David Michael Hasselhoff
14 min read
Reading time
2,725
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Published
139
Film credits
6
Awards
David Hasselhoff starred as Michael Knight in Knight Rider 1982 and Mitch Buchannon in Baywatch 1989; Baywatch reached over one billion weekly viewers at its peak. His single ‘Looking for Freedom’ was number one in Germany for eight weeks in 1989. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996 and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as ‘The Most Watched TV Star in the World’.
Names, aliases, and relatives of David Hasselhoff — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
David Hasselhoff by the numbers — life, work, and family.
David Hasselhoff — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
At age seven, David Hasselhoff began taking acting, singing, and dancing lessons, though he was shy offstage. Born on July 17, 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland to Dolores Therese and Joe Hasselhoff, a business executive, he grew up with four sisters and moved frequently due to his father’s job. He attended Marist High School in Atlanta but transferred to Lyons Township High School in Illinois, graduating in 1970. He later studied at California Institute of the Arts and other institutions.
American audiences first saw Hasselhoff as Dr. Snapper Foster on The Young and the Restless for six seasons in the 1970s. Lured by NBC’s Brandon Tartikoff to prime time, he starred as Michael Knight in Knight Rider 1982, which earned him a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Action Star and a large international following. When that show ended, he launched a singing career in Europe and released nine albums. His 1989 single Looking for Freedom spent eight weeks at number one in Germany. Hasselhoff returned to television as Mitch Buchannon on Baywatch 1989; after NBC canceled it, he and partners revived the show in 1991, turning it into a series seen in 140 countries by over one billion viewers weekly. He also starred in the miniseries Shaka Zulu 1986 and appeared in numerous other projects.
Hasselhoff has been married three times: to Catherine Hickland 1984-1989, Pamela Bach 1989-2006, and Hayley Roberts since July 2018. He has two daughters, Taylor-Ann and Hayley Hasselhoff. An outdoor sports enthusiast, he enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and white water rafting. He has parachuted with the U.S. Army Golden Knights and flown with the Blue Angels. His charity, Race For Life, supports terminally ill and handicapped children. In 2002, he checked into the Betty Ford Clinic for alcohol-related problems. He and then-wife Pamela were injured in a motorcycle crash, and he once saved a drowning child and helped rescue a car crash victim.
David Hasselhoff’s performances in Knight Rider and Baywatch made him a widely recognized television star. The Guinness Book of World Records lists him as The Most Watched TV Star in the World. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television in 1996. His singing career made him a major recording artist in Europe, where he still performs. He appeared as himself in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 2017. After Baywatch was canceled by NBC, Hasselhoff and partners revived it in 1991, turning it into a global success. He is often parodied in media.
The complete filmography of David Hasselhoff — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by David Hasselhoff — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from David Hasselhoff — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
I Find It a Bit Sad That There Is No Photo of Me Hanging on the Walls in the Berlin Museum at Checkpoint Charlie.
That’s Kind of a Double-edged Sword. My Daughter Lives in Atlanta and They Are Allowed to Carry Guns in Their Cars. It’s Like the Wild West There. If There’s a Gun Around, I Believe You Are Going to Use It. I Think It’s Really Dangerous to Have a Gun in Your House, so I Would Never, Never Have a Gun in My House.
I Think Michael Jackson Would Still Be Alive If People Had the Guts to Tell Him the Truth.
Little-known facts about David Hasselhoff — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
He once saved a drowning child during a beach outing.
He helped rescue a car crash victim at an accident scene.
In Germany, his dubbing voice is shared with Kermit the Frog.
The Guinness Book of World Records lists him as The Most Watched TV Star in the World thanks to his roles in Knight Rider 1982 and Baywatch 1989.
He has sold millions of records in Germany.
He played Michael Knight on Knight Rider 1982; his ex-wife Catherine Hickland is married to Michael E. Knight.
He pursued a singing career and became a major recording artist in Europe. His 1984 attempt to break into the American music scene with a remake of Do You Love Me? bombed. In 1994, he scheduled a live pay-per-view from Atlantic City, but O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco chase interrupted the event, and he has not tried to break into the American music scene since.
In 1989, he was awarded Most Popular and Best Selling Artist of the Year in Germany and performed Freedom on the Berlin Wall on New Year’s Eve 1989.
He was considered for the role of Boba Fett in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back 1980, which went to Jeremy Bulloch.
He has four sisters: Daine Hasselhoff born May 19, 1950, Joyce Hasselhoff born July 1, 1954, Jean Hasselhoff born March 7, 1956, and Lisa Hasselhoff born July 5, 1968.
On June 15, 2007, after a court battle with ex-wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff, he was awarded primary physical and full legal custody of his daughters Taylor-Ann and Hayley.
On June 26, 2002, he checked into the Betty Ford Clinic for alcohol-related problems.
He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard on January 12, 1996.
He is one of the few actors to play the same regular character on two different series simultaneously: Mitch Buchannon on both Baywatch 1989 and Baywatch Nights 1995 from 1995 to 1997.
He once explained on a talk show about being attacked by a male kangaroo at a wildlife preserve.
His lead role in Baywatch Hawaii was scheduled to be killed off in an explosion ending the 1999-2000 season due to his commitment to the series Double Cross.
He has English, German, and Irish ancestry.
He failed out of Marist High School in Atlanta but transferred to Lyons Township High School in the Chicago suburbs, where he successfully graduated. A plaque with his image is on display on the Wall of Fame in the main corridor.
In 1990, Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown chose him for the magazine’s 25th anniversary issue.
His sister Jean Hasselhoff appeared in the Knight Rider 1982 episode Dead of Knight 1984 as Stanley Kamel’s secretary Rosemary.
His stage credits include Grease and The Rocky Horror Show as Dr. Frank N. Furter. He never played Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar, despite a popular misconception.
He has season tickets to University of Arizona football games; his daughter Taylor-Ann became a student there in fall 2008.
His mother Dolores Hasselhoff died from a stroke.
His single Jump In My Car reached #3 on the UK Music Charts.
He and his then-wife Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff were injured when their motorcycle crashed into a light pole; both suffered minor injuries.
He attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts Chicago and the California Institute of Arts Los Angeles.
He has two daughters: Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff and Hayley Hasselhoff.
He was a guest at Simon Cowell’s 50th birthday party.
He attended and graduated from Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois in 1970 and is listed in the Alumni Hall of Fame.
He is second cousins with Australian television host Rove McManus.
He chose singer Corina Brouder as a wild card on America’s Got Talent 2006 because she has such an aura.
He attended Marist High School in Atlanta, Georgia.
He is the son of Joe Hasselhoff and Dolores Hasselhoff.
He was engaged to Roberta Leighton.
He was born on the same date as Paul Pape.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about David Hasselhoff.
Celebrities similar to David Hasselhoff — same craft, ranked by reach.
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