Sam Firstenberg

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title: "Sam Firstenberg" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1950-births", "film-directors-from-los-angeles", "american-people-of-israeli-descent", "action-film-directors", "israeli-emigrants-to-the-united-states", "jewish-american-film-people", "living-people", "people-from-wałbrzych", "polish-emigrants-to-israel", "american-screenwriters", "american-film-producers", "israeli-film-directors"] description: "Israeli-American film director" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Firstenberg" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Israeli-American film director ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Sam Firstenberg
image	שמוליק סם פירסטנברג.jpg
birth_name	Shmulik Firstenberg
birth_date
birth_place	Wałbrzych, Poland
occupation	Film director, screenwriter, film producer
known_for	American Ninja
Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
website
::

| name = Sam Firstenberg | image = שמוליק סם פירסטנברג.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Shmulik Firstenberg | birth_date = | birth_place = Wałbrzych, Poland | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = | other_names = | occupation = Film director, screenwriter, film producer | years_active = | known_for = American Ninja Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo | website =

Sam Firstenberg (born Shmulik Firstenberg on March 13, 1950) is an Israeli-American film director, screenwriter and film producer.

He is best known for having made low-budget B movies most of his career, among them the first two films in the American Ninja series, American Ninja and American Ninja 2: The Confrontation as well as Riverbend and Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.

Firstenberg's filmography includes genres such as comedy, action, drama, science fiction, thrillers, horror and musicals.

Personal life

Born in Poland to a Jewish family, Sam Firstenberg grew up in Jerusalem. He has directed 22 theatrical feature films since completing his graduate studies in film at Loyola Marymount University.

Filmography

Director

• For the Sake of the Dog (1979)
• One More Chance (1981)
• Revenge of the Ninja (1983)
• Ninja III: The Domination (1984)
• Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984)
• American Ninja (1985)
• Avenging Force (1986)
• American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987)
• Riverbend (1989)
• The Day We Met (1990)
• Delta Force 3: The Killing Game (1991)
• Tropical Heat (1992)
• American Samurai (1992)
• Cyborg Cop (1993)
• Blood Warriors (1993)
• Cyborg Cop II (1994)
• Operation Delta Force (1997)
• Motel Blue (1997)
• McCinsey's Island (1998)
• The Alternate (2000)
• Criss Cross (2001)
• Spiders II: Breeding Ground (2001)
• Quicksand (2002)
• The Interplanetary Surplus Male and Amazon Women of Outer Space (2003)
• The Last Kumite (Pre-production only, then succeeded by Ross W. Clarkson)

Writer

• For the Sake of the Dog (1979)
• One More Chance (1983)
• Cyborg Cop II (1994)

Producer

• The Interplanetary Surplus Male and Amazon Women of Outer Space (2003)
• Groove Street (2018)

References

References

1. (11 April 2020). "Iconic Director Sam Firstenberg Returns and Talks STORIES FROM THE TRENCHES, 90's Action and More!".
2. (June 22, 2024). "RETRO FLASHBACK: Riverbend Restored preceded by The War Torn Drum". [[Roxbury Film Festival]].
3. Variety Staff. (December 31, 1983). "Review: Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo". [[Variety (magazine).
4. Maslin, Janet. (December 19, 1984). "Breakin 2 Electric Boogaloo (1984) Screen: 'Breakin' 2'". [[The New York Times]].
5. White, Armond. (August 4, 2010). "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo". [[New York Press]].
6. Ebert, Roger. (January 1, 1984). "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo". [[Chicago Sun-Times]].

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