Editing Sam Seaborn (section)

{{Short description|American TV character, created 1999}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Samuel Seaborn
| series = [[The West Wing]]
| image = 
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Rob Lowe as Sam Seaborn
| first = "[[Pilot (The West Wing)|Pilot]]"
| last = "[[Tomorrow (The West Wing)|Tomorrow]]"
| creator = [[Aaron Sorkin]]
| portrayer = [[Rob Lowe]]
| nickname = Princeton (Secret Service code name), Schmutzy Pants (by Mallory)
| occupation = Deputy White House Communications Director (seasons 1-4)<br />Deputy White House Chief of Staff (last episode of season 7)
| spouse = an ex-fiancée - Lisa Sherborne
| family = Unnamed father
| gender = Male
| nationality = American
| lbl21 = Alma Mater
| data21 = [[Princeton University]]<br /> [[Duke Law School]]
}}
'''Samuel Norman Seaborn''' is a fictional character played by [[Rob Lowe]] on the television serial drama ''[[The West Wing]]''. From the beginning of the series in 1999 until the middle of the fourth season in 2003, he is deputy [[White House Communications Director]] in the administration of President [[Josiah Bartlet]] played by [[Martin Sheen]]. The character departed from subsequent seasons after Lowe decided to leave the series, although he returned for several episodes in the final season when he became Deputy Chief of Staff to the new president portrayed by [[Jimmy Smits]].

Series creator [[Aaron Sorkin]] originally conceived Sam Seaborn as the main character in ''The West Wing''. The pilot episode makes him the main protagonist and he remains a focal point through the first season. However, as other characters developed&mdash;particularly Sheen's role as President and his ability to govern despite obstacles such as his previously undisclosed [[multiple sclerosis]], his campaign for re-election, foreign policy, and terrorism&mdash;this greatly diminished the emphasis on the Seaborn character. When the series started, Lowe was the series' highest paid actor. However, due to the change in plot direction over subsequent seasons, many cast members negotiated or received significant pay increases as their roles expanded, while Lowe did not see any change. Unhappy with the situation, Lowe decided to leave the series in season 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/the-west-wing-why-rob-lowe-sam-seaborn-left/|title=The West Wing: Why Rob Lowe's Sam Seaborn Left the Series|date=January 26, 2021|website=www.cbr.com}}</ref>