Born and raised in Anaheim, California, I am the youngest son of Walter and Marie Zeller (first generation Americans from Buffalo, NY–married 65 years in 2013!). I went to Walt Disney Elementary School (Go Dragons!), Brookhurst Junior High (Go Spartans!), and served as Class President for three years at Savanna High School (Go Rebels!). I wrote for The Anaheim Bulletin newspaper for 7 years, and was named Orange County’s Most Outstanding Student Leader by the Irvine Company. Upon graduating high school, I received scholarships to many colleges across the country–graduating with a dual BA degree in Broadcast Journalism and Theater from UC Irvine.

I have been blessed with work that has taken me to Japan, Sweden, Russia, Italy, Venezuela, Hawaii, the Caribbean–and all points in between! In 1995, I received my Equity card in a production of Man of La Mancha at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera, and soon earned my SAG and AFTRA cards as well. After landing a recurring role as Lt. Ch’targh on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, I was summoned to Neverland to play Starkey and the Captain Hook understudy in the national tour and Broadway revival of Peter Pan for the next three years. More touring the world followed; a stint with opera training and singing with Opera Pacific, then finally returning to my theater and TV roots with Broadway workshops, LA, US, and world premiere musicals, more TV roles, and shooting some wonderful independent films. It continues to be a work in progress. I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful journey!

​After a couple of gigs with Reba McIntyre, and Jason Alexander, I left LA in 2014 to be a part of the First National Tour of the Tony Award-winning Kinky Boots.  After being the only actor who began and ended the tour, it was time to return to Broadway, where I currently live 2 blocks away from Times Square.  

Now, faced with a whole new adventure, I have put together a Performing Arts Workshop for musical theater performers, and with my production company, The Zeller Zakon, where you will find anything and everything Sam Zeller, his love for humanity and for the arts,  At the launch of this new web site, you can also read a daily entry from the Zakon, a daily blog touching on various subjects–mostly of the human spirit. 

I’m grateful that you’re here to join me on this journey.  Let’s have a great time!–nothing but love and comfort when you combine forces with mine.  And our timing is perfect….operation reinvention continues to enlighten and inspire.  I welcome you to my website.  Please feel free to contact me on the appropriate page, and let’s make memories happen!