In 1956 Bernds was nominated for an Academy Award by accident. The Academy wished to recognize the script for the
Bing Crosby/
Grace Kelly film
High Society (1956), but accidentally gave the nod to a Bowery Boys epic of the same name,
High Society (1955), written by Bernds and
Elwood Ullman. To the end of his life, Bernds loved to show visitors his framed Academy nomination certificate, on the back of which was taped a subsequent letter from the Academy, thanking him profusely for acknowledging the error and refusing the nomination.