For his work on the television film Cheaters (2000), Stockwell was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special.

[3] Stockwell was born in Galveston, Texas, the son of Ellen Richards and John S. Samuels III, an attorney.

[6] While he was in college at Harvard University near Boston, he commuted to New York City to appear on episodes of the soap opera Guiding Light.

[9] Also in 1985, he appeared in the poorly received City Limits; though unsuccessful at the box office, it was later riffed in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

He made guest appearances on TV shows including The Young Riders and Friday the 13th: The Series.