Samantha Sanders

Samantha Sanders is a recurring character on Beverly Hills, 90210. She is portrayed by Christine Belford.

Character
Samantha is a wealthy, veteran actress, largely famous for her television work. Though Samantha is just as flamboyant as Rush — from whom she would eventually be divorced — and their son Steve, she is also a deeply loving mother.

Story
Samantha marries businessman Rush Sanders and they try to have children, but are unsuccessful. In 1975, they adopt Steven Brown. When Steve is 5 years old, Samantha and Rush divorce and Samantha largely raises Steve on her own, with Rush providing only scorn and financially. Samantha and Rush seem cordial post-divorce, although Samantha doesn't seem to care much for Rush and his broken promises, considering Steve her son. Samantha enjoys fame across the country for her work on beloved family series Hartley House, but neglects spending time with her real family, Steve.

As Steve becomes a teenager, he enjoys the riches of his parents, but not the attention, which causes friction between him and Samantha, whom Steve feels is always putting her career before him. Later, Steve travels to New Mexico to find this birth mom, only to find she is no longer alive. Likewise, even when Steve became upset to learn that details of his past had been kept from him, it ultimately could not drive he and his mother apart for long. Toward the end of the show's run, Samantha became a mother-in-law and a grandmother when Steve married Janet Sosna and the couple had a daughter, Madeline.

Trivia
PRODUCTION NOTES
 * Samantha and Rush divorced when Steve was 5.
 * In creating the character, Darren Star star was inspired by and wanted Samantha to have the star quality of Mary Tyler Moore

Episodes
SEASON 2 (2/28)
 * Chuckie's Back • A Walsh Family Christmas

SEASON 3 (1/30)
 * The Kindness of Strangers

SEASON 6 (1/32)
 * You Say It's Your Birthday: Part 1

SEASON 7 (3/32)
 * Gift Wrapped • We Interrupt This Program • All That Jazz

SEASON 9 (2/26)
 * I'm Back Because • The Following Options