Kelly Monaco

Kelly Marie Monaco (born May 23, 1976) is an American model, actress, reality television contestant and winner of Dancing with the Stars in Season 1. She is well known for playing the character of Sam McCall on the soap opera General Hospital, a role she originated in 2003 and Livvie Locke, a character she orginated in 1999 on the soap opera Port Charles.

Career and personal life
Monaco's first television role was on the nighttime drama Baywatch from 1997 to 1998. In addition to playing the role of Susan on the show, Monaco also was Carmen Electra's body double at times, as Electra could not swim. Monaco also had minor roles in the late 1990s films BASEketball, Idle Hands, and Mumford. Monaco had two roles on the supernatural television soap opera Port Charles: Olivia “Livvie” Locke Morley (1999–2003) and Tess Ramsey (2002–2003). When that program ended, she joined the cast of soap opera General Hospital as Samantha “Sam” McCall in September 2003.

In 2003, Monaco was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role on Port Charles. In 2006, Monaco was again nominated for a Daytime Emmy, this time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Sam McCall on General Hospital. In 2006, Monaco also co-hosted the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmys, with Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron. In March 2009, Monaco was chosen by Donald Trump and Paula Shugart to be one of the judges for the 2009 Miss USA pageant. In 2011, Ms. Monaco starred as Julie in the Lifetime movie, The Edge of the Garden. Monaco is a fan of extreme sports, and participated in the all-women's Hi-Tec Racing Series, which consisted of 12 miles of off-road running, 3–4 miles of kayaking and 12–15 miles of mountain biking, interspersed with a Marine-style obstacle course. Monaco's team came in second. Ms. Monaco is close friends with General Hospital co-stars, Laura Wright and Kirsten Storms.

Humanitarian work
Monaco and several other daytime celebrities such as Susan Lucci and Anthony Geary traveled to Kenya, Africa as a part of the Feed the Children program on July 13, 2009. Monaco, along with Geary, Lucci and the other stars, documented their journey with their own video cameras as they aided the Feed the Children founders Larry and Frances Jones in delivering food and items to the needy and accompanying them on visits to local schools, as well as an abandoned baby center built by Feed the Children. Monaco was recently on the streets of Kibera, playing with some young orphaned boys and teaching them how to say "hello" in English. Monaco and the other stars will be staying in Africa for 10 days with the Feed the Children organization. Part of the footage will be shown during the 36th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards, as part of a segment titled "Daytime Gives Back." The documentary is intended to give the American public with an up-close and personal look at Kenya and its wonderful people and to raise awareness of the desperate situation faced by Africa’s poor.

On October 24, 2009, Monaco took part in another volunteer day of service, the iParticipate campaign. She along with several other of her General Hospital co-stars, such as Lisa Lo Cicero, Kimberly McCullough, Leslie Charleson and more all volunteered to help beautify a local school in Los Angeles.