaway Beach and on the rustic shores of Lake Mohegan, NY. His great-uncle was film composer Louis Herscher. Sam began acting and singing in grade school with starring roles in the musicals "Oliver!", "The Mikado" and "Bye, Bye Birdie." At 16, he enrolled at the University of Rochester to study drama, English and philosophy. He became the first freshman in its history to be elected to senate by campaigning room to room and talking to over 1000 students. By age 19, he was Phi Beta Kappa, a Rhodes Scholar nominee and featured in "Who's Who in American Colleges." He was awarded a scholarship to Harvard University where he studied theatre, film and psychology. Bowing to family pressure, he attended Columbia University Medical School for one year. He took a leave-of-absence to write and study acting at NYU, HB Studio and the New School. Stage work and small roles in films and commercials soon followed, and Sam moved to Los Angeles, where he studied acting and screenwriting at UCLA. He quickly discovered that witty dialogue was his strong suit. Inspired by the classic romantic comedies, he wrote "A Pair Of Hearts", which he plans to produce and costar in. Sam's voice is compelling in a natural, often seductive way. He is a talented mimic, capable of impersonating someone moments after meeting them or seeing them onscreen. Actors he emulates are Montgomery Clift and Marcello Mastroianni. Writer/directors who inspire him are Woody Allen, Cameron Crowe, Barry Levinson, James L. Brooks, Federico Fellini and Steven Spielberg. He has 3 sisters, two of whom are identical twins.