- "On the plus side, I got a new character I think people are going to love."
- Henry Stein
See Sammy (disambiguation) for other related uses.
"Sing my song and my sanctuary will open to you." |
Samuel “Sammy” Lawrence was an award-winning musician/composer and the director of the Music Department at Joey Drew Studios, known for writing the music for Bendy's show in the studio's heyday.[1]
In mid-1935, he had grown frustrated with his tight schedule. Eventually, it got to the point where his ethics rivaled that of Joey Drew's, such as strictly ordering the Music Department staff to refrain from making loud noises.[2]
Around 1946, as revealed in the Dreams Come to Life novel, he stole a large number of ink bottles that were used for the Ink Machine, proceeding to drink them day by day as some kind of addiction and ultimately transformed into a mind-corrupted creature of ink. He later appeared in Bendy and the Ink Machine as one of the major antagonists pursuing Henry Stein in the game.
Contents
General Description
Physical Appearance
Although Sammy's human self was not seen in the game, the only known evidence about Sammy's human appearance is he once had a flowing cascade of brown or blonde hair, not remembering which one.[3]
From the third chapter of Bendy and the Ink Machine, Twisted Alice describes Sammy as once a "very handsome man", meaning that Sammy used to look attractive in appearance. This indicates that she might have known him before.
As described by Buddy, Sammy was a very "pointy" man, even saying that he looked like a bird when he was at his conductor stand. Buddy also mentions that Sammy "always" wore trousers and suspenders.
Personality
Overworked and abrasive but doing everything within his power to maintain his composure, Sammy's main interest is writing music and songs, as he started this career in his young years.[4]
In tapes, Sammy is shown to be a frustrated songwriter, with what seems to be a blunt and sarcastic disposition. With the addition of the numerous leaking pipes in his department, the ink pumps and all of the constant distractions when writing music for the Bendy cartoons, Sammy is irritated with Joey Drew's project as it keeps setting him back in his work. The only person he has kind words to say about is Susie Campbell, the former voice actress of Alice Angel, that he refers her as a very charming woman, suggesting that he was infatuated with her.[5]
It can be inferred from the voice recordings that he found it hard to focus on his work when there were distractions present, which was likely the reason he needed a private "sanctuary".
Based on his voice recording from 1935, Sammy had even criticized Joey for his poor planning skills, which caused him to work constantly to compose songs by a quick deadline, referring to this planning as Joey's typical planning. This constant increase in work caused him to slowly go insane at the constant sight of Bendy, who he claimed to have seen in his sleep and would expect himself to go insane after a few months. He claimed Bendy is "always watching", and states how something seems wrong about his smile to him, but couldn't confirm the reason for his suspicion. Although he decides to shake off these observations for the sake of his department and Bendy.
In the Dreams Come to Life novel, he is relatively neutral towards most others (albeit rude and condescending), especially Buddy Lewek, when the former forced the latter to clean an ink spill, which also means that he is also somewhat bossy towards his workers.
In-Game Appearances
Bendy and the Ink Machine
Chapter 2: The Old Song
Sammy has two audio logs, recorded from when he was still human. They can be found in the Music Department hall and hall closet respectively.
According to his first audio log, Sammy complains that he and the other workers have been unable to get out of their department at least three times since the arrival of the Ink Machine because the ink that flows from it kept flooding the stairwell. In order to drain the ink out, Joey installed an ink pump with the switch in Sammy's office, greatly frustrating him with the number of people going in and out all day.
From his second recording, Sammy gives hints on how to open his sanctuary by playing two, three, or four of his favorite instruments. The order in which they are played is changed every playthrough.
The projectionist, Norman Polk, makes note of Sammy's strange behavior of telling the band and the recording staff to wait in the hall in the middle of a recording session.[6] Norman would hear Sammy turn on the projector and then rush back down to the studio[7]. Even though the projector would turn off, Sammy would not resurface out for a long time.[8] This is another hint on how to open Sammy's sanctuary.
Susie Campbell mentions that Sammy once told her that Alice's popularity may rival Bendy's some day in her cassette.[9] Other than that, Sammy describes Alice's voice as so heavenly and beautiful.[10]
Wally Franks notes in his audio log that he hopes Sammy does not find out about him losing his keys, once again showing the music director's lack of patience for distractions.
Chapter 3: Rise and Fall
Although Sammy does not appear in Chapter 3 as a voice or a presence, Susie Campbell mentions him in her second audio log found in the "angel path" room. She is horrified at seeing Sammy from the recording booth meeting a new voice actress, Allison Pendle, intended to replace her as the new voice of Alice.[11]
As Henry enters the elevator after collecting all special gears on Level K, Twisted Alice will mention Sammy, claiming that he once told her she had talent, but that he was a good liar.[12] She also says that Sammy used to be a handsome man before he was turned into a monster of ink.[13]
Chapter 5: The Last Reel
Besides his ink form's return, Sammy's name is seen in his to-do list notepaper printed on the bulletin board from Joey's house at the chapter's end, told to write a soundtrack for the "Tombstone Picnic" cartoon, record voice-over of Allison Pendle (with Susie's name crossed out) for Alice Angel, and keeping the Bendy cutouts out of the animation company's recording studio (referencing the witness seen in Chapter 2).
Novel Appearances
Dreams Come to Life
Sammy appears in the Dreams Come to Life novel, as the secondary antagonist. He first appears when Buddy Lewek is attempting to make conversation with a violinist when Sammy appears with a supposedly hideous appearance, covered head to toe in ink as the result of an ink spill that he was caught in. Buddy, believing Sammy to be eccentric, questions his mood, to which Sammy belittles Buddy. After Buddy introduces himself, Sammy tells Buddy why he is covered head to toe in ink and drags him to where it happened, and then furiously orders him to clean up the mess. Later on, Buddy overhears a heated argument between Sammy and Thomas Connor, concerning the former's habit of stealing ink bottles.
In the thirteenth chapter, he storms into the Art department in hopes of searching for ink but leaves when Abby Lambert points out that the ink was not kept in their supply closet at all, but in a hidden safe embedded within Lambert's desk. He later appears when Buddy delivers a folder to Sammy in his office, to which he snarkily responds "Fantastic". Later in the novel, during an investigation at the studio, he mysteriously disappears. but when the studio is reopened after a two-day gap, the repercussions of Sammy's apparent disappearance have resulted in the music department being shut down until such time as he returns. Toward the end of the novel, Sammy's insanity becomes apparent.
After Joey Drew's company party, Buddy is startled to learn that his coworkers, Jacob, Richie, Dave, and Dot have been kidnapped. Sensing danger, Buddy returns to the studio to find out what is going on but is suddenly caught off-guard by an insane Sammy Lawrence, who had not disappeared at all but rather had remained in hiding the entire time. As Buddy finds himself restrained and sitting in a chair near where Richie was right in front of him, a completely transformed Sammy Lawrence emerges before them and reveals that the reason he transformed was due to an unhealthy addiction to the ink, from several stolen ink bottles, following a workplace accident in which a drop of ink landed in his mouth.
Despite Buddy's objections, Sammy planned on offering Buddy, Richie, and Dot as sacrifices to an unknown entity. Jacob and Dave had already been taken away before Buddy woke up. When Buddy demanded to know where Jacob was, Sammy dismissed Buddy's questions and proceeded to begin his "Ritual". However, Dot managed to escape to the Projection booth, where she dropped a projector on Sammy's head, knocking him out. He is not seen again for the remainder of the novel, although it is likely he survived, for obvious reasons.
Dialogue
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Trivia
General Facts
- It has been stated by theMeatly that April 18 is Sammy's birthday, the same release date of Bendy and the Ink Machine: Chapter 2.[14] However, it is unclear if this is a legitimate fact about Sammy or a joke about him being first introduced on that date in said chapter.
- Sammy Lawrence's name could be a reference to Sammy Lerner, known for composing the "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man" song for Popeye cartoons and other pieces of music from Fleischer Studios.
- His name could also be a reference to Sammy Timberg who is also a music director from Fleischer Studios.
- Sammy and Jack Fain's names could be references to Sammy Fain and Jack Lawrence, both of whom were composers.
In-Game Facts
- Chapter 2: The Old Song
- The transcript's first line of Sammy's first recording as a human has an error. The word is "had" instead of "kept" from Sammy describing how "...the ink had flooded the stairwell."
- In his second audio log, there is also an error where the transcript's word is "have" instead of "got" from Sammy saying "Joey Drew has his and I have mine.".
Gallery
References
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| Executives | Joey Drew • Henry Stein | |
|---|---|---|
| Art Department | Abby Lambert • Jacob • Richie • Dave | |
| Story Department | Dot | |
| Music Department | Sammy Lawrence • Jack Fain | |
| Voice Providers | Allison Pendle • Susie Campbell | |
| Daniel Lewek • Wally Franks • Norman Polk • Miss Rodriguez • Emma LaMonte | ||
| Major characters | Allison Pendle (Allison Angel) • Bertrum Piedmont • Buddy Lewek (Buddy Boris) • Henry Stein • Joey Drew • Norman Polk • Sammy Lawrence • Susie Campbell • Thomas Connor (Tom) • Wally Franks | |
|---|---|---|
| Minor characters | Boris Clone • Grant Cohen • Jack Fain • Lacie Benton • Shawn Flynn | |
| Mentioned | Linda | |
| Major characters | Buddy Lewek (Buddy Boris) • Sammy Lawrence | |
|---|---|---|
| Minor characters | Boris Clone • Emma LaMonte • Jack Fain • Norman Polk • Shawn Flynn • Thomas Connor • Wally Franks | |
| Mentioned | Nathan Arch | |
| Major characters | Abby Lambert • Allison Pendle • Buddy Lewek • Dave • Dot • Irena Lewek • Jacob • Joey Drew • Mr. Schwartz • Mr. Unger • Norman Polk • Richie • Sammy Lawrence • Thomas Connor | |
|---|---|---|
| Minor characters | Bertrum Piedmont • Lenny • Miss Rodriguez • Mrs. Panek • Wally Franks | |
| Mentioned | Henry Stein • Mr. Lewek • Linda • Susie Campbell | |
