---
name: "Sam Means"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sam-means"
fi1m_id: "sam-means"
imdb_id: "nm2337847"
tmdb_id: 1230181
wikidata_id: "Q7407896"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "1 January 1901"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-17T18:22:02.766571+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sam Means

## Identity

Sam Means

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sam-means
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sam-means
- **IMDb ID:** nm2337847
- **TMDB ID:** 1230181
- **Wikidata ID:** Q7407896
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Means_(writer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7407896, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2337847/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1230181

Writer. Born 1 January 1901.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 1 January 1901
- **Active:** 2006–2015
- **Frequently works with:** [Beth McCarthy-Miller](https://film.one/person/beth-mccarthy-miller.md), [Ken Whittingham](https://film.one/person/ken-whittingham.md), [Claire Cowperthwaite](https://film.one/person/claire-cowperthwaite.md), [Don Scardino](https://film.one/person/don-scardino.md), [Dylan Morgan](https://film.one/person/dylan-morgan.md), [Gail Mancuso](https://film.one/person/gail-mancuso.md), [Jack Burditt](https://film.one/person/jack-burditt.md), [Jane Krakowski](https://film.one/person/jane-krakowski.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as writer, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 84 (2), 2010s 76 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 82 to 77 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Comedy 3
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Means_(writer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7407896, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2337847/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1230181

## Streaming the US now

- **Hulu:** [*30 Rock*](https://film.one/tv/30-rock.md) (86)
- **Peacock:** [*Parks and Recreation*](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md) (83)
- **Netflix:** [*Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt*](https://film.one/tv/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Sam Means is an American comedy writer and producer. He won three Primetime Emmy Awards for his work as a writer on *The Daily Show with Jon Stewart*.

Means wrote for the NBC series *30 Rock* (2012–2013) and *Parks and Recreation* (2014). He also contributed to *Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt*, *Great News*, *Girls5eva* and *Mr. Mayor*, and co-wrote special material for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards. With Robert Carlock he created the Netflix animated series *Mulligan* (2023–2024) and the NBC series *The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins* (2026).

He holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College and an M.Phil. in philosophy from King's College, Cambridge. Means began his career as a cartoonist for *The New Yorker* and a contributing writer for *The Onion*.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt* (2015), Fi1m 76, Writer, Executive Producer, Producer, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt.md)
- *Parks and Recreation* (2009), Fi1m 83, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md)
- *30 Rock* (2006), Fi1m 86, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/30-rock.md)

## Complete filmography (12)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins* (2026), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator
- *Mulligan* (2023), series, Executive Producer, Writer, Creator
- *Girls5eva* (2021), series, Writer
- *Mr. Mayor* (2021), series, Writer
- *Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend* (2020), Writer, Executive Producer
- *Party Monster: Scratching the Surface* (2018), Executive Producer
- *Great News* (2017), series, Writer
- *Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt* (2015), series, Writer, Producer, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt.md)
- *Parks and Recreation* (2009), series, Writer — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/parks-and-recreation.md)
- *The Drinky Crow Show* (2008), series, Writer
- *30 Rock* (2006), series, Writer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/30-rock.md)
- *The Oscars* (1953), series, as Other

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sam-means