Sammy Johnstone Character Analysis in Blood Brothers

The “bad apple” of the Johnstone family, Sammy begins the play as an object of envy for his younger brother, Mickey. Dropped on his head by a young Donna Marie when he was a baby, Sammy quickly becomes a juvenile delinquent, even trying to rob a bus as a teenager. Eventually, the adult Sammy turns to a life of crime, and persuades the unemployed Mickey to help him. This attempted robbery, however, ends with a murder, and Sammy presumably winds up in jail, as does Mickey.

Sammy Johnstone Character Timeline in Blood Brothers

The timeline below shows where the character Sammy Johnstone appears in Blood Brothers. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...out, relieved to see him, and embraces him. He begins to complain, saying that “our Sammy”—his older brother—has stolen his other gun. Mrs. Johnstone tries to comfort him, saying that Sammy... (full context)

Frustrated, Mickey sings about how much he envies his brother Sammy. He complains that even though he himself is almost eight, everyone in his life treats... (full context)

...him that in his world, people don’t simply give things away for free. His brother Sammy, for instance, would urinate on a sweet before giving it to his younger sibling. Mickey... (full context)

Sammy enters and interrupts the moment, holding a toy gun. He demands a sweet, and Edward... (full context)

...Mrs. Johnstone hears Edward’s name and freezes with surprise. After a moment, however, she orders Sammy and Mickey to get into her house. Edward asks her if he’s done something wrong,... (full context)

...from his garden as the neighborhood children begin a series of battles with each other. Sammy is in one gang, while Mickey and his friend Linda are in another. The children... (full context)

...he’ll at last be able to see his twin again. Mickey brags that he’s stolen Sammy’s best gun, and tells Linda that they can play with it with Edward. (full context)

...their commands. Mickey introduces Edward to Linda, and the three decide to play together with Sammy’s gun by trying to shoot at the “thingy” on the Peter Pan statue in the... (full context)

...confronts Mrs. Johnstone, telling her that she and her children will get no more warnings—if Sammy or Mickey commit any more crimes, he will take Mrs. Johnstone to court. As he... (full context)

Mrs. Johnstone appears clutching a letter, ecstatic. Donna Marie and Sammy enter, as do the Johnstones’ neighbors, and Mrs. Johnstone announces that her family is being... (full context)

...even takes her dancing, telling her that she has legs like Marilyn Monroe. Of course, Sammy has burned the school down, but Mrs. Johnstone manages to get him out of a... (full context)

...the bus stop, and Mrs. Johnstone continues to tease her son. As she does so, Sammy enters—he tells his mother that he’s off to wait in the unemployment line for his... (full context)

...get on the bus. Mickey and Linda pay a reduced price because they’re students, but Sammy attempts to pay the lower rate as well. When the conductor tells Sammy that he’s... (full context)

Linda and Mickey are left alone onstage, and Linda warns Mickey that Sammy’s going to be put into prison. She says that Mickey had better not ever go... (full context)

The two separate, and Sammy approaches Mickey, while Linda greets Edward. Edward asks Linda why she hasn’t come to see... (full context)

On the other side of the stage, Sammy tries to convince Mickey to be a lookout during a burglary, promising that although he... (full context)

Sammy tempts Mickey with the promise of fifty pounds, and Mickey agrees to go along with... (full context)

...get dressed up, but refuses to tell her where the money will come from. As Sammy calls him from offstage, Mickey makes ready to leave, even as a suspicious Linda begs... (full context)

...is afraid of the price that Mickey will have to pay. Mickey keeps watch as Sammy argues with one of his partners over a gun. Abruptly, an alarm bell sounds and... (full context)

...for Linda. Then he races to his mother’s house to pick up the gun that Sammy hid under the floor. As he runs out, Mrs. Johnstone sees him, and begins calling... (full context)