David Hasselhoff is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "The Most Watched TV Star in the World," thanks to starring roles in both "Knight Rider" and "Baywatch." Born in Baltimore, MD, he initially hoped for a music career, but his first professional job came on the CBS soap opera, "Young and the Restless," playing Dr. Snapper Foster.
After six years he was lured to NBC by Brandon Tartikoff to take the starring role in "Knight Rider," leading him to a People's Choice Award for Most Popular Actor. The show is still playing in over 82 countries. In 1989 he headed the cast of "Baywatch," which, after being canceled by NBC, was acquired by Hasselhoff and his partners. They became the executive producers, and TV history was made.
Today, "Baywatch" is viewed in 140 countries by over one billion viewers each week. Along the way Hasselhoff appeared in several feature films, including Layover, Legacy, Final Alliance, Don’t Call Me, John Waters’ A Dirty Shame, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and most recently was seen in the family favorite The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. He will soon star in Adam Sandler’s Click, a new feature film to be released next summer. TV movies include "One True Love," "Shaka Zulu," "Nick Fury," "Gridlock,” "Avalanche,” “Baywatch Hawaiian Wedding” as well as guest appearances on TV series such as “Just Shoot Me” and “Yes, Dear.”
His remarkable musical career took off in the late 1980s when he recorded the album, Looking for Freedom, at the end of the Cold War. The song became an anthem for the German people and remained at the top of their charts for eight weeks. The album went triple platinum in Europe, and Hasselhoff was named "Most Popular and Best Selling Artist of the Year" in Germany. He sang "Looking for Freedom" from atop the Berlin Wall during the German reunification celebration. His most recent album, “David Hasselhoff Sings America,” is a selection of his favorite American pop standards. His concerts play to standing-room-only audiences throughout the world and he has released six other albums in Europe which have all gone platinum and gold.
Hasselhoff recently made his long-awaited theatrical debut in the Broadway musical “Jekyll and Hyde,” which was also filmed by Broadway Television Network. He went on to make his West End debut this past summer in the hit musical “Chicago.”
Hasselhoff founded the charity, "Race for Life," and is a frequent visitor to children's hospitals during his travels around the world. He was a key participant in "Camp Baywatch," dedicated to disadvantaged youth in Los Angeles, and is still active with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Hasselhoff was recently honored with the International Star of the Year Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Entertainment by the Bollywood Awards. He resides in Southern California with his wife, actress Pamela Bach, and their two daughters. |
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