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Samantha Spade (Without a Trace)
Encyclopedia
Special Agent Samantha "Sam" Spade is a fictional character portrayed by actress Poppy Montgomery
on the CBS television drama Without a Trace
.
Samantha is a Special Agent
in the New York City FBI missing persons
case squad led by Special Agent Jack Malone
. She was raised in a poor, troubled home in the town of Kenosha, Wisconsin and as a result is particularly empathetic to kids in troubled situations. She was very unhappy as a teenager and tried to run away when she was sixteen, but was stopped by her mother and a policeman. For a short time while she was eighteen, Sam was married, but the marriage didn't last long. She has a son, whose father, Brian Donovan is played by Adam Kaufman
, Poppy Montgomery's real-life boyfriend.
In 518, Sam's estranged older sister, Emily (Molly Price
), visited. When Samantha was fourteen, she killed her mother Patricia (Tess Harper
)'s then-boyfriend (Joe Henry
) with a shovel because she caught him sexually abusing Emily (519). They buried him in the woods next to the cabin and eventually grew distant from each other. Samantha learns that as a result of this abuse, Emily had a son, Randy, who now has cancer so she sought a bone marrow donor. Sam is not a match but her mother is a possibility.
Spade received her name because her mother was a fan of fictional detective Sam Spade
and The Maltese Falcon, both created by Dashiell Hammett
. In addition to this, the show seems to include many "Hammettesque" themes, e.g., missing persons, hard-bitten and enigmatic detectives/agents, mistaken or forged identities, including people who leave their former lives without explanation and start a new life under a new name or identity (similar to the "parable of Flitcraft" in The Maltese Falcon). The Maltese Falcon was adapted into a film three times by Warner Bros.
, co-producer of Without a Trace.
Poppy Montgomery
Poppy Montgomery , is an Australian actress. She is best known for her role as Samantha Spade on Without a Trace...
on the CBS television drama Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
.
Samantha is a Special Agent
Special agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
in the New York City FBI missing persons
Missing Persons
Missing Persons is an American band who plays a blend of New Wave and Pop rock. The band was founded in 1980 in Los Angeles by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, vocalist Dale Bozzio, and drummer Terry Bozzio. They went on to add bassist Patrick O'Hearn and keyboardist Chuck Wild. Dale's quirky voice...
case squad led by Special Agent Jack Malone
Jack Malone (Without a Trace)
Special Agent John "Jack" Michael Malone is a fictional character in the canceled CBS crime drama Without a Trace, portrayed by Anthony LaPaglia. He was the lead agent for the New York City FBI missing persons case squad. His departmental title is Supervisory Special Agent of New York District Unit...
. She was raised in a poor, troubled home in the town of Kenosha, Wisconsin and as a result is particularly empathetic to kids in troubled situations. She was very unhappy as a teenager and tried to run away when she was sixteen, but was stopped by her mother and a policeman. For a short time while she was eighteen, Sam was married, but the marriage didn't last long. She has a son, whose father, Brian Donovan is played by Adam Kaufman
Adam Kaufman (actor)
Adam Kaufman is an American actor, who portrayed Charlie Keys in the science fiction miniseries Taken from Steven Spielberg. He made his first TV-appearance in the show Brookfield....
, Poppy Montgomery's real-life boyfriend.
In 518, Sam's estranged older sister, Emily (Molly Price
Molly Price
-Personal life:Price was born in North Plainfield, New Jersey, and graduated from North Plainfield High School in 1984.She is a graduate of Rutgers University. She is married to a New York City Fire Department firefighter Derek Kelly...
), visited. When Samantha was fourteen, she killed her mother Patricia (Tess Harper
Tess Harper
Tess Harper is an American actress.-Early life:Born Tessie Jean Washam on August 15, 1950 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas. Her parents' names are Ed and Rosemary Washam. She grew up around lots of quilts and quilt makers. On her own time, she liked to sit on the porch-swing and read...
)'s then-boyfriend (Joe Henry
Joe Henry
Joseph Lee "Joe" Henry is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Henry's musical style spans several genres, including alt. country, rock, jazz and folk.- Early years :...
) with a shovel because she caught him sexually abusing Emily (519). They buried him in the woods next to the cabin and eventually grew distant from each other. Samantha learns that as a result of this abuse, Emily had a son, Randy, who now has cancer so she sought a bone marrow donor. Sam is not a match but her mother is a possibility.
Spade received her name because her mother was a fan of fictional detective Sam Spade
Sam Spade
Sam Spade is a fictional character who is the protagonist of Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel The Maltese Falcon and the various films and adaptations based on it, as well as in three lesser known short stories by Hammett....
and The Maltese Falcon, both created by Dashiell Hammett
Dashiell Hammett
Samuel Dashiell Hammett was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories, and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade , Nick and Nora Charles , and the Continental Op .In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on...
. In addition to this, the show seems to include many "Hammettesque" themes, e.g., missing persons, hard-bitten and enigmatic detectives/agents, mistaken or forged identities, including people who leave their former lives without explanation and start a new life under a new name or identity (similar to the "parable of Flitcraft" in The Maltese Falcon). The Maltese Falcon was adapted into a film three times by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, co-producer of Without a Trace.