Sam Merlotte
Sam Merlotte is a fictional character from The Southern Vampire Mysteries book series, written by author Charlaine Harris. He is introduced in the first novel of the series, Dead Until Dark. In True Blood, the HBO television adaptation, Sam is portrayed by actor Sam Trammell.
| Sam Merlotte | |
|---|---|
| True Blood character | |
Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte in True Blood. | |
| First appearance | Novel: Dead Until Dark Television: "Strange Love" |
| Created by | Charlaine Harris |
| Portrayed by | Sam Trammell Martin Spanjers (young Sam) |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Shape shifter |
| Occupation | Business owner Bartender |
| Nationality | American |
At the beginning of the series, Sam Merlotte is Sookie Stackhouse's employer and the owner of Merlotte's Bar and Grill in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
Sam is a shape shifter (or "shifter") and has the ability to physically transform into an animal he has seen (and imprinted on) at will. When Sam is introduced, the existence of shape shifters is not public knowledge (unlike vampires following the Great Revelation prior to the events of True Blood and The Southern Vampire Mysteries series.)