Samuel Neufeld, better known as Sam Newfield, was a legendary director of "B" pictures born in New York City. His brother, Sigmund Neufeld, was the head of PR Pictures, where Sam made many of his films, using pseudonyms such as "Peter Stewart" and "Sherman Scott" to conceal his prolific output.
Sam entered the film industry in 1919 and began his career as a director in 1926, shooting two-reel comedy shorts for various production companies, including Universal Pictures. He made his first full-length feature in 1933 for Tower Pictures.
Throughout his career, Sam worked for many independent studios, producing films for companies such as Ambassador Pictures, Victory Pictures, and Puritan Pictures. He collaborated with Tim McCoy on several westerns for Victory and Puritan, two companies headed by producer Sam Katzman.
In 1939, Sam joined PRC, where he developed a reputation for shooting films quickly and efficiently, often on tight schedules and with limited budgets. Despite the challenges, Sam's output was prolific, with over 300 films credited to his name.
Sam's films spanned various genres, including science-fiction, westerns, crime thrillers, horror, and comedy. While many of his films were routine, some notable exceptions include "Lost Continent" (1951),a sci-fi epic, and "Western Pacific Agent" (1950),a crime thriller.
Sam Newfield is considered one of the most prolific directors in American film history, with an estimated 300 films to his credit over a 30-year-plus career. He spent the final years of his career shooting films and TV series abroad due to cheaper production costs.
Sam Newfield retired from the film industry in 1958 and passed away in Los Angeles in 1964.
