Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, Gerald Berns spent his formative years in Newton, Massachusetts, where he attended Newton South High School and later went on to graduate from the University of Rhode Island. During his time at URI, Berns was a standout athlete, serving as a starting catcher and first baseman on the varsity baseball team.
After completing his undergraduate degree, Berns earned a graduate J.D. degree from Boston University. Following his academic pursuits, Berns became a resident actor with The Boston Repertory Theatre, where he appeared in over 20 stage productions, including the world premieres of Harry Nilsson's musical, "The Point," in which he created the role of "The Rockman," and Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s "Player Piano," in which he created the role of "Kroner."
As a theatre producer in Boston, Berns produced a multi-week, sold-out performance of Viveca Lindfors in her acclaimed production of "I Am A Woman" at the Charles Playhouse. Berns has also appeared in numerous television shows, commercials, and feature films, with his character in "Beverly Hills Cop" being satirized in MAD Magazine.
On stage in Los Angeles, Berns was seen in "Outward Bound" at the Hudson Backstage and in "True West" by Sam Shepard at Theatre 150. Shepard himself attended one of Berns' performances, remarking that the production was "one of the best" he had seen of his play. Berns' portrayal of the character SAUL, a Hollywood producer, was described by Shepard as "Good, really good."
In addition to his work as an actor, Berns is also a screenwriter, with over 20 options of his screenplays and representation by the William Morris Agency, Paradigm, and the Irv Schechter Company. Four of his screenplays, two of which were co-written, won over a dozen Film Festival Honors at USA Film Festivals in 2015 and 2016, including two consecutive Silver Awards at the Oregon International Film Awards.
Most recently, Berns' first novel, "Thank You, Mr. Emerson," was published on both Amazon and Kindle in 2022.
