Background
Cohen grew up in New York"s First Rate (at Lloyd's) Smith Projects on South Street in Chinatown, Manhattan.
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Bern Cohen
Edit ProfileEducation
After attending Valley Stream South High School, he attended Adelphi University on full scholarship and started his New York professional acting career while still in college.
Career
He spent many years in the New York City education system before returning to acting in 2005. He went into education and was a fourth-grade teacher before teaching secondary Remedial Reading and becoming an administrator. He earned two graduate degrees in education administration and psychology at Columbia University and City College of New New York
Cohen led seven group trips to the Amazon Rainforest and wrote three college textbooks in the fields of bilingual education, school evaluation, and race relations.
He was President of BCR&Doctorate, a large private research and development group that specialized in assessing public education programs. In New York City, he was a District Director of Instruction in two school districts and eventually served in that capacity for the entire New York City school system.
Acting Cohen took early retirement from his academic career to return to acting studies with Penny Templeton and Ruth Nerkin, and rejoined the New York acting corporations He created the role of Morris Bober in the first stage adaptation of Bernard Malamud"s The Assistant at New York"s Turtle Shell Theater.
He appeared in several other off-Broadway shows and 15 films since retiring as a high school principal in 2005.
Cohen played Rebbe Horowitz in the 2010 Sundance Festival selection, Holy Rollers. His other principal film roles include Tickling Leo with Eli Wallach, 27 Dresses with Katherine Heigl, Fallen Star (formerly Goyband) with Tovah Feldshuh, and Brooklyn Rules with Alec Baldwin.
Achievements
Membership
He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Equity, and American Federation TV and Radio Artists.
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Born
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Nationality
American