Dr. Samuel "Sam" J. Loomis is a fictional character in the Halloween franchise. One of the two main protagonists of the overall series (the other being Laurie Strode), he appears in seven of the eleven Halloween films, first appearing in John Carpenter's original 1978 film. Donald Pleasence plays the character in five films and Malcolm McDowell portrays him in the 2007 reimagining, Halloween and its sequel Halloween II. Throughout the Halloween franchise, he is depicted as the archenemy to the series' central character and primary antagonist, Michael Myers. Although a main character in the franchise, the role of Dr Loomis is that of grit, determination and an unwavering desire to take down evil.