Samuel V. Langford, born Vi (Vee) N. Langewisch at 5:AM on October 12th 1968 in a U.S. military hospital in South Vietnam, to Irwin and Mai N, Langewisch. Irwin, being of German American ancestry hailed from Connecticut and served for three tours in-country in Vietnam with two tours in the U.S.-101st Airborne Division and one tour in Advisory Team 25, decorated 6 times (3 from the U.S. Army and 3 from the South Vietnamese Government.) He later became a well-known arborist in civilian life. Irwin’s younger brother Paul served in South Korea (non-combat.) Vi’s grandfather Paul Langewisch Sr. was a B-24 bomber pilot in WW2. Mai was a model, and a mixture of Vietnamese, native Vietnamese and French and came from an affluent Nguyen family. Mai was the 5th born out of seven children. Her three older brothers were educated in France. Those that served in uniform in her immediate family were her three older brothers, one of her sisters and one step brother, who all sacrificed their lives in defense of South Vietnam.
In 1971 after Irwin’s 3rd tour ended, he was able to secure permission from the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam; after receiving help from his friend Carl Balestracci who had enlisted the help of CT Senator Tom Sullivan in Irwin’s petition to the ambassador, allowing Irwin to move his family stateside in 1971 at the end of his military commitment.
At the age of three years old, Vi moved to Connecticut, to a New England shoreline community within the banks of Long Island Sound. Growing up at such an early age in such a tranquil environment and with the support of many in his young life that influenced and guided him, the stage was set. During his early formative years, he grew up on a steady diet of American pop-culture, including many of his favorite TV programs, such as The Mickey Mouse Club, F-Troop, Abbot and Costello, Laurel and Hardy and I Dream of Jeannie, however it was the comedies by Billy Wilder, and Woody Allen that would later inspire his own comedic works and It’s a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra in particular provided the emotional inspiration for his own poignant feel-good endings.
In 1977 at the age of eight, Vi and his friend watched a matinee screening of Star Wars, and was so enthralled… from that moment on, he knew he had made up his mind, to make movies when he grew up. On Dec 27 at 3:PM of 1990 at the age of 22 years old, Vi arrived in Los Angeles CA to pursue his passion.
In 1993 Vi, legally changed his name to Samuel V. Langford.
