Rob Lowe’s Departure
When the show increasingly started to focus on Josh Lyman, the Deputy Chief Of Staff (played by Bradley Whitford), and less on Sam, Lowe became unhappy. It was also reported that executives refused to give him a pay raise (he had been earning $75,000 an episode compared to Sheen, who’s salary grew to $300,000 an episode).
“As much as it hurts to admit it, it has been increasingly clear, for a while, that there was no longer a place for Sam Seaborn on The West Wing,” Lowe said. He left during the fourth season. He had received one Emmy and two Golden Globe nominations for his role.
