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Sam McCall is a fictional character from '' General Hospital'', an American
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
on the ABC network. Created by Charles Pratt, Jr. and Robert Guza, Jr., the character made her debut on the episode airing on October 1, 2003, portrayed by
Kelly Monaco Kelly Marie Monaco (born May 23, 1976) is an American actress, model, and reality television personality, best known for her portrayal of Sam McCall on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and as the first season winner of the reality TV com ...
. Sam is the daughter of mob boss
Julian Jerome Julian Jerome is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime drama ''General Hospital''. Created by Ann Marcus and Norma Monty, the role was originally portrayed by Jason Culp from 1988 to 1990. William deVry took over the role upon the cha ...
(
William deVry William deVry (born 20 April 1968) is a Canadian film, television theatre, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in American daytime soap operas, as Tim Dolan on '' Port Charles'', as Michael Cambias on ''All My Children'', as Storm L ...
) and attorney Alexis Davis ( Nancy Lee Grahn), born and given up for adoption when both were teenagers. She arrived in town as a
con artist A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust. Confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, confidence, irresponsibility, and greed. Researchers have ...
trying to reverse her family's bad luck by destroying the five lucky cards of the "Dead Man's Hand." Upon her arrival she was characterized as a "sexy bad girl, with a nose for intrigue." Since her introduction, the character has matured into a self-assured and confident woman, while still retaining traces of her adventuresome, bad girl ways. Monaco's performance has been met with critical acclaim, having garnered her the
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2006.


Casting

The role of Samantha McCall was originated by former ''
Baywatch ''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bo ...
'' star and ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
's'' April 1997 Playmate of the Month,
Kelly Monaco Kelly Marie Monaco (born May 23, 1976) is an American actress, model, and reality television personality, best known for her portrayal of Sam McCall on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and as the first season winner of the reality TV com ...
on October 1, 2003. Monaco, who had previously portrayed Livvie Locke on the
ABC Daytime ABC Daytime (sometimes shortened to ABC-D or ABCD) is a division responsible for the daytime programming block on the ABC Network and syndicated programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game shows and talk shows. Histor ...
spinoff
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
'', was one of several performers from the cancelled soap to join the cast of the main show. Monaco had also auditioned for ABC Daytime's '' All My Children'' as well as CBS Daytime's ''
As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...
'', both of which were based in New York at the time, and Monaco's eagerness to stay on the West coast led to her ultimately signing with ''General Hospital'', based in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. In 2005, Monaco joined the first season of ABC's '' Dancing with the Stars'' and was the first champion of what turned into a multi-season competition. In August 2009, a casting call was sent out to recast the role of Sam, leaving fans shocked by her possible departure. Despite rumors and speculation, Monaco's co-stars Steve Burton ( Jason Morgan) and Nancy Lee Grahn ( Alexis Davis) denied she was departing from the show. Monaco herself dispelled the rumors, stating there was "really no doubt" she would renew her contract; it was merely standard procedure for ABC to release the casting call since she and the network had not signed off on a new contract by a set deadline. In July 2020, it was announced that Monaco would take temporary leave from the role; in a social media post, Monaco's mother cited her need to take a 14-day self-isolated quarantine—following a "breathing problem" after production resumed—related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. As a result, the role was recast with
Lindsay Hartley Lindsay Hartley (born Lindsay Nicole Korman; April 17, 1978) is an American actress. She first came to attention with three long-running soap opera roles: Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald on ''Passions'', Cara Castillo on ''All My Children'', and Aria ...
, who appeared from August 4 to August 13, 2020. Monaco returned to the role on August 18. Hartley briefly filled in for Monaco again on February 3, 4 and 7, 2022.


Storylines


Backstory

Samantha, also known as Sam, is born on May 11, 1980, (
Mother's Day Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in th ...
) in Chatham,
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
Though Chatham is established by the series as being a town in Maine, in real life, Chatham is actually a town in
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
and it meets with the border of
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and ...
.
to a 16-year-old Alexis Davidovitch ( Nancy Lee Grahn). While at boarding school, Alexis' father,
Mikkos Cassadine ''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
(
John Colicos John Colicos (December 10, 1928 – March 6, 2000) was a Canadian actor. He performed on stage and television in the United States and Canada. Career Colicos was born in Toronto, Ontario, to a Greek father and a Canadian mother. In 1957 he app ...
), forces her to give the child up and later forges documents to make Alexis believe the child is dead. Sam is adopted by
Cody McCall This is a list of characters that have appeared or been mentioned on the American ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. A Aaron :( Chad Brannon, 2009) Abigail :( Ivy Bethune, 1987) Sarah Abbott :(Eileen Dietz, 1981–83) ::Roommate to Heather ...
( Stanley Kamel) and his wife, Evelyn Bass, who choose adoption based on fear of having another mentally handicapped baby like their first child
Danny Danny is a masculine given name. It is related to the male name Daniel. It may refer to: People * Danny Altmann, British immunologist *Danny Antonucci, Canadian animator, director, producer, and writer *Danny Baker (born 1957), English journal ...
(then Henri Lubatti). Cody is a con artist and his way of life forces Evelyn to leave when Sam is only three years old, taking Danny with her. Cody raises Sam on his own and teaches her the art of the con. When Sam is 17, she tracks down Evelyn in Bailey's Beach,
South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
and is shocked to find Danny locked in the basement. When Sam helps Danny escape, he accidentally knocks a candle over that burns down the house, not knowing Evelyn was inside. Sam is arrested for arson, but gets out on bail and goes on the run with Danny to avoid being convicted for Evelyn's murder. A young Sam does her best to care for Danny but eventually resorts to extreme measures to pay his bills. Using skills she learned from Cody, Sam marries several wealthy men, and steals their money so she can care for her brother. During her last attempt at a con as "Angela Monroe", Sam finds herself in an abusive situation when her wealthy mark, Bill Monroe, discovers Sam's intentions, and attacks her. Sam ends up killing Bill in self-defense.


2003–2007

Sam first appears in
Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
working with
Jasper Jacks Jasper Jacks is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. He has been portrayed off-and-on by actor Ingo Rademacher since 1996. The role was temporarily played by Gideon Emery during Rademacher ...
(
Ingo Rademacher Ingo Rademacher (born 22 April 1971) is a German-Australian television actor best known for his role of Jasper "Jax" Jacks on the American daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'', which he played almost continuously from 1996 to 2021. In 2012, ...
) to find the five lucky cards of the "Dead Man's Hand." They have a brief affair, but when Jax's father dies he blames Sam, due to her scheming. Sam then has an affair with
Sonny Corinthos Sonny Corinthos is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. Maurice Benard has played the role of the manic depressive mob kingpin, living in Port Charles, since the character's storyline originated on August 13, 1993. S ...
(
Maurice Benard Maurice Benard (born March 1, 1963) is an American actor. In 1993, he was cast as Sonny Corinthos on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. Early life and career Benard was born Mauricio José Morales in Martinez, California, the son of Mar ...
), who is married, and becomes pregnant. His best friend Jason Morgan ( Steve Burton) claims to be the child's father to keep Sonny's family together. Jason and Sam bond as Sam prepares to give birth and they decide to raise the child together. She decides to name her daughter Lila after Jason's grandmother,
Lila Quartermaine ''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
(
Anna Lee Anna Lee, MBE (born Joan Boniface Winnifrith; 2 January 1913 – 14 May 2004) was a British actress, labelled by studios "The British Bombshell". Early life Anna Lee was born Joan Boniface Winnifrith in Ightham, (pronounced 'Item'), Kent, th ...
). Sonny's daughter
Kristina Davis Kristina Corinthos-Davis is a fictional character ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Introduced in 2002, Kristina is the daughter of mob kingpin Sonny Corinthos ( Maurice Benard) and his former attorney -- Alexis D ...
(then Kali Rodriguez) is diagnosed with a blood disease, and Sam's daughter is proven to be a donor match. Kristina's mother, Alexis Davis ( Nancy Lee Grahn), begs Sam to induce labor two weeks early in order to donate her child's stem cells. Sam refuses, fearing it could hurt the baby. While arguing with Alexis, Sam collapses and Baby Girl McCall is
stillborn Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the source. It results in a baby born without signs of life. A stillbirth can result in the feeling of guilt or grief in the mother. The ter ...
. Sam is heartbroken over the loss of her daughter, and angry at Alexis, blaming her for her baby's death. Jason grieves with Sam and helps her through the aftermath; they fall in love, eventually getting engaged. Sam helps deliver a baby girl during a storm to a teenage mother named Bridget Daly. Bridget gives her baby to Sam, as she's unable to provide for it. Sam and Jason plan to adopt baby Hope. Bridget decides to keep the baby, leaving Sam devastated. Sam is accused of kidnapping Kristina soon after, and she and Jason try to find her to prove Sam's innocence. After Sonny's sons, Michael (then
Dylan Cash Dylan Joseph Cash (born November 30, 1994) is an American child actor, known for his role as Michael Corinthos on ABC's daytime drama ''General Hospital''. Career He began the role, on General Hospital, on a recurring basis in March 2002, but ...
) and Morgan, are also kidnapped, Sam is cleared of suspicion. Jason and Sam are on a trip when they are kidnapped by Allegra Montenegro, played by
Meg Bennett Meg Bennett is an American television soap opera writer and occasional actress. She is married to ex-''General Hospital'' head writer Robert Guza Jr. Early life Born Helen Bennett on October 4, 1948, Meg is the eldest daughter of a printing compa ...
, the wife of Executive Producer at the time Robert Guza, Jr. Allegra wants Sam to pose as her daughter, Alicia, and marry Andrew Olsen to help the Montenegros regain their rich lifestyle. The storyline was received as an attempt to win ratings due to Monaco's recent success on the first season of '' Dancing with the Stars'', as Sam is forced to learn to ballroom dance in order to make Andrew believe she is really Alicia. When Andrew is killed, Sam is nearly sent to jail until Alicia is arrested for the murder. Sam is released, and she and Jason return to Port Charles. As Sam settles back into her life, Manny Ruiz (
Robert LaSardo Robert LaSardo is an American character actor. Early life LaSardo was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career studying at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City where he became an honors student, before attending the St ...
) began stalking her. When several Port Charles residents are infected by the encephalitis plague, Danny dies; Sam blames Alexis since she received the last antidote over Danny. After Danny's death, Sam discovers that she was adopted, and her biological mother is Alexis. Sam keeps it to herself, wanting nothing to do with Alexis. However, when Sam is shot by Manny and near death, Jason tells Alexis the truth. Alexis pressures Jason into ending the relationship, but Sam tries to win him back. When all of her efforts fail, she and Alexis get into a heated argument, during which Alexis insults her and calls her derogatory names. Angry, Sam gets drunk and has a one-night stand with Alexis's husband, Ric Lansing (
Rick Hearst Rick Hearst (born January 4, 1965) is an American actor. He is known for roles in American soap operas. Early life Hearst was born Richard Charles Herbst on January 4, 1965, in Howard Beach, New York and raised in Dallas, Texas. Personal life ...
). Ric later frames Sam for theft, forcing her to go on the run. She and Jason are ambushed by thugs, and Sam appears to kill
Diego Alcazar Diego Alcazar is a fictional character from '' General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Diego is the son of Lorenzo Alcazar and Maria Sanchez. Ignacio Serricchio originated the role of Diego in October 2004 and portrayed him ...
(
Ignacio Serricchio Ignacio Ariel Serricchio (born April 19, 1982) is an Argentine actor. He is known for his role as Diego Alcazar on '' General Hospital'' and as Alejandro "Alex" Chavez on ''The Young and the Restless''. Other roles include Lifetime's ''Witche ...
) as Kristina watches. Sam and Jason reconcile, and Sam hopes to have a child, but finds out she is infertile from her shooting. After Sam escapes during the Metro Court Hotel hostage crisis and warns the police, television producer Amelia Joffe (
Annie Wersching Annie Wersching (March 28, 1977 – January 29, 2023) was an American actress. She was known for her television roles as Renee Walker in '' 24'', Julia Brasher in '' Bosch'', and Emma Whitmore in '' Timeless'', as well as the voice and performan ...
) hires her as the host of the new talk show, ''Everyday Heroes''. However, Amelia is actually looking for revenge on Sam for killing her father, Bill Monroe. Sam does her best to keep her past from coming out and she begins lying to Jason. Meanwhile, Sam learns that Elizabeth Spencer's ( Rebecca Herbst) son,
Jake Jake may refer to: Name * Jake (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Katrin Jäke (born c. 1975), German swimmer * Jake (gamer), American ''Overwatch'' player and coach Animals * Jake (rescue dog), a ...
, is actually Jason's son. Sam witnesses Jake get kidnapped, but doesn't say anything. After Jake is rescued, Jason finds out about Sam and Jake, and they began a 2-year break up; she also hires actors to scare Elizabeth and Jake in the park. Sam fakes a rescue, but Jason finds out Sam hired the gunmen; he threatens to kill Sam for her out of control actions.


2008–2012

Sam seduced Elizabeth's husband
Lucky Spencer Lucky Spencer is a fictional character from the ABC Daytime soap opera, ''General Hospital''. He is the son of Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura Spencer (Genie Francis). His birth having been announced on-screen in 1985, a ten-year-old Lucky was ca ...
(then
Greg Vaughan James Gregory Vaughan Jr. (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor and former fashion model, known for his roles in the soap operas ''The Young and the Restless'' (2002–03), ''General Hospital'' (2003–09), and ''Days of Our Lives'' (2012– ...
) to get revenge on Jason and Liz, but they eventually fall in love. However, once Lucky finds out about Sam's part in Jake's kidnapping, they split up. Meanwhile, Sam is stalked and injured by the Text Message Killer, who is later revealed to be an alive Diego Alcazar. While fleeing from Diego she is struck by a car driven by
Monica Quartermaine Monica Quartermaine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, played continually since August 17, 1977 by longtime soap opera actress Leslie Charleson. She is a cardiologist at the eponymous h ...
(
Leslie Charleson Leslie Charleson (born February 22, 1945) is an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine in the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''. Life and career Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Actress Kate Charles ...
), who is under the influence of alcohol. Sam forgives Monica, helping her get a lenient sentence to rehab. When Sam and
Damian Spinelli Damian Spinelli is a fictional character on the ABC daytime drama, ''General Hospital'', played by actor Bradford Anderson from November 13, 2006, to December 16, 2013. Spinelli was also one of the characters in the first season of '' General Hos ...
( Bradford Anderson) start their own investigative agency, Jason and Sam begin to grow close again. Sam realizes that a teenage Kristina is becoming rebellious and tries to help her. When
Claudia Zacchara Claudia Zacchara is a fictional character from the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. Claudia is the daughter of New York City mob boss Anthony Zacchara. Claudia was portrayed by Sarah Brown beginning January 31, 2008. She left the role of Cla ...
(
Sarah Joy Brown Sarah Joy Brown, sometimes credited simply as Sarah Brown (born February 18, 1975), is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Carly Corinthos on the American daytime drama ''General Hospital'' from 1996 to 200 ...
) has an accident, Sam worries that Kristina is responsible; Jason tells her he thinks it was Michael. When the two teens run away to Mexico, Sam and Jason chase after them. Sam is kidnapped by
Jerry Jacks Jerard "Jerry" Aloysius JacksStated on-air on April 30, 2007 is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, ''General Hospital''. He was portrayed by Julian Stone from April 10, 1998 to December 14, 1999. In January 2007, the role was recast wit ...
( Sebastian Roché), but rescued by Jason, and the two locate Michael and Kristina. After returning to Port Charles, Sam and Jason get back together for the first time in 2 years. Jason is stalked by crazed artist
Franco Franco may refer to: Name * Franco (name) * Francisco Franco (1892–1975), Spanish general and dictator of Spain from 1939 to 1975 * Franco Luambo (1938–1989), Congolese musician, the "Grand Maître" Prefix * Franco, a prefix used when ref ...
(then
James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-M ...
), who kidnaps and threatens Sam to get to Jason. Sam shares with Kristina her experience of being in an abusive relationship after Kristina is beaten by her boyfriend,
Kiefer Bauer ''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the city ...
(
Christian Alexander Christian Alexander (born April 14, 1990) is a Bulgarian-American actor, best known for his role as Kiefer Bauer on the American daytime drama ''General Hospital''. Life and career Born to Bulgarian parents in Athens, Alexander is a graduate of B ...
). After Michael is sent to prison, Sam struggles with Jason going to prison so he can protect Michael. Jason is eventually released, and later that year must protect Brenda Barrett (
Vanessa Marcil Vanessa Marcil ( ;) is an American actress. She is best known for her television roles as Brenda Barrett on ''General Hospital'', Gina Kincaid on ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', and Sam Marquez on ''Las Vegas''. Early life Marcil, the youngest of fo ...
) from the European crime boss The Balkan (
Daniel Benzali Daniel Benzali (born January 20, 1946) is a Brazilian-American stage, television and film actor. Early life Benzali was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the son of Lee, a cook, and Carlo Benzali, a salesman who had also been an actor in Brazilian ...
). During Sonny and Brenda's wedding, Sam is nearly killed in a car bomb set for Brenda, but she survives. Sam has reconstructive surgery so she and Jason can have a baby. Sam and Jason soon become engaged and get married. During their honeymoon, Sam becomes pregnant with Jason's child. Franco shows up and drugs them both, locks Jason in a room, and forces him to watch as he supposedly rapes Sam. Sam discovers she's pregnant after returning home, and a paternity test establishes Jason as the father. Jason's cousin Heather Webber ( Robin Mattson) tells Sam that Franco and Jason are
fraternal twin Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two e ...
brothers, and a new DNA test shows Franco is the father of Sam's baby. Jason is unsure if he can love Franco's child, and Sam moves out. Sam gives birth to a baby boy with the help of John McBain (
Michael Easton Michael Easton (born February 15, 1967) is an American-Irish film, television and voice actor, writer, and director. Although the Emmy-nominated actor may be best known for his work on the series ''Ally McBeal'', ''VR.5,'' ''Total Recall 2070, O ...
), but she passes out and is unaware that
Todd Manning Thomas Todd Manning is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live'' (''OLTL''). Created by writers Michael Malone and Josh Griffith, the role was originated in 1992 by actor Roger Howarth. Todd was a college stude ...
(
Roger Howarth Roger Howarth (born September 13, 1968) is an American actor. He played character Todd Manning on the daytime drama ''One Life to Live'' (''OLTL''); the character earned Howarth a Daytime Emmy Award in 1994, and is cited as an icon in the soap ...
) and Heather switch the baby with the stillborn son of
Téa Delgado Téa Delgado is a fictional character from the American daytime drama ''One Life to Live''. The role was portrayed by Florencia Lozano from January 27, 1997, to March 2, 2000, and briefly in 2002. Lozano returned to the role once again on December ...
( Florencia Lozano). Sam wakes up, and believes her son is dead. The pain and grief overwhelms her, and she decides to file for a divorce from Jason. Sam continues to confide in John, and they share a flirtation. Jason figures out the truth about Sam's son, but by the time he figures it out, Heather has kidnapped the baby. Jason and Sam reunite and rescue their son, naming him Daniel Edward Morgan. The two reconcile, but Jason disappears after being shot by
Cesar Faison ''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, it originally was set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the ...
( Anders Hove); he is presumed dead, but Sam remains determined to find him. After Jason disappears, Sam finds out that Jason is Danny's biological father.


2013–2015

Sam eventually realizes that Jason is not coming back and tries to move on. Lucy Coe (
Lynn Herring Sheryl Lynn Herring (born September 22, 1958) is an American soap opera actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Lucy Coe on the long-running soap opera ''General Hospital'' which she has played on and off since 1986. Early life Herri ...
) comes to town, and claims John is a vampire named Caleb Morley. Sam believes Lucy is insane, until a woman named Alison Barrington ( Erin Hershey) is murdered, and her son, Rafe Kovich, Jr. (Jimmy Deshler), claims John is the murderer. Sam is kidnapped by Caleb, but rescued by John, Rafe, and Lucy. Sam later becomes a foster mother to Rafe. Sam meets Dr.
Silas Clay ''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC since April 1, 1963. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In ...
(
Michael Easton Michael Easton (born February 15, 1967) is an American-Irish film, television and voice actor, writer, and director. Although the Emmy-nominated actor may be best known for his work on the series ''Ally McBeal'', ''VR.5,'' ''Total Recall 2070, O ...
), Rafe's uncle, who decides to get physical custody of Rafe from Sam. Though the court sides with Silas, he lets Rafe stay with Sam. Meanwhile, Sam finds out that Danny has leukemia, and needs treatment. Silas assists in Danny's recovery, but determines Danny will need a bone marrow transplant. When no one is a match, Sam asks Alexis about her biological father. Alexis admits she doesn't know who Sam's father is, because she never met him again. Alexis undergoes hypnosis to help Sam, and finds out Sam's father's name is "Julian." Sam finds a bone marrow match for Danny to
Derek Wells Derek M. Wells, KC, (born 28 November 1946) is a Canadian former politician who served a Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of South Shore from 1993 to 1997. Early life and education Born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, he graduate ...
(
William DeVry William deVry (born 20 April 1968) is a Canadian film, television theatre, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in American daytime soap operas, as Tim Dolan on '' Port Charles'', as Michael Cambias on ''All My Children'', as Storm L ...
), and Danny recovers. Alexis figures out that Sam's father is Julian Jerome, a mobster presumed dead. Sam and Silas start dating, and Sam finds out that "Derek" is actually Julian, who plans to take over Sonny's territory. When Sonny threatens to kill him, Julian uses Danny as leverage to stay alive, in case Danny suffers a setback. Sam is disgusted with her father's actions, and writes him off. Rafe died after being taken off life support following an accident, and Silas accused
Patrick Drake Patrick Drake is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'', a protagonist in both seasons of its prime time SOAPnet spin-off '' General Hospital: Night Shift'' and one half of on-screen couple Patrick Drake and Robin Scor ...
( Jason Thompson), Rafe's doctor, of deliberately killing him because Rafe caused a car accident that led to the death of Patrick's
son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...
. Sam knew Patrick didn't kill Rafe, which led to her and Silas breaking up. Sam befriended "Jake Doe" ( Billy Miller), an amnesiac patient at the hospital who had facial reconstruction surgery after an accident. She also started a relationship with Patrick. After Faison is arrested, Sam was taken hostage by a gunman who helped Faison escape. Sam wanted to find the gunman, and realized it was Jake. Though he denied the accusation, Jake was arrested, and Sam confronted him. Jake realized that he had been brainwashed by
Helena Cassadine Helena Cassadine is a fictional character on the American soap opera ''General Hospital'', famously originated by film actress Elizabeth Taylor in November 1981. After a brief stint by Dimitra Arliss in 1996, Constance Towers took over the role i ...
(
Constance Towers Constance Mary Towers (born May 20, 1933) is an American film, stage, and television actress, and singer. She gained prominence for her appearances in several mainstream 1950s films before transitioning to theater, starring in numerous Broadway ...
), and Sam's accusations were correct. Sam forgave him, and helped him get a job and figure out his real identity. Sam got engaged to Patrick, but right after, she found out that "Jake" is actually Jason. Sam reeled from the news, trying to process what to do. Jason went to Cassadine Island to confront Helena, and Sam followed him there. Helena continued to taunt Jason, and Sam lashed out, furious at Helena for keeping Jason from her and Danny. Helena retaliated by cursing Sam before supposedly dying. Sam returned to Port Charles, where Patrick realized that Sam was still in love with Jason, and broke off their engagement. Sam was heartbroken, but accepted his decision.


2016–present

Jason and Sam began to reconnect, as Jason started to experience memory flashes while spending time with Sam. When Elizabeth's house was broken into, Jason asked for Sam's help investigating. Sam figured out that Elizabeth and Jason's son, Jake, was responsible. Sam ended up getting seriously injured when she discovered the truth, but Jason was able to rescue her. Though the two reconnected, Sam decided to get a divorce, wanting to not pressure Jason to remember their past. Jason agreed, and the two divorced, but started dating. Jason ends up recovering his memories after getting into an accident, and reunites with Sam. Sam went into hiding with Jason after
Nikolas Cassadine Nikolas Cassadine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. Originated by actor Tyler Christopher in 1996, he left the show on July 14, 1999. Due to Nikolas' importance on the soap, he was im ...
( Tyler Christopher) disappeared, and Jason was accused of killing him. She and Jason figured out that Nikolas faked his death, and tracked him down to Cassadine Island. Before they could bring Nikolas back, they were taken hostage by Valentin Cassadine (
James Patrick Stuart James Patrick Stuart is an American actor, currently portraying Valentin Cassadine on the daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'', for which he received three consecutive Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Dram ...
). Sam and Jason escaped, and managed to free the other hostages. They returned to Port Charles, and cleared Jason's name. Soon after, Sam found out she was pregnant, and was thrilled until she found out that she could have been exposed to malaria. Sam shares her news with Jason; despite the potential risk to the baby, Jason is elated. He proposes to Sam, and they get engaged again. Sam learns she is malaria free, assuring her the baby is healthy thanks to their new friend
Hamilton Finn ''General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC since April 1, 1963. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In ...
(Michael Easton). She and Jason get married again. Sam eventually starts to bond with Julian and gives her blessing for him to marry Alexis. However, she disowns him again after he lets Alexis get arrested for a crime he committed, then tries to kill her when Alexis exonerates herself. He's put on trial for his crimes, but ends up getting acquitted. Soon after, Julian's car explodes, killing Morgan Corinthos (
Bryan Craig Bryan Allen Craig (born October 27, 1991) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Morgan Corinthos in the soap opera ''General Hospital''. Early life Craig was born in Boca Raton, Florida, in 1991 to Lissett Craig & Donnie Craig, he ...
). Sam and Jason investigate; at first, they suspect Sonny, but Jason finds out he's innocent. He and Sam try to find the real killer to prove Sonny's innocence. The clues lead Sam to discover that Morgan was killed by Olivia St. John (
Tonja Walker Tonja Annette Walker is an American actress and singer, who is also a former beauty pageant titleholder who has competed in the Miss USA pageant. She is known for her role as Alex Olanov on ''One Life to Live'' and for her role as Olivia St. Joh ...
), Julian's sister. Olivia kidnaps Sam and when she tries to escape, she is severely injured by Olivia and left unconscious. Sam survives, but ends up going into labor. Jason finds her, and helps Sam give birth to Emily Scout Morgan. They're immediately taken to the hospital, where Sam ends up in a coma after surgery; she wakes up and recovers On New Year's Eve 2017, Jason and Sam share a kiss, but Drew interrupts them. Jason wants to get back together with Sam, but soon learns that Sam and Drew are getting married. Sam, burying her feelings for Jason, asks him for divorce. Jason and Sam divorce, and she remarries Drew. Soon after they become official co-owners of Aurora Media. In early March, in the aftermath of the earthquake, Sam finally admits that she is still in love with Jason. After telling Drew the truth, he leaves her and they later divorce. In May 2018, she goes into business with Curtis Ashford (
Donnell Turner Donnell L. Turner (born January 8, 1973) is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Curtis Ashford on the ABC daytime soap opera, ''General Hospital''. He has one daughter, Whitney Mayo who resides in Spokane, WA. Personal life Turner ...
) forming a new PI agency named Ashford & McCall Investigators. In October 2018, Sam & Jason became lovers again, after divorcing him nine months ago. In 2019, Sam was sexually harassed by Shiloh, but she would later be held hostage and throw down by him. In Fall 2019, Shiloh was trying to rape Sam, Jason arrived and shot him and Shiloh was dead. On October 14, 2019, Sam was arrested and framed for Shiloh's murder. At the end of 2019, Sam was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and then released on parole. In early 2020, Sam had a visit from her parole officer Dolores Maloney, who told her she could not have any firearms or alcohol in the house. Sam grew upset when Dolores told her to stay away from Jason, and when Jason came home, she said it would be the last time they see each other. She explained that she had to stay away from Jason or else she will go back to prison. Jason and Sam went to see Robert Scorpio (
Tristan Rogers Tristan Rogers (born 3 June 1946) is an Australian-American actor. He is best known for playing Robert Scorpio on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' and for voicing Jake in Walt Disney Pictures' ''The Rescuers Down Under''. He is curren ...
) for help getting a new parole officer. Although he initially refused, Jason and Sam offered to hand him
Peter August Peter August is a fictional character from '' General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Wes Ramsey. Peter is introduced as a media publisher in 2017, and is soon revealed to be the previously unknown son of Ces ...
(
Wes Ramsey Wesley Albert Ramsey (born October 6, 1977) is an American actor. He is known for his performance in the romantic drama film '' Latter Days'', and for playing Sam Spencer on the CBS daytime soap opera ''Guiding Light'' and for his recurring r ...
), who framed Sam for hiring Bryce Henderson and was responsible for Drew's presumed death and the two murder attempts on Andre Maddox. But sadly, due to the terms of her parole, and the huge threat of drug kingpin Cyrus Renault, she cannot be with Jason. On April 6, 2020, Sam officially broke up with Jason, when he decided to end things in order to keep his family safe from the brewing mob war between the Corinthos mob family and Cyrus. Eventually, Jason and Sam got back together again. In August 2020, Sam was let off of parole after a deal she made with Valentin, giving him the proxy of her children's ELQ shares. She and Jason were finally free to be together now, but with the impending mob war, Sam became increasing concerned about her children's safety. In November 2020, when the Floating Rib bar exploded, Sam was terrified and unable to cope. On December 9, 2020, Sam tells Jason her fears and says that she has to end her relationship with him after nearly 20 years. She asks him not to come back home to their penthouse after he leaves, which makes Jason upset and initially he fights her on it, but relents not wanting to make things any harder. He respects her decision and tearfully leaves. Despite their separation, they remained committed to raising the children together. On Christmas Eve 2020, Sam was hanging stockings with Scout and Danny who were both upset that Jason wasn't there, so Sam invited him over to spend the night and spend Christmas morning together as a family. As 2021 began, Sam began to grow closer to Dante. On March 19, 2021, Dante and Sam holding Peter at gunpoint and tried to talk him down. In May 2021, when Dante rejoined PCPD as a police detective, he's assigned to find Jason and Britt who are fugitives. Sam wants to find them too and follows Dante and then deflates his tire when she locates them. Sam wants to escort Jason safely to Canada for the kid's sake, but Jason decides to go with Britt in order to protect Sam and keep her hands clean. On May 20, 2021, Sam finally owes Dante for slashing his tire. They fight, he tells her that Jason in Canada. On May 27, 2021, Sam and Dante playfully trask-talk each other. They share a close moment when he gives her some tips on how to play baseball but he later joked with her to forget everything he taught her. On June 7, 2021, Sam tries to defend Maxie and drags Dante out of the room. On June 15, 2021, Sam and Dante both end up investigating the Country House where a fake Chloe Jennings kidnapped Maxie. A local doctor named Austin who helped Maxie deliver her baby, comes in and says he owns the house. In July 2021, Sam overhears Michael say that Jason and Carly are getting married for business. She gets drunk with Elizabeth at the pier and burns some of her old items from her relationship with Jason (dominoes, tequila, and a black leather jacket). Then for the first time since her breakup with Jason, Sam finally declares her independence to Dante. Later, he takes her to see the fireworks, she tells him that Jason and Carly are getting married. She then kisses him for the first time. On July 16, 2021, Sam arrives at the Metro Court restaurant and sees Jason and Carly and complements Carly's engagement ring. Jason apologized to her for not being the one to tell her about his engagement, and he wondered if she would have told Danny. She asked him when he and Carly had decided to get married, and he talked about their "shared loss" of Sonny. Sam added to him that she'd always known that Jason and Carly were both first on the other's list, ahead of everyone else, then she walked away from him. Then Sam approached Carly and took her aside to talk to her . Sam knew that Jason and Carly wouldn't have gotten engaged without a good reason, so she advised Carly to let her know if Carly needed anything. Then she was asked by Maxie if everything was all right with Jason, because she heard about Sam and Elizabeth's bonfire. Sam insisted that she was at peace, but Maxie thought Sam would only be able to get peace with someone else to go home to. Sam thought back to Dante kissing her, but disagreed with Maxie's statement. Sam informed Maxie that she'd kissed someone, but it hadn't mean anything.


Character development


Introduction

When the character is introduced, Sam is described as "an adventurous woman trying to reverse her family's bad fortune", who would immediately interact with character Jasper Jacks (Rademacher). She is independent and scheming. ''
Soaps In Depth ''Soaps In Depth'' is an American entertainment magazine, formerly published as a series of biweekly print publications and currently as an online-exclusive publication, that is dedicated to coverage of daytime soap operas. Founded in 1997 by B ...
'' named the character on their list of the 50 naughtiest
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
vixens in 2009. When she first arrives in town, she is portrayed as a con artist and bad girl, who knew how to get what she wanted. The motivation behind the character's bad girl ways were revealed, when it was discovered that she was raised on the road by a con artist father,
Cody McCall This is a list of characters that have appeared or been mentioned on the American ABC soap opera ''General Hospital''. A Aaron :( Chad Brannon, 2009) Abigail :( Ivy Bethune, 1987) Sarah Abbott :(Eileen Dietz, 1981–83) ::Roommate to Heather ...
, and used cons to provide for her mentally handicapped older brother,
Danny McCall '' General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the ci ...
. Sam grows close to Jason Morgan during her pregnancy with the child of Sonny Corinthos. Co-star Burton (Jason) later explained: "It's been a long journey for Jason and Sam. When they first got together, it wasn't really supposed to be that they got together. He was kind of helping her out with her pregnancy. After that whole time they fell in love." When the couple broke up in 2008, Monaco said to ''
Soap Opera Digest ''Soap Opera Digest'' is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional in ...
'', "I feel Sam and Jason was so abruptly ended without any explanation, really, as to the coldness that was so one-sided n Jason's part Of course, Jake came into play, but I felt like Jason and Sam were always strong enough to overcome." Sam begins a relationship with Lucky Spencer to get back at Elizabeth. Monaco describes the progression of the relationship to ''Soap Opera Digest'', "In the beginning it was very calculated and manipulative. Eventually, it turned genuine. ..finally, she found someone who is trustworthy."


Parentage revealed

The revelation of Alexis Davis (Grahn) as Sam's biological mother was a turning point in the development of the character. The two characters had a rocky past filled with disdain, but the shocking revelation of their kinship forced the characters to co-exist. The newly formed mother-daughter relationship was very antagonistic in its early stages, but over time the two characters were able to reconcile and put the hate of their past behind them. Now the two characters share a close mother-daughter bond. The revelation of Alexis and Sam as mother and daughter was named the best revelation of the decade by '' SOAPnet''. The unveiling of Alexis as Sam's mother led to widespread speculation as to the identity of Sam's biological father. For years, great fanfare was generated around this mystery in anticipation for the revelation of his identity. Seven years after Alexis was revealed as Sam's mother, ''General Hospital'' began dropping hints that they were ready to tackle the highly anticipated story of Sam's father. In 2013 ''General Hospital'' head-writer,
Ron Carlivati Ronald David Carlivati (born November 25, 1968) is an American screenwriter. He is best known for his tenures as head writer on the ABC Daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' and ''General Hospital''. He is currently serving a position as head w ...
addressed the ongoing mystery of Sam's father in an interview with ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...
's'' Michael Logan. Widespread speculation about the identity of Sam's father was reignited when it was rumored that ''General Hospital'' was looking for a "name actor" to cast in the role of Sam's father. Rumors began to circulate naming Duke Lavery ( Ian Buchanan), Blackie Parrish ( John Stamos) and Dr. Kevin Collins (
Jon Lindstrom Jon Robert Lindstrom (born October 18, 1957) is an American actor, writer, director, producer, and musician. He is well known for his role as Kevin Collins on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'' and its spin-off '' Port Charles''. ...
) as potential candidates for Sam's father; Lindstrom having previously worked opposite Monaco as her father on the soap opera ''
Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
.'' Another rumor emerged that veteran soap actor, Peter Reckell, who played Bo Brady on the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
soap opera '' Days of Our Lives'' from 1983-2012, would be joining ''General Hospital'' in the role of Evan Jerome. It was widely speculated that Reckell was cast to play Sam's father, linking her to the Jerome crime family that was prominent on ''General Hospital'' in the 1980s. However, after weeks of speculation, Reckell addressed the rumors stating that he wasn't going back to ''Days of Our Lives'' or joining any other soap. In July 2013, ABC unveiled its latest ''General Hospital'' promo which showed Sam asking Alexis for the identity of her father. In the storyline, Sam's young son Danny has leukemia and they are trying to find as many potential bone marrow donors as possible. Following the promo's release, Nancy Lee Grahn (
Alexis Alexis may refer to: People Mononym * Alexis (poet) ( – ), a Greek comic poet * Alexis (sculptor), an ancient Greek artist who lived around the 3rd or 4th century BC * Alexis (singer) (born 1968), German pop singer * Alexis (comics) (1946–1977 ...
), took to her Twitter account to engage fans in a guessing game as to the identity of Sam's father. During the week the promo was released, it was announced that actor
William deVry William deVry (born 20 April 1968) is a Canadian film, television theatre, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in American daytime soap operas, as Tim Dolan on '' Port Charles'', as Michael Cambias on ''All My Children'', as Storm L ...
, who formerly starred on ''
The Bold and the Beautiful ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...
'' as Storm Logan, and '' All My Children'' as
Michael Cambias Michael Cambias is a fictional character in the American daytime drama '' All My Children''. He was portrayed by actor William deVry, from January 23, 2003 to August 29, 2003, and as ghostly visions from September 23 to 26, 2003; October 9, 2003; ...
was joining ''General Hospital.'' There were reports that deVry had taped scenes with
Maura West Maura may refer to: *Maura (given name), a feminine given name *Antonio Maura (1853–1925), Prime Minister of Spain *Carmen Maura (born 1945), Spanish actress *Miguel Maura (1887–1971), Spanish politician *Santa Maura, a former name of the Gre ...
's
Ava Jerome Ava Jerome is a fictional character from '' General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network. The role is portrayed by three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Maura West, who made her first appearance on May 8, 2013. Ava is part of th ...
, leading to speculation that deVry could be joining the show as a Jerome and as Sam's father. deVry made his debut on July 30, 2013 under the alias Derek Wells, and it was soon revealed that he was actually
Julian Jerome Julian Jerome is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime drama ''General Hospital''. Created by Ann Marcus and Norma Monty, the role was originally portrayed by Jason Culp from 1988 to 1990. William deVry took over the role upon the cha ...
—son of mob boss
Victor Jerome ''General Hospital'' is the longest-running American television serial drama, airing on ABC. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. In the 1970s, the cit ...
who was head of the
Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
mob in the 1980s. Soon after the real identity of deVry's character was discovered, it was confirmed that deVry had been cast as Sam's father, when it was revealed that Sam's biological father is crime figure
Julian Jerome Julian Jerome is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime drama ''General Hospital''. Created by Ann Marcus and Norma Monty, the role was originally portrayed by Jason Culp from 1988 to 1990. William deVry took over the role upon the cha ...
.


Reception

When Monaco originated the role of Sam, her performance was well received by viewers and the network. In 2006, Monaco was nominated for a
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Sam. She also co-hosted the Daytime Emmy Awards that same year.


See also

* Jason Morgan and Sam McCall


Notes


References


External links


Sam McCall profile
at ABC.Com
Sam McCall profile
at Soaps.Com

at ABC.Com
Sam McCall profile
at Soapcentral.Com {{DEFAULTSORT:McCall, Sam Adoptee characters in television Television characters introduced in 2003 Fictional characters from Maine Fictional Greek people in television Fictional con artists Fictional private investigators Fictional royalty Fictional television personalities Fictional vigilantes General Hospital characters American female characters in television Fictional criminals in soap operas