Sam C. Freedle (4 July 1920 – 21 August 2000; age 80) was a unit production manager for Star Trek: The Next Generation during the latter half of the first season and the second season. His first episode he received credit for was "The Arsenal of Freedom", following previous UPMs David Livingston, Kelly A. Manners, and Bruce A. Simon.
The name "Sam Freedle" was used in multiple Star Trek: The Next Generation okudagrams: as a noted comedian in "The Outrageous Okona", a starbase doctor in "Samaritan Snare", an officer in "Conspiracy", and an Enterprise shuttlepod in "Evolution".
Freedle was born in Kansas, United States and also worked as Unit Production Manager on Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976-1978), Centennial (1978-1979), Delta House (1979), The Rockford Files (1979-1980), Bret Maverick (1981-1982), The Rousters (1983), Automan (1983-1984), and MacGyver (1986).
Prior to his work as UPM he wrote the story for Gun the Man Down (1956) and Gun Street (1961). He also worked as director between 1964 and 1973 on Burke's Law (1964-1965), The Farmer's Daughter (1966), O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1971-1972), Emergency! (1972-1973), and Adam-12 (1972-1973). As assistant director he worked on episodes of Columbo (1975-1976) and Kojak (1974-1976). The latter one earned him a Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series' – Night for the episode "Cross Your Heart, Hope to Die".
His earliest work in the movie industry was in the script department as script supervisor on over thirty films including the comedy A Song is Born (1948), El Paso (1949), Tripoli (1950), The Bandit Queen (1950), High Noon (1952), Hondo (1953), The Big Country (1958, starring Jean Simmons), Inherit the Wind (1960), and Jack the Giant Killer (1962).
Freedle passed away on 21 August 2000 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 80.