Sam Firstenberg
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.
Sam Firstenberg
שמואל פירסטנברג · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Sam Firstenberg
- Birth Name
- Shmulik Firstenberg
- Born
- 13 March 1950
- Birthplace
- Wałbrzych, Poland
- Occupation
- Film director, screenwriter, film producer
- Known for
- American Ninja Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
- Nationality
- Israel · United States
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Sam Firstenberg. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q328555 · wikipedia · Sam Firstenberg
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Sam Firstenberg • Birth Name — Shmulik Firstenberg • Born — 13 March 1950 • Birthplace — Wałbrzych, Poland • Occupation — Film director, screenwriter, film producer • Known for — American Ninja Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo • Website — amfirstenberg.com
Personal life
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.
Director
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)
Producer
Producer
• The Interplanetary Surplus Male and Amazon Women of Outer Space (2003) • Groove Street (2018)
Identity
Identity
Sam Firstenberg is recorded with the occupation film director. Recorded with the occupation screenwriter. Recorded as film director and screenwriter.
Writer
• For the Sake of the Dog (1979) • One More Chance (1983) • Cyborg Cop II (1994)
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Sam Firstenberg, revision 1337459277 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
38,713 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Sam EastonPerson
- Sam EsmailPerson
- Sam FellPerson
- Sam FieldsPerson
- Sam GarbarskiPerson
- Sam GreenPerson
- Sam HargravePerson
- Sam HenningsPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Sam Firstenberg?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.