Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco)

Samantha "Sam" McCall is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital portrayed by Kelly Monaco since October 2003 and has since renewed her contract.

Character portrayal
The role of Sam has been portrayed by Playboy's April 1997 Playmate of the Month and the first champion on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, Kelly Monaco, since October 1, 2003. In 2006, Monaco was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role. Sam is the biological daughter of Alexis Davis who had Sam as a teen and was forced to give her up by Sam's grandfather, Mikkos Cassadine. Sam was adopted by Cody McCall and Evelyn Bass. Cody and Evelyn's older son, Danny McCall, was mentally handicapped. Evelyn decided that she didn't want Sam, so she took her son Danny and left. Sam was raised by Cody, who taught her how to salvage and run cons. When Sam found out about her mother and brother, she went to find them. In an accident, Danny burned his mother's house down with her inside. Sam continued to run cons as her father taught her while using the money to take care of Danny. She married several wealthy men in order to scam them out of their money, and provide a life for herself and her brother. In August 2009, fans were shocked by a casting call for the character. Despite rumors and speculation, Monaco's co-stars Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) have denied that she is departing from the show. If Kelly Monaco were to leave the fan favorite role behind, it would leave a major hole in the canvas and the ratings would likely plummet as many fans are pleased with the Jason and Sam reunion. The casting call that was put out also describes another character, Claudia Corinthos, who's actress is leaving the series. Kelly Monaco re-signed with the series until August 2010.

Arrival and initial romances (2003-2004)
Sam arrived in Port Charles on October 1, 2003 and quickly teamed up with Jasper "Jax" Jacks to find the 5 lucky cards of the Dead Man's hand, which would save Jax's father's life. When Jax's father died, there was friction because Sam also perused the cards. After consummating their relationship, Jax breaks up with Sam after he discovers Sam's involvement in tampering his car and Sam begins a sexual relationship with Sonny Corinthos, in which she soon got pregnant and made an enemy of Sonny's wife, Carly Corinthos. Jason Morgan (Sonny's right hand man) asked her if he could pose as the baby's father so that Sonny and Carly could stay together, but Sonny soon learns that Sam is carrying his child. It was around this time that Sam began a friendship with Jason and the two almost got married up until Sam declared that she didn't love him at the time and she didn't want to make a false commitment. During the Port Charles Hotel fire, Sam slept with Jax, causing friction between her and Sonny, so she went to live with Jason as he was posing as her baby's father. Jason and Carly had also protected Sam from her abusive ex-boyfriend Nico. When Sonny's new-found daughter, Kristina Corinthos, needed stem cells from Sam's unborn child, Sam initially refused but after a confrontation with Alexis she went into labor, causing her baby to be stillborn and the child was buried in November 2004 as Baby Girl McCall. Jason and Sam had decided to name her daughter Lila Morgan after Jason's late grandmother Lila Morgan Quartermaine, but was never made official, the child was buried as Baby Girl McCall.

New loves (2004-2009)
Sam and Jason admitted their love for one another. In January 2005, they become engaged, and also become foster parents of sorts when Sam agrees to care for the child of a young mother named Bridget. Jason names the baby Hope, but Bridget decides that she wants her baby back. To avoid a court battle, Jason decides Hope should be returned to her mother. Sam is hurt and angry at this decision, but they reunite after Sam is accused of kidnapping Kristina and they search for Michael, Kristina, and Morgan after they are kidnapped by Faith Rosco. After finding the kids, Jason and Sam try to help Michael recover from the traumatizing event of being kidnapped. She is there for Jason when he loses his memory in 2005. Sam convinces Jason to undergo a controversial treatment administered by his old girlfriend, Dr. Robin Scorpio. After Jason loses his memory, he and Sam fall in love all over again and he proposes to her a second time before he begins his treatment. The treatment is a success and causes him to regain his memory.

In March 2006, Sam learns that she has been adopted. During an encephalitis epidemic, Alexis Davis receives an antidote instead of Sam's brother, Danny McCall. Before he dies, Danny tells Sam how glad he is that their parents "chose her." Sam is angry and blames Alexis for her brother's death. However, DNA tests reveal that Danny was not her biological brother. She and Jason find records indicating that Sam was born to a 16 year old Alexis (whom she hates) on May 11th, 1980. After Sam takes a bullet meant for Jason from a stalker who harmed Sam for nearly a year, Alexis forces Jason to break up with Sam, for her own good. To get back at Alexis, Sam flirts with Alexis' husband, Ric, and months later when the two are both drunk, they wind up having sex. Jason sees through the window, and is devastated and angry. He returns home where Elizabeth Spencer shows up and they have a one night stand, that she later becomes pregnant from. Sam and Jason reconcile but break up after Sam witnesses the kidnapping of Elizabeth's son Jake and keeps quiet about it, and then proceeds to set up a fake dangerous encounter in the park where Elizabeth is with her two sons. After hearing of her misdeeds, an angry Jason threatens her life.

Sam is also caught in the Metro Court hostage crisis, in which she struggles to save many of the residents. Sam hires Elizabeth's husband, Lucky Spencer, as her bodyguard, so she can seduce him as backback against Elizabeth and Jason. She sleeps with Lucky on September 17, 2007. Sam and Lucky are lovers while Lucky and Elizabeth await their final divorce proceedings. Sam is terrorized by Diego Alcazar, masked as the text message killer, and Lucky saves her. Lucky and Sam continue their relationship, but Lucky cannot handle Sam working undercover for mobster Andrei Karpov, causing friction and eventually a break-up. In November 2008, she and Elizabeth (along with Jake and Cameron) are tortured by Russians out at a remote cabin while Jason is distracted in Port Charles. When a shootout occurs, Sam sends Elizabeth to the back, and tries to head the guys off, but when her gun runs out of bullets, Elizabeth shows up and saves Sam from being shot by a Russian. After the shootout, Jake is kidnapped and Sam helps Jason rescue him. Sam makes a new friendship with Lucky's ex, Elizabeth after all the endured in the cabin together and the two make amends. After a hospital crisis in February 2009, Lucky and Sam have a very civil break-up and decide to remain friends.

Reconciling with Jason (2009-present)
In January 2009, a distraught Damian Spinelli visits Sam when he is hacked by FBI agent Winifred Leeds because the Feds are tracking his movements. Spinelli is arrested by the FBI, but Jason is able to get Spinelli released by making a deal with the Feds. When the Feds go against their word and make Jason betray Sonny, Sam breaks into the room where the FBI stores the evidence and destroys it, saving both Jason and Spinelli. Jason, appreciating this, helps set up a P.I. organization for Sam and Spinelli through his accountant Bernie Abrahms who was previously a private investigator. Sam helps Jason by gathering evidence against Claudia Corinthos to prove to Sonny that she was involved in Michael's shooting. Sam is suspicious of Claudia when she hears that Claudia is pregnant with Sonny's child. Sam faces a crisis when Kristina is causing trouble in Port Charles, and was possibly responsible for Claudia's car accident. Sam goes to Jason, who also says that Michael Corinthos was responsible. Sam is slowly reconciling with Jason. Sam and Jason go looking for Sonny's kids Michael and Kristina and they become closer on their trip. When Spinelli informs Sam that Alexis confessed to running Claudia off the road, she realizes Kristina was the driver who ran Cladia off the road, not Michael. After Jason gets injured from a fight with Jerry Jacks, Sam finds him buried underneath some rubble and saves his life. On August 25, 2009, Jason and Sam make love in the room of the church. On August 28, 2009, Sam and Jason find Michael and Kristina in Cancun, Mexico. As of August, it looks like another try for Jason and Sam is in the works. On September 1, 2009, Sam and Jason bring Michael and Kristina home. Sam and Alexis get into an argument over whether Alexis was being too lenient on Kristina. Later Sam goes to the penthouse to meet Jason and discuss what happened, they end up kissing as Maxie and Spinelli walk in.

Sam is very understanding about Jason going to prison for Michael's protection. She has been visiting Jason numerous times in Pentonville. Sam is upset to learn that she was denied conjugal visits because she is not Jason's wife. With the help of Spinelli, Sam poses as Brenda Barrett (Jason's ex-wife) and gets a conjugal visit with Jason.

When Maxie, Dante and Josslyn receive pictures from Franco, Dante and Claire Walsh release Jason into Dante's custody to catch Franco. Franco resurfaced June 30. After causing much havoc and mayhem in the lives of many in Port Charles, Franco disappeared again and Jason went back to prison. After being in prison for a few more weeks, Jason was eventually released when Claire Walsh found a loophole in his sentence. He returned home and was reunited with an overjoyed Sam.

On January 11, 2011, Sam learns from Dr. Kelly Lee that she could become pregnant with the assistance of an experimental procedure called "fertility reconstruction." Sam downplays her real feelings about it, saying that she likes her life the way it is. On January 17, 2011, Sam returns to the hospital to talk to Dr. Lee about the procedure more. Afterwards, it is shown that she is researching it on the internet, although she has not mentioned any of this to Jason. Jason later finds the pamphlet about fertility reconstruction and the two discuss having children and what a family would mean for their lives. On February 4, Sam goes out to Jake's with Maxie Jones and Lulu Spencer, when she begins to feel nauseous and dizzy. Maxie believes that the nausea and dizziness is because Sam might be pregnant. Sam denies that there's any way she could be pregnant, but Maxie and Lulu continue to push the issue and tell her that she should buy a pregnancy test. So in order to shut them up, Sam buys a pregnancy test and when she returns to Jason's penthouse to take the test, Jason walks in and finds her with it. She doesn't take the test right then. She goes to the hospital to get it done there. On Valentine's day, during a romantic meal with Jason, they find out that she is not pregnant. Although Sam says she knew it wasn't possible, it still hurts to hear that she wasn't pregnant. On April 19, Sam and Jason revisit the idea of the procedure and Sam decides that she wants to go through with it. She meets with Dr. Lee about the procedure, and discovers that not only is she an excellent candidate for the procedure, but if it is successful, she could get pregnant and carry a baby safely to term. On May 6, Sam went in to have the procedure and it was completed without any complications.

Kristina's abuse
After Sam's sister Kristina is abused and hospitalized by her boyfriend Kiefer Bauer, Sam is supportive and understanding. She spent lots of time with Kristina and by remembering her own abusive past relationship with Nico, Sam was able to help Kristina deal with the after affects of her abuse. However, as Kristina initially lied and claimed it was Ethan Lovett who attacked her, Sam beat him up and warned him never to come near Kristina again. When he later tried to ask Kristina why she blamed him, Sam caught Ethan in the act and had him arrested. After another confrontation with him at Kelly's, Sam found herself debating Kristina's story with Jason; Jason insists that they don't actually have any proof that Ethan did it, while Sam declared that Kristina's word is all the proof she needs. After coming home from the movies with her youngest sister Molly Lansing, they discovered Kiefer's body on the side of the road. Sam and Molly called an ambulance and when arriving at the hospital they found that Kristina had been beaten again. Sam subsequently discovered from Jason that Kiefer was the one who was beating her all along, and that Kristina had lied out of fear that Sonny would kill Kiefer. Sam was shocked and guilt-ridden that she wasn't there for her sister and didn't realize the truth when she knows better than anyone that people lie when they're scared, but nonetheless relieved to discover that Jason and Sonny had nothing to do with Kiefer's hit-and-run.

Shortly after arriving at the hospital, Kiefer died and after staying with Kristina, Alexis later revealed to Sam that she had been the one to hit Kiefer. Sam insisted that Alexis could not turn herself in because Kristina needed her now more than ever, but Alexis ultimately did confess to Mac Scorpio and got out of jail time thanks to Diane Miller's maneuvering. Sam continued to be supportive of her mother and sister when Keifer's grief stricken father Warren Bauer vowed revenge on Alexis and Kristina both, at one point slugging him when he shouted that Kristina deserved to be beaten by Kiefer.

Kristina, blaming Sonny for Michael's conviction, began to fake a relationship with Johnny to spite him, of which Sam vocally disapproved. When Kristina repeatedly ignored Sam's and Alexis' warnings, Sam proposed to Alexis that she talk to Jason because Johnny owed him. When attending a family dinner at Sonny's, Kristina snuck out to see Johnny under the pretense of studying for her SATs, but Sam investigated and found out the truth. Johnny finally convinced Kristina to end the charade, and she finally ended the charade when she was caught in a car bomb meant for Johnny that was planted by Sonny. In response to Kristina's rebellious behavior, Alexis and Sonny immediately began to place new restrictions on her; though Sam supported their decision, she told Alexis that they needed to remember that Kristina had to fully heal from her ordeal with Kiefer.

Brenda's return
On August 11, 2010, Brenda returns to Port Charles on the run from the Balkan, an international crime lord whose son was murdered by Brenda. Jason was appointed her bodyguard, and she moved into the Penthouse with him; unfortunately, this left Jason and Sam with very little time to spend together.

Jason and Sam discover that Brenda's lawyer, Theo Hoffman, is the Balkan, and immediately go out to stop him. in the process, Jason is caught in an ambush and barely escapes. After Sonny and Brenda's wedding reception, Brenda is seemingly killed in a car bomb. Though it was believed that the Balkan was the one who planted the bomb, Jason receives a call from the newly returned Franco, who hints that he planted the bomb. When the authorities manage to get through the wreckage, everyone is shocked to discover Sam within the limo, with no sign of Brenda; Theo's henchmen had swapped Sam for Brenda and blown up the limo as a distraction. Fortunately, due to bomb-proofing, Sam survives the explosion with no severe injuries. However, when she regains consciousness with Jason at her side, she she can't hear him. While being visited by Jason, Alexis, Molly, and Kristina, Molly begins to teach her sister sign language in the event that her hearing loss is permanent. Later, while alone in the room with Kristina, Sam decides to get out of bed and stretch her legs out, only to pass out almost as soon as her feet touch the ground.

Tests confirmed that nothing was wrong with Sam and that she merely fainted. Once Alexis and Kristina left, Sam regained her hearing and was discharged from the hospital a few days later.

On March 17, 2011, Jake Spencer is hit by a car and severely injured. Sam is one of several people who were on the road at the time of the accident. When Jake dies on the operating table, Sam teams up with Dante Falconeri to discover who is responsible, motivated by guilt over what she had done to Elizabeth and Jake back in 2007. They discovered that Sam had been driving on the road and sent her car down to forensics to be tested. Sam and Dante then uncovered the 6 other suspects, Sonny, Robin, Lisa, Luke, Carly and an unmarked sedan who's driver could not be seen. As soon as they discovered Carly was a suspect, forensics called Dante back and told him there was no damage to Sam's car and she was cleared off the suspect list.