Dr. Samuel "Sam" J. Loomis, PhD. is a fictional character and a main protagonist in the horror film franchise of Halloween portrayed by the late Donald Pleasence in five films and Malcolm McDowell in the 2007 reimagined remake and its sequel. In all portrayals, he is introduced as the psychiatrist of the series' antagonist Michael Myers, who is driven to pursue and restrain his murderous former patient. Loomis is assigned to be the psychiatrist of then 6-year-old Michael Myers at Smith's Grove Sanitarium after the boy committed cold-blooded sororicide against his 17-year-old sister, Judith on Halloween night in 1963, he spent 8 years trying and failing to reach Myers before coming to the conclusion that his patient was "purely and simply evil" and advocating that Myers should never ever be released for the rest of his life, something that fell on deaf ears with his superiors.