Sam Pancake was raised in Romney, West Virginia, with siblings Chet Pancake, an American filmmaker, and Ann Pancake, an American novelist. Sam is also a distant relative of Breece D'J Pancake.^{[citation needed]} Sam's father, Joe S. Pancake, was a Presbyterian minister, and later in life, a social worker. His mother, Robin Pancake, was a high-school teacher.^[1] Both parents attended university, and encouraged their children to pursue the arts, which Sam's sister Ann Pancake credits to the siblings' creativity.^[2]

Pancake graduated from Hampshire High School in West Virginia and graduated cum laude with a bachelor of fine arts in theater from West Virginia University in 1990. After graduation, Pancake moved to Los Angeles, where he still resides.^[3]

Sam Pancake was 26 when made his first on-screen appearance in the TV show Wings in 1990.^[4] Pancake has appeared as Alfie Copper in Where The Bears Are and James Alan Spangler in Arrested Development (between 2003 and 2004). He hosts his own show, Monday Afternoon Movie,^[5] a weekly podcast focusing on a different 1970's TV movie each week.^[6]

Pancake is gay and notes that he most often portrays gay characters in films and television series.^[5] Pancake is single and had at least one previous relationship which was unknown to the media. He has no children.^[7]

• Sam Pancake at IMDb