| Sam Trautman | |
|---|---|
| Rambo character | |
 | |
| First appearance | First Blood (1982) |
| Last appearance | Rambo III (1988) |
| Created by | David Morrell |
| Portrayed by | Richard Crenna |
| Voiced by | Alan Oppenheimer |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Samuel Richard Trautman |
| Alias | Covey Leader (field names) |
| Occupation |  Colonel, United States Army |
| Nationality | American |
Colonel Samuel Richard "Sam" Trautman is a fictional character in the Rambo novel and film series, and other media in the franchise. His first appearance was in David Morrell's novel First Blood. His character was expanded on in the film series where he was played by Richard Crenna.
The character has been variously described as a father figure to the main character,[1]: 224 and as a symbol for the military or the American government and its relationship with soldiers. In the original novel of First Blood, Trautman serves as an allegory for "Uncle Sam", i.e., the United States Government which created Rambo to serve their military needs.[2]: 188 In both First Blood and Rambo Trautman primarily exists as a background figure engaging in arguments with other figures who are pursuing or using Rambo for their own purposes, while in Rambo III, Trautman becomes a more central figure in the physical action of the film.
- ^ Brian James Baer, "Fathers, Sons, and Brothers: Redeeming Patriarchal Authority in The Brigade", in Helena Goscilo and Yana Hashamova, eds., Cinepaternity: Fathers and Sons in Soviet and Post-Soviet Film (2010), p. 238.
- ^ Rebecca A. Umland, Outlaw Heroes as Liminal Figures of Film and Television (2016).