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Sam Seaborn

Samuel Seaborn
The West Wing character
Sam Seaborn.jpg
Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn
First appearance "Pilot"
Last appearance "Tomorrow"
Created by Aaron Sorkin
Portrayed by Rob Lowe
Information
Nickname(s) Princeton (Secret Service code name)
Gender Male
Occupation Deputy White House Communications Director (seasons 1-4)
Deputy White House Chief of Staff (last episode of season 7)
Spouse(s) a fiancée
Nationality American

Samuel Norman "Sam" Seaborn is a fictional character portrayed by Rob Lowe on the television serial drama The West Wing. He is Deputy White House Communications Director in the Josiah Bartlet administration throughout the first four seasons of the series.

The show was designed with Sam as the main character, and as such he is the protagonist of the pilot episode, and remains a focal point and lens for the show through at least the first season. However, by the time of his departure, his significance in the plot had decreased as the show started to focus more on the President's ability to govern despite obstacles such as his previously undisclosed multiple sclerosis, campaign for re-election, and increased focus on foreign policy and terrorism. The character of Sam had never been strongest in some of these areas and was not well-suited to being involved with considering his position in the hierarchy of the West Wing, resulting in the elevation of Martin Sheen's character President Josiah Bartlet simultaneously with Sam's decline.

The role of Sam Seaborn was initially offered to actor Bradley Whitford, who had auditioned for the part of Josh Lyman. However, Whitford wanted and was eventually given the role of Josh, and the part of Sam went to Rob Lowe, whose audition, said show creator Aaron Sorkin, "left our jaws on the floor".

Sam's inept performance as a White House tour guide in the pilot episode may have been inspired by former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart, who told the Chicago Tribune that despite having to give tours on a regular basis, he did not know whether the Roosevelt Room was named after Franklin or Teddy Roosevelt, saying, "I haven't gotten caught yet, but I've made up a few things." (It is actually named after both Presidents Roosevelt.)


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