Samuel Southey Hinds (April 4, 1875 – October 13, 1948) was an American actor who is perhaps best remembered for playing Peter Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and for his part in You Can't Take It With You (1938), both films by Frank Capra. He was also known for his roles in the Abbott & Costello films such as Buck Privates (1941), Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942) and Pardon My Sarong (1942).

Hinds was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a Harvard Law School graduate and was a lawyer before becoming an actor. In 1929, Hinds retired as a lawyer and started acting in Broadway shows at age 54. In 1932, Hinds acted a bit part in his first film If I Had a Million (1932). His second film was The Road Is Open Again (1933) portrayed President Woodrow Wilson. His earlier career was reflected in the role of Judge Thatcher, tortured by the mad Dr. Richard Vollin (Bela Lugosi) in The Raven (1935).

Hinds acted in a total of 214 films. His last film was The Bribe, released in 1949, after his death. He died of pneumonia in Pasadena, California on October 13, 1948 at age 73.

Samuel ( /ˈsæm.juː.əl/;Hebrew: שְׁמוּאֶל, Modern Shmu'el Tiberian Šəmûʼēl; Greek: Σαμουήλ Samouēl; Latin: Samvel; صموئيل, Ṣamu’īl; Strong's: Shemuwel) is a leader of ancient Israel in the Books of Samuel in the Hebrew Bible. He is also known as a prophet and is mentioned in the Qur'an.

His status, as viewed by rabbinical literature, is that he was the last of the Hebrew Judges and the first of the major prophets who began to prophesy inside the Land of Israel. He was thus at the cusp between two eras. According to the text of the Books of Samuel, he also anointed the first two kings of the Kingdom of Israel: Saul and David.

Samuel's mother was Hannah and his father was Elkanah. Hannah, at the beginning of the narrative, is barren and childless, like Abraham's wife Sarah. Hannah prays to God for a child. Eli who is sitting at the foot of the doorpost in the sanctuary at Shiloh, sees her apparently mumbling and thinks Hannah is drunk, but is soon assured of her motivation and sobriety. Eli was, according to the Books of Samuel, the name of a priest of Shiloh, and one of the last Israelite Judges before the rule of kings in ancient Israel. He blesses her after she promises the child to God. Subsequently Hannah becomes pregnant; her child is Samuel. After he is weaned, she leaves him in Eli's care.