“Baywatch” hunk David Hasselhoff has had a long career as a television star, and unbeknownst to many in America has been a pop sensation in Europe since the late 80s. Currently serving as a judge on the smash hit variety show “America’s Got Talent” alongside “Moesha” star Brandy, Hasselhoff has also become an Internet star in recent years due to his smart courting of a self-parodying public image.
Hasselhoff was born in Baltimore on July 17, 1952 to a family of predominantly German ancestry. At an early age he showed extraordinary talent as an actor and singer, and originally believed his career would gravitate towards Broadway until he landed a recurring role on “The Young and the Restless” in 1975. After leaving the popular soap in 1982, Hasselhoff starred in the TV action hit “Knight Rider”, which remains one of the most beloved programs of the 80s. The show’s souped-up crime-fighting car made for an excellent complement to the sexy actor’s old-school charm, and the program was a huge hit during its four-season run. Hasselhoff also used it as a springboard for his singing career, and released his debut album “Night Rocker” in 1985. This freshman effort was a mild success, and after two more albums he released the single “Looking for Freedom” in 1989 to coincide with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The song briefly became an unofficial national anthem for German audiences, and the subsequent album release made him far and away the best-selling artist of the year in Germany. He has since released an astounding twelve albums, six of which have reached platinum sales in Europe.
His biggest success to date came in 1989 with the first season of “Baywatch”, which ironically was cancelled by NBC after a single season. Seeing enormous potential in the show, Hasselhoff bought the rights to the program and revived it a year later in syndication, where it remained for a jaw-dropping ten more seasons. Playing head lifeguard Lt. Mitch Buchannon, the show’s shirtless adventures and unabashedly cheesy plotlines made it a mindless favorite for the 90s, and scantily clad rising starlets like Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, and Carmen Electra ensured its continued success by giving young males a reason to watch the thinly veiled beach soap opera.
Irritated with the direction of the show (then called “Baywatch Hawaii”), Hasselhoff ended its reign in 2000 due to low ratings and his understandable boredom with it. Since then he has made self-deprecating cameos in several movies including “Dodgeball” and this summer’s Adam Sandler hit “Click”, participated in the 2003 reunion special “Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding”, and has continued to find success as a pop star, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. “America’s Got Talent” has become the surprise hit of the summer, and a new “Knight Rider” film is also reportedly in the works with Hasselhoff set to star again as Michael Knight.