Mr. Beauregarde

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Sam Beauregarde is a character in the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its 1971 incarnation Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. He is the father of Violet Beauregarde.

[edit] In the novel

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Mr. Sam Beauregarde and Mrs. Beauregarde both accompany their daughter to the chocolate factory. Of the parents in attendance, they are the most undeveloped, not speaking until Violet has done so. They are critical of their daughter but try their best to hide it. As she chews the gum, they egg her on and Mr. Beauregarde says that their little girl is the first person in the world to have a chewing-gum meal (a line recycled by his wife in the 2005 movie). He and his wife leave with their daughter at the end of the novel.

[edit] 1971 film

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In the subsequent film adaptation, he is given the name Sam. In the introduction, he refers to himself during sales pitches 'Square Deal Sam'. He is a prominent politician in Violet's hometown of Miles City, Montana. He never misses an opportunity to sell off his cars, but Violet is quick to reclaim the spotlight. He is fast talking and crooked (he thinks "contracts are strictly for suckers"), but towards his daughter, he is generally an attentive and caring father. He also is very friendly to Veruca's father, Mr. Salt, suggesting that they team up.

In the Inventing Room, he tries peeking under a top secret machine, but an alarm foils this. He is enraged at Willy Wonka when Violet's comeuppance begins (although his irrational anger towards Wonka may be due to the stress of his deformed daughter ,as he originally considered Violet's actions as stupid), condoning Violet's own lack of respect for authority and is last seen being led after her after one last threatening grab at Wonka. After his threat to get back at Wonka, he is led out of the room to sadly (and comically) moan, "I've got a blueberry for a daughter."

His fate at the film's conclusion remains unknown. He is played by Leonard Stone.

Mr. Beauregarde is absent from the 2005 adaptation, where Violet is instead accompanied by her mother.