David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952),
[ nicknamed "The Hoff", is an American actor, singer, and television personality. He has set a Guinness World Record as the most watched man on TV. Hasselhoff first gained recognition on '']The Young and The Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, ...
'' (1975–1982), playing the role of Dr. Snapper Foster
Snapper Foster is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. An original character since the show's inception, the role was played by William Gray Espy from March 26, 1973 to September 26, 1975, and David ...
. His career continued with his leading role as Michael Knight on ''Knight Rider
''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'' (1982–1986) and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon
Mitch Buchannon is a fictional character from the television series ''Baywatch''. He was played by David Hasselhoff in every season of ''Baywatch'' and ''Baywatch Nights'' plus in the first season of ''Baywatch Hawaii''. He also appeared in three ...
in ''Baywatch
''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bo ...
'' (1989–2000)''.'' He also produced ''Baywatch'' from the 1990s until 2001 when the series ended with ''Baywatch Hawaii
''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonan ...
.''
Hasselhoff has appeared in films, including ''Dodgeball
Dodgeball is a team sport in which players on two teams try to throw balls and hit opponents, while avoiding being hit themselves. The objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them with thrown balls, cat ...
'' (2004), ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'' is a 2004 American live-action/animated adventure comedy film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. The film was directed, co-written, and produced by series creat ...
'' (2004), ''Click'' (2006), and '' Hop'' (2011). Before Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...
, Hasselhoff was the first actor to portray the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
character Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
in the telefilm '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998). In 2000, he made his Broadway debut in the musical ''Jekyll & Hyde
''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is a 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old ...
''. Following his debut, he starred in other musicals including ''Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
'' and '' The Producers''.
In 1989, Hasselhoff released the studio album ''Looking for Freedom'', which went to triple platinum in Europe, and its lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
went to number one in Germany and Switzerland. Hasselhoff has also worked as a talent show judge on television shows such as '' America's Got Talent'' (2006–2009) and ''Britain's Got Talent
''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloqui ...
'' (2011).
Early life and education
Hasselhoff was born in Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
, the son of Dolores Theresa (née Mullinex; April 23, 1930 – February 11, 2009), a homemaker, and Joseph Vincent Hasselhoff (May 2, 1925 – November 16, 2014), a business executive. His family is Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
with German, English, and Irish descent.[ His great-great-grandmother, Meta, emigrated with her family to Baltimore from Völkersen, ]Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
in 1865.
He spent his childhood in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
, and later lived in Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Georgia, where he attended Marist School. Hasselhoff made his theatrical debut at the age of seven in Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...
, and ever since his childhood dream was to have a career on Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
. He graduated from Lyons Township High School
Lyons Township High School (often referred to as LTHS or simply LT) is a public high school located in Western Springs, Illinois (South Campus), and also in La Grange, Illinois (North Campus).
Lyons Township is a co-educational high school and ...
in La Grange, Illinois
''(the barn)''
, nickname =
, motto = ''Tradition & Pride – Moving Forward''
, anthem = ''My La Grange'' by Jimmy Dunne
, image_map = File:Cook County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas La Grange Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 26 ...
, in 1970. He was a member of the speech team, senior discussion leaders, president of the choir, captain of the volleyball team and held roles in several plays (including one lead role as Matt in ''The Fantasticks
''The Fantasticks'' is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the 1894 play ''The Romancers'' (''Les Romanesques'') by Edmond Rostand, concerning two neigh ...
''). He studied at Oakland University before graduating with a degree in theater at the California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of both ...
.
Early career
Hasselhoff portrayed Dr. "Snapper Foster
Snapper Foster is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. An original character since the show's inception, the role was played by William Gray Espy from March 26, 1973 to September 26, 1975, and David ...
" on ''The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, ...
'' from 1975 to 1982, leaving the series as the show wrote out many of their original characters. His feature film debut was in 1974 as "Boner" in ''Revenge of the Cheerleaders'', which he did to get accredited into the Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
. At the time, he believed that the film would not be released, but it was: two years later, also appearing under the title ''Caught with their Pants Down''. In 1979, he played "Simon" in '' Starcrash''. He launched his singing career with guest appearances on the first season of children's program ''Kids Incorporated
''Kids Incorporated'' (also known as ''Kids Inc.'') is an American children's television program that began production in the mid-1980s and continued airing well into the early 1990s. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performan ...
'', performing "Do You Love Me". He guest-starred on two episodes of ''Diff'rent Strokes
''Diff'rent Strokes'' is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackso ...
'' and the soap opera '' Santa Barbara'' as himself in 1984.
''Knight Rider''
Hasselhoff was recruited by then NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
President Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff (January 13, 1949 – August 27, 1997) was an American television executive who was the president of NBC from 1981 to 1991. He was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with such hit series as ''Hill Stre ...
to star in the action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
crime drama
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
series ''Knight Rider
''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'' from 1982 to 1986 as Michael Knight. He has described ''Knight Rider'' as more than a TV show: "It's a phenomenon. It's bigger than ''Baywatch
''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bo ...
'' ever was." On the success of ''Knight Rider'' – "It's because it was about saving lives, not taking lives, and it was how one man really can make a difference."
He describes the acting he has done as "a little more difficult than if you had a regularly well-written script – like, if I was going to be in, say, ''Reservoir Dogs
''Reservoir Dogs'' is a 1992 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino in his feature-length debut. It stars Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, Tarantino, and Edward B ...
'', or ''The Godfather
''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling 1969 novel of the same title. The film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caa ...
'', or ''Dances with Wolves
''Dances with Wolves'' is a 1990 American epic western film starring, directed, and produced by Kevin Costner in his feature directorial debut. It is a film adaptation of the 1988 novel '' Dances with Wolves'' by Michael Blake that tells the ...
'' or ''Lawrence of Arabia
Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–191 ...
'' or '' ER'', I had to talk to a car." His role in the show led him to a People's Choice Award
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
for 'Most Popular Actor'.
''Baywatch''
Hasselhoff returned to television on ''Baywatch
''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bo ...
'' which premiered in 1989. Although it was canceled after only one season, he believed the series had potential, so Hasselhoff revived it for the first-run syndication market in 1991, investing his own money and additionally functioning as executive producer. His contract stipulated royalties to be paid to him from the rerun profits, which gave him the financial liberty to buy back the rights to ''Baywatch'' from NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
.
In its second incarnation, ''Baywatch'' was much more successful. It ran for a total of 11 years and, from the 1990s until its series finale in 2001, was watched by almost 1 billion viewers across 140 countries, solidifying his status among the world's foremost television personalities of the said period.
This success combined with his royalties and his other ventures have placed Hasselhoff's fortune at more than $100 million.
In 1991, Hasselhoff reprised his role as Michael Knight in the television film ''Knight Rider 2000
''Knight Rider 2000'' is a 1991 American made-for-television science fiction action film based on the 1982–1986 television series ''Knight Rider''.
Overview
In the year 2000, conventional handguns have been banned, with law enforcement car ...
'' as a sequel to the original series. The movie served as a pilot for a proposed new series, but despite high ratings, the plan was abandoned.
In 1996, Hasselhoff was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1997, he performed a duet with Filipino singer Regine Velasquez
Regina Encarnacion Ansong Velasquez ( ; born April 22, 1970) is a Filipina singer, actress, and record producer. She is considered one of the most influential figures in Philippine popular culture and is known for her vocal range and beltin ...
, which was used as the main theme for his 1998 movie ''Legacy''. He made his Broadway debut in 2000 in the title role of ''Jekyll & Hyde
''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is a 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old ...
''. In August 2001, he hosted an event at the Conga Room, in Los Angeles honoring the Latin rock band Renegade
Renegade or The Renegade may refer to:
Aircraft
*Lake Renegade, an American amphibious aircraft design
*Murphy Renegade, a Canadian ultralight biplane design
*Southern Aeronautical Renegade, an American racing aircraft design
Games
*'' Comman ...
for record sales in excess of 30 million units worldwide, taking the stage with the Latin rockers and singing in Spanish. Beginning on July 16, 2004, he played the lead role in London performances of ''Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
'' for three months.
Hasselhoff has made several self-parodic appearances in movies. He had a major role in ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'' is a 2004 American live-action/animated adventure comedy film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series ''SpongeBob SquarePants''. The film was directed, co-written, and produced by series creat ...
'', released November 19, 2004, starring as himself (though resembling his bygone ''Baywatch'' character) and meeting SpongeBob and Patrick Patrick may refer to:
* Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name
* Patrick (surname), list of people with this name
People
* Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint
*Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick ...
(his full name is heard once in the movie; he is referred to as "Hasselhoff"). Hasselhoff also had another short appearance in the movie '' DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story'' as the dodgeball
Dodgeball is a team sport in which players on two teams try to throw balls and hit opponents, while avoiding being hit themselves. The objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them with thrown balls, cat ...
coach to the German national dodgeball team, Team Hasselhoff. Berating his team after being eliminated from a tournament, he shouts "Ihr seid alle ''Schweine''!" (translated: "You are all ''pigs''!", a common German insult) and smashes a photo of himself in his ''Baywatch'' attire. In 2004's '' EuroTrip'', Hasselhoff appears in a washroom. In the 2006 Adam Sandler film '' Click'' Hasselhoff portrays Sandler's despicable boss. Hasselhoff also appears in an episode of ''Wildboyz
''Wildboyz'' is an American television series. It is a spin-off and follow-up to '' Jackass''. ''Wildboyz'' debuted in 2003 on MTV, and moved to MTV2 in its third season. The show starred Steve-O and Chris Pontius, who perform stunts and ac ...
''. In 2007, he again played himself in the Jamie Kennedy
James Harvey Kennedy (born May 25, 1970) is an American actor and comedian. He has played Randy Meeks in the ''Scream'' franchise (1996–2000) and a multitude of characters in '' The Jamie Kennedy Experiment'' (2002–2004) on The WB. His oth ...
comedy ''Kickin' It Old Skool
''Kickin' It Old Skool'' is a 2007 American comedy film directed by Harvey Glazer, written by Trace Slobotkin, and starring Jamie Kennedy (who also serves as a producer), Bobby Lee, Maria Menounos, Michael Rosenbaum and Vivica A. Fox, with a came ...
''.
In his music video for "Jump in My Car
"Jump in My Car" is a song originally recorded by Australian rock band Ted Mulry Gang in 1975. The song was written by Australian singer Ted Mulry and guitarist Les Hall, and was the first hit for the band in Australia. "Jump in My Car" was numbe ...
", he engages in self-parody; this time parodying his performance as Michael Knight in ''Knight Rider
''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
''. The car in the video was a black Pontiac Trans Am
The Pontiac Firebird is an American automobile that was built and produced by Pontiac from the 1967 to 2002 model years. Designed as a pony car to compete with the Ford Mustang, it was introduced on February 23, 1967, five months after GM's Che ...
with a pulsing LED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor Electronics, device that Light#Light sources, emits light when Electric current, current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy i ...
and an interior nearly identical to that of the KITT
KITT or K.I.T.T. is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure franchise ''Knight Rider''. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared i ...
car in the series. The video was shot in Sydney, Australia using a right-hand drive
Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are the practices, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively. They are fundamental to traffic flow, and are sometimes referred to ...
KITT replica, including KITT's ejection seat
In aircraft, an ejection seat or ejector seat is a system designed to rescue the pilot or other crew of an aircraft (usually military) in an emergency. In most designs, the seat is propelled out of the aircraft by an explosive charge or rock ...
system.
In November 2006, Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...
announced Hasselhoff would portray Roger DeBris, the director of the Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
musical ''Springtime for Hitler
''Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp With Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden'' is a fictional musical in Mel Brooks' 1967 film '' The Producers'', as well as the stage musical adaptation of the movie, and the 2005 movie adaptation of the musical. It ...
'', in the Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
production of '' The Producers''.
In 2006, Hasselhoff became a co-judge on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's '' America's Got Talent'', a show that showcases America's best amateur entertainers. He also judged in the second, third and fourth seasons alongside Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan
Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; né O'Meara; born 30 March 1965) is a British broadcaster, journalist, writer, and television personality. He began his Fleet Street career in 1988 at '' The Sun''. In 1994, aged 29, he was appointed editor of the ...
. On the 2007 season finale, Hasselhoff sang "This is the Moment". He was replaced by comedian Howie Mandel for season five.
Later career
Hasselhoff produced ''Baywatch
''Baywatch'' is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bo ...
'' for first run syndication. He has spoken at both the Oxford and Cambridge Student Unions.
He was a celebrity cast member on the eleventh season of '' Dancing with the Stars'' which increased in ratings by 36% from the previous year and served as a judge on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's '' America's Got Talent'' from 2006 to 2009. In 2011, he joined the ''Britain's Got Talent
''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloqui ...
'' judging panel, as the additional fourth judge.
Hasselhoff was later honored on Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
's ''The Comedy Central Roast
''Comedy Central Roast'' is a series of celebrity roast specials that air on the American television channel Comedy Central. The first official ''Comedy Central Roast'' premiered on August 10, 2003. On average one or two roasts air every year. T ...
of David Hasselhoff'' in addition to receiving the International Star of the Year Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Entertainment by the Bollywood Awards. He was awarded the Comeback Star of the Year award during the VH1 Big in '06 Awards.
In February 2008, towards the end of the '' Knight Rider 2008'', he reprised his career-making role as Michael Knight as he walked on to introduce himself to his on-screen son, Mike Traceur. On November 12, 2008, he became the first celebrity downloadable character for the PlayStation Network's video game ''Pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...
''.
In September 2009, he featured on a radio podcast for Compare the Meerkat, part of the advertising for British website, Comparethemarket.com
Comparethemarket is a UK price comparison website, founded in 2006, that is part of the BGL Group. The website also offers other on-line companies the ability to provide their customers with a co-branded or white labelled comparison service. ...
. He was the subject of an Early Day Motion
In the Westminster parliamentary system, an early day motion (EDM) is a motion, expressed as a single sentence, tabled by members of Parliament that formally calls for debate "on an early day". In practice, they are rarely debated in the House a ...
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom as a result of his support for the re-opening of Morecambe Winter Gardens
The Winter Gardens is a Grade II* listed building in Morecambe, Lancashire, England. Designed by architects Mangnall and Littlewood, with Frank Matcham as a consulting architect, it was originally built as the Victoria Pavilion Theatre in 1897 and ...
.
In 2010, Hasselhoff guest hosted professional wrestling's ''WWE Raw
''WWE Raw'', also known as ''Monday Night Raw'' or simply ''Raw'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that currently airs live every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network in the United States. The show fe ...
'' in London, England. On August 15, 2010, Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
aired a special "roast
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelizatio ...
" of Hasselhoff.
Hasselhoff returned to ''The Young and the Restless'', reprising his role as "Snapper" for a short arc that aired in mid-June 2010. Hasselhoff appeared as a contestant on season 11 of '' Dancing with the Stars''. His professional dance partner was Kym Johnson
Kym Herjavec (née Johnson; born 4 August 1976) is an Australian professional ballroom dancer and television performer who appeared in the first three seasons of the Australian version of ''Dancing with the Stars'' as a professional dancer, b ...
. On September 21, 2010, they were the first couple eliminated from the competition. Coincidentally, Hasselhoff competed against Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known by her mononym Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress and model. She is known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layer ...
, who judged alongside him in the first season of '' America's Got Talent''.
In October 2010, it was announced that he would be playing Captain Hook in the New Wimbledon Theatre production of the pantomime "Peter Pan" from December 2010 to January 2011. He has reprised his role of "Hoff the Hook" for 2012 at the Manchester Opera House
The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England, is a 1,920-seater commercial touring theatre that plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is a Grade II listed building. The Opera House is one of the mai ...
.
In 2011, he was a guest judge at the Belgian Idols competition. Hasselhoff became a judge on ''Britain's Got Talent
''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloqui ...
'' in 2011 alongside Amanda Holden
Amanda Louise Holden (born 16 February 1971) is an English actress, media personality, and singer. Since 2007, she has been a judge on the television talent show competition ''Britain's Got Talent'' on ITV. She also co-hosts the ''Heart Brea ...
, Michael McIntyre
Michael Hazen James McIntyre (born 21 February 1976) is an English comedian, writer and television presenter. In 2012, he was the highest-grossing stand-up comedian in the world. He currently presents his own Saturday night series, ''Michael Mc ...
and Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of '' The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on ...
. However, Hasselhoff was axed after only one series on the show and was replaced by David Walliams
David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Br ...
. In 2011, he revived his music career with a short tour across Germany, Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
. In the same year, Hasselhoff was featured in the trailer of the spin-off downloadable game, ''Burnout Crash!
''Burnout Crash!'' (branded ''Burnout CRASH!'') is a downloadable action racing video game in the '' Burnout'' series. It is developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS via PlayStation Network, ...
''.
On February 24, 2014, he opened his own 10-week talk show in Sweden on TV3, in English. A similar show was later recorded in Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, premiering on Sub on April 2, 2015.
On New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
he performed again at the Brandenburg Gate, arriving late because his plane was diverted to Hannover.
Hasselhoff had a major role in '' Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!'' which premiered globally on July 22, 2015. He then starred in a new musical, ''Last Night a DJ Saved My Life'' at the Blackpool Opera House
The Opera House Theatre is a theatre in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It is located within the Winter Gardens, a large entertainment complex in the town centre and originally opened in 1889, although it has been rebuilt twice, in 1910 and ...
, late in 2015.
On May 18, 2017 Funner, California introduced its first official mayor: David Hasselhoff.
Hasselhoff also appeared in a cameo role in the ''Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
It may more specifically refer to:
Comic book teams
* Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
'' sequel, ''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'' is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ' ...
'' as himself. He additionally performed the song "Guardians Inferno" heard over the closing credits of the film and lent his appearance to a retro styled music video for the track found on the film's DVD and Blu-Ray release.
On October 28, 2019, Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
announced that David Hasselhoff would star in '' 9 to 5: The Musical'' at the Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy P ...
in London's West End from December 2, 2019, until February 8, 2020.
Get Hasselhoff to Number 1 campaign
In 2006, fans of David Hasselhoff launched a tongue-in-cheek website "Get Hasselhoff to Number 1" in an attempt to get the 1989 hit "Looking for Freedom" to the top of the UK music charts through Internet downloads of the single. The campaign attracted attention on British radio and television broadcasts, in the national press and on the Internet. Over 40,000 people signed up to receive the "Hoff Alert" e-mail when the time had come to purchase the single. The focus of the campaign shifted to "Jump in My Car
"Jump in My Car" is a song originally recorded by Australian rock band Ted Mulry Gang in 1975. The song was written by Australian singer Ted Mulry and guitarist Les Hall, and was the first hit for the band in Australia. "Jump in My Car" was numbe ...
", when that was actually released as a single, and BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
DJ Scott Mills lent his support. On October 3, 2006, "the Hoff Alert" was sent out, and Hasselhoff promptly gained his highest ever UK chart entry (number 3) on October 8, 2006.
HoffSpace
In 2008, Hasselhoff launched a MySpace-like social networking site, known as "HoffSpace". The site is now defunct.
''The Hasselhoffs''
Hasselhoff and his daughters, Taylor-Ann and Hayley
Hayley (pronounced ) is an English given name.
It is derived from the English surname Haley (surname), Haley, which in turn was based on an Old English toponym, a compound of ''heg'' "hay" and ''leah'' "clearing or meadow".Katie Martin-Doyle, '' ...
, starred in a reality series on A&E called ''The Hasselhoffs''. The series launched on December 5, 2010, and focused on Hasselhoff's attempts to resuscitate his career and launch his daughters onto the Hollywood stage.
On December 10, 2010, A&E confirmed in a statement that, after airing just two episodes, ''The Hasselhoffs'' had been canceled. According to Nielsen Co. ratings, the first episode was seen by 718,000 viewers. Viewers dropped to 505,000 for the second installment, which aired on the same evening. The full series aired in the UK on May 30, 2011, on The Biography Channel
FYI (stylized as fyi,) is an American basic cable channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between the Disney Media Networks subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications (each owns 50%). The network features lifestyle pr ...
.
Hasselhoff stars in a casino-style game series online, produced in partnership with Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff (born May 27, 1955) is an American television producer, professional wrestling booker, and performer. He is best known for serving as Executive Producer and later Senior Vice President of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and ...
with Europe being among the first markets to roll out the game. In keeping with internet and online gambling culture in the UK, "The Hoff" series of games includes video slots and scratch-card type games, all played for real money in Europe's online casino environment. The first in the series of games launched on Valentine's Day in early March 2013, with media and promotional activities commencing in early February.
''Hoff the Record''
In 2014, UK channel Dave Dave may refer to:
Film, television, and theater
* ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver
* ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film
* Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
announced that it had commissioned ''Hoff the Record'', a sitcom series in which Hasselhoff plays a fictionalized version of himself. The series started airing on June 18, 2015.
''It's No Game and The HoffBot''
In 2017 Hasselhoff appeared in short film It's No Game by director Oscar Sharp, playing "The HoffBot". Hasselhoff's lines were generated by a neural network artificial intelligence (called Benjamin) using a statistical model trained on his own 80's and 90s television performances. Hasselhoff said the A.I. "really had a handle on what's going on in my life and it was strangely emotional".
Motivational speaking
Hasselhoff works as a motivational speaker. In January 2014, he spoke before hundreds of students at New College Nottingham
Nottingham College is one of the largest further education and higher education colleges in the United Kingdom. Based in the city of Nottingham in England, it provides education and training from pre-entry through to university-degree level at ...
in Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
, England. In April 2019, Hasselhoff spoke before thousands of attendees at TwitchCon
TwitchCon is a semi-annual gaming convention for the livestreaming video platform Twitch. The convention is organized by Twitch Interactive and focuses on the general culture of livestreaming and video gaming. TwitchCon also serves as an oppo ...
Europe in Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, Germany.
Music career
1970s
On February 2, 1977, David Hasselhoff made his musical debut on ''The Merv Griffin Show
''The Merv Griffin Show'' is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, May 10, 1965 to July 4, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 ...
'' performing "Nadia's Theme
"Nadia's Theme", originally titled "Cotton's Dream", is a piece of music composed by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. in 1971. It was originally used as incidental music for the 1971 film '' Bless the Beasts and Children'', and is better kn ...
", the theme song from the American television soap opera ''The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, ...
'', the show in which Hasselhoff was starring at the time. Ten years later his version of the song was included on his second album ''Lovin' Feelings
''Lovin' Feelings'' is the second studio album by American actor and singer David Hasselhoff. It was released on October 18, 1987, by Sony Music, CBS Records. The album was produced by Bruce Lynch and recorded in Auckland, New Zealand. The album ...
'' (1987).
1980s
Six years after his debut live performance, Hasselhoff released in 1983, his debut single "I Get the Message". In 1984, Hasselhoff made a guest appearance on the first season of ''Kids Incorporated
''Kids Incorporated'' (also known as ''Kids Inc.'') is an American children's television program that began production in the mid-1980s and continued airing well into the early 1990s. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performan ...
'', performing "Do You Love Me", which became the lead single from his upcoming debut studio album, ''Night Rocker
''Night Rocker'' is the debut studio album by the American actor David Hasselhoff. It was released in January 1985 on Silver Blue Records, produced by record producer Joel Diamond.
The album features three duets with Catherine Hickland: "Our Fi ...
'', which was released in January 1985. The album was a big success in Austria, reaching number one there and being certified Platinum. In 1987, Hasselhoff released his second studio album, ''Lovin' Feelings
''Lovin' Feelings'' is the second studio album by American actor and singer David Hasselhoff. It was released on October 18, 1987, by Sony Music, CBS Records. The album was produced by Bruce Lynch and recorded in Auckland, New Zealand. The album ...
'', which reached the top-twenty in Austria and West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, and being certified Gold in the former country. That same year, due to the popularity of ''Knight Rider
''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'' in Europe at the time, Hasselhoff embarked on his first headlining tour across Austria, with a special guest appearance from KITT
KITT or K.I.T.T. is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure franchise ''Knight Rider''. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared i ...
.
In 1988, Hasselhoff released the song " Looking for Freedom", which became a hit in Europe, especially in West Germany, where it reached number one for eight consecutive weeks. The song was also certified Platinum in West Germany and became the best-performing single of 1989 in the country. "Looking for Freedom" also topped the charts in Austria and Switzerland; and reached the top-twenty in France and Belgium. Due to its success, Hasselhoff released it on June 21, 1989, his third studio album of the same name, which was produced by German music producer Jack White
John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
. The album was a commercial success, reaching the top-five in Austria, West Germany and Switzerland; and being certified three-times Platinum in Europe. He was noted for his performance of the song at the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...
on New Year's Eve 1989, two months after the Wall had come down, but nine months before unification took place. Wearing a piano-keyboard scarf and a leather jacket covered in motion lights, Hasselhoff stood in a bucket crane and performed the song along with the crowd. The performance has had a lasting impact on German pop-culture with Hasselhoff commenting that the song became an "anthem" and "song of hope" for the people of East Germany
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
. In 2004, Hasselhoff lamented the lack of a photo of him in the Checkpoint Charlie Museum
The Checkpoint Charlie Museum (german: Das Mauermuseum – Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie) is a private museum in Berlin. It is named after the famous crossing point on the Berlin Wall, and was created to document the so-called "best bor ...
in Berlin. In July 1989, Hasselhoff released his first compilation album, ''Knight Lover
''Knight Lover'' (subtitled ''17 Greatest Hits'') is a compilation album by the American actor David Hasselhoff. It was released in July 1989.
The album contains tracks from Hasselhoff's first two studio albums, ''Night Rocker'' and '' Lovin' Fee ...
'', who contains 17 greatest hits from his first two albums ''Night Rocker'' and ''Lovin' Feelings''. The album reached the top-twenty in Switzerland; and the top-forty in West Germany.
1990s
Following the breakthrough success of '' Looking for Freedom'', Hasselhoff embarked on his second tour, The Freedom Tour, which took around April and May 1990, across West Germany and Switzerland. In August of that year, Hasselhoff released his fourth studio album, '' Crazy for You'', which topped the charts in Austria and Switzerland, as well as reached the top-ten in West Germany, eventually becoming Hasselhoff's biggest-selling album in his career. In September 1991, Hasselhoff released his fifth studio album, ''David
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
'', which matched the success of its predecessor, with both the album and its lead single "Do The Limbo Dance" reaching number one in Austria. That same year, in order to promote ''David'', Hasselhoff embarked on his third tour, the Dreams Come True Tour, which took around November and December 1991, across Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In late 1991, two compilation albums were released: ''Looking for Freedom'' and ''For You'', with the former album including hits from 1989 and 1990, and the latter including hits from 1985 to 1987; however, both albums failed to chart. In September 1992, Hasselhoff released his sixth studio album ''Everybody Sunshine
''Everybody Sunshine'' is the sixth studio album by American actor and singer David Hasselhoff, released on September 14, 1992 by White Records. The album features writing from Kristian Schultze, Peter Luedemann, Jerry Rix and The Gardeners. It wa ...
'', which became his last album being produced by Jack White
John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...
, who collaborated with Hasselhoff since 1988. Though the album was certified Gold in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, it failed to reach the commercial heights of his three previous albums, ''Looking for Freedom'', ''Crazy for You'' and ''David''.
In November 1993, Hasselhoff released his seventh studio album ''You Are Everything
"You Are Everything" is a soul song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed and originally recorded by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics.
The Stylistics version
An R&B ballad, it was the sixth track from their 1971 debut self-titled albu ...
'', which also met with moderate success in Europe, though it reached the top-ten in Austria and was certified Gold. The songs "If I Could Only Say Goodbye" and "Wir zwei allein" became hits in Europe, with the former becoming his first UK chart entry ever peaking at number 35, and the latter becoming another top-ten hit in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. That same year, he released the single "Pingu Dance" based on the children's show ''Pingu
''Pingu'' is a stop-motion children's television series co-created by Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann. It was originally produced from 1990 to 2000 by Swiss company The Pygos Group (originally called Trickfilmstudio) for SF DRS in Switzerl ...
'', and his fourth compilation album, ''Crazy for You'', which contains several hits from 1989 to 1991, however, both releases failed to chart. In 1994, Hasselhoff toured across Germany in order to promote ''You Are Everything''. That same year, he was scheduled to perform a concert on pay-per-view from Atlantic City. The concert was expected to help his singing career in the United States. However, on the night of the concert, O. J. Simpson was involved in his slow-speed chase
''The People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson'' was a criminal trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court starting in 1994, in which O. J. Simpson, a former National Football League (NFL) player, broadcaster and actor, was t ...
in southern California. Viewership of the concert was significantly lower than expected due to the live coverage of the chase, and the event was ultimately a $1.5 million loss. Hasselhoff joked that "90 million people watched O. J. and three people watched me, including me and my mom and my dad". Following this, Hasselhoff released his eighth studio album ''Du'', which became Hasselhoff's first studio album not to receive any certification in Europe, and also met with moderate success on European charts.
In 1995, Hasselhoff released four greatest hits albums, including his self-titled fifth compilation album, ''David Hasselhoff'', released on April 11, 1995, in the United States, which became his first album in eight years since ''Lovin' Feelings
''Lovin' Feelings'' is the second studio album by American actor and singer David Hasselhoff. It was released on October 18, 1987, by Sony Music, CBS Records. The album was produced by Bruce Lynch and recorded in Auckland, New Zealand. The album ...
'' (1987) to be released in the US. The record includes several songs from the albums ''You Are Everything'' and ''Du''. A new recording, called "Fallin' in Love", was released as the only single from the album. To promote ''David Hasselhoff'', Hasselhoff performed for the first time "Fallin' in Love" on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014.
The fourth incarnation of the ...
'' aired on April 13, 1995. As attempting to launch his singing career in the US, both the album and the single "Fallin' in Love" were commercially unsuccessful, as failed to enter any '' Billboard'' chart. His sixth and seventh compilation albums, ''Watch Out for the Bay'' and ''Is Everybody Happy'' were released in mid-1995, with the former album including songs from 1985 to 1987; and the latter, from 1989 to 1991; however, both albums failed to chart as well. His eighth compilation album, '' Looking for... the Best'' was released in October 1995, which contains 18 greatest hits from 1989 to 1994, including the hits " Looking for Freedom" (1988), "Crazy for You" (1990), "Do The Limbo Dance" (1991), "Everybody Sunshine" (1992), "Wir zwei allein" (1993) and "Du" (1994), as well as the US single "Fallin' in Love" (1995), and a new recording, titled "I Believe" with Laura Branigan
Laura Ann Branigan (July 3, 1952 – August 26, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her signature song, the platinum-certified 1982 single "Gloria", stayed on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for 36 weeks, then a record for a ...
. The album charted in Austria, peaking at number 50.
Two years later, in 1997, Hasselhoff signed with Polydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
and released his ninth studio album, ''Hooked on a Feeling''. The album became Hasselhoff's least successful album to that point in his career, becoming his first studio album that failed to chart in Germany. In 1999, a ninth compilation album was released, ''Watch Out for Hasselhoff''.
2000s
Between 2001 and 2004, two more compilations were released, ''The Very Best Of'' and ''Greatest Hits''. Seven years after the release of ''Hooked on a Feeling'', Hasselhoff returned to the music scene with his tenth studio album, '' David Hasselhoff Sings America'', released in August 2004, with the album performing slightly better on European charts, peaking at numbers 11 and 27 in Austria and Germany, respectively. That same year, Hasselhoff released his eleventh studio album, which became his first Christmas album, ''The Night Before Christmas
''A Visit from St. Nicholas'', more commonly known as ''The Night Before Christmas'' and ''Twas the Night Before Christmas'' from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously under the title ''Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas'' i ...
''. The album met with negative reviews and failed to enter any chart. In 2006, Hasselhoff released "Jump in My Car
"Jump in My Car" is a song originally recorded by Australian rock band Ted Mulry Gang in 1975. The song was written by Australian singer Ted Mulry and guitarist Les Hall, and was the first hit for the band in Australia. "Jump in My Car" was numbe ...
", which debuted at number three on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, becoming Hasselhoff's first and only top-ten single in the UK. It also became his first and only Australian chart entry, peaking at number 50.
In May 2006, Hasselhoff was mentioned in an interview of Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki (, ; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at , he is widely regarded as one of the gre ...
, an NBA star playing for the Dallas Mavericks and a native of Germany. Nowitzki was asked what he does to concentrate when shooting foul shots. Dirk replied that he sings "Looking for Freedom" to himself. He meant this as a joke but it was thought to be a serious answer. Shortly thereafter, Hasselhoff attended the May 26, 2006, Mavericks home playoff game where they faced the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Western Conference Finals. Interviewed by Craig Sager
Craig Graham Sager (June 29, 1951 – December 15, 2016) was an American sports reporter who covered an array of sports for CNN and its sister stations TBS and TNT, from 1981 until the year he died.
Sager worked as a sideline reporter pacing ...
, Hasselhoff stated he was as much a fan of Nowitzki as Nowitzki was a fan of him. In The 2006 NBA Finals, fans of the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...
in the American Airlines Arena
FTX Arena (known as American Airlines Arena from 1999 to 2021) is a multi-purpose arena located in Miami, Florida, along Biscayne Bay. It was constructed beginning in 1998 as a replacement for the Miami Arena and designed by the architecture f ...
held up facial photos of Hasselhoff and chanted his name when Nowitzki went to the foul line. On August 2, 2006, he proclaimed himself "King of the Internet" in a tongue-in-cheek advertisement for Pipex
Pipex was the United Kingdom's first commercial Internet service provider (ISP). It was formed in 1990 and helped to develop the ISP market in the UK. In 1992 it began operating a 64k transatlantic leased line and built a connection to the UK go ...
. In December 2008, he sang the national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...
at the NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Las Vegas Bowl
The Las Vegas Bowl is an NCAA Division I FBS annual post-season college football bowl game held in the Las Vegas area. First played in 1992, the bowl was originally held at the 40,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada before moving to the ...
. Although the game was televised live by ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
, the station chose not to broadcast Hasselhoff's performance. In 2008, a twelfth compilation was released under the title of ''Das Allerbeste''.
2010s
Seven years after his last album, Hasselhoff released in 2011 his twelfth studio album, ''A Real Good Feeling'', which reached number three in Austria, the top-thirty in Germany and became Hasselhoff's first album in fourteen years since ''Hooked on a Feeling'' (1997) to chart in Switzerland. Hasselhoff toured across those countries to promote the album. In 2012, he released his thirteen studio album ''This Time Around'', however, it failed to chart.
In 2015, he recorded the single "True Survivor", accompanied by a music video, which featured as the lead track for the 2015 Swedish short film ''Kung Fury
''Kung Fury'' is a 2015 English-language Swedish martial arts comedy featurette film written and directed by David Sandberg. It pays homage to 1980s martial arts and police action films. The film stars Sandberg in the title role, Jorma Taccone, ...
''. The song was composed by Mitch Murder
Johan Bengtsson (born 1980, known under his stage name Mitch Murder) is a Swedish electronic musician from Stockholm, known as one of the many artists that popularized the synthwave genre. His first EP, ''After Hours'', was released in 2009, follow ...
(Johan Bengtsson). Recorded in Sweden, the song and the video is designed as an ostentatious over-the-top 1980s homage/parody, with the video featuring dinosaurs, kung fu, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
, skateboarding, Norse Gods and time travelling. Hasselhoff claimed that he had received the offer to record the song and the video by a request from Sweden Universal to "sing a tribute to the '80s". Hasselhoff performed a live version of the song during the 2016 Guldbagge Awards
The Guldbagge Awards ( sv, Guldbaggen, en, Gold scarab) is an official and annual Swedish film awards ceremony honoring achievements in the Swedish film industry. Winners are awarded a statuette depicting a rose chafer, better known by the nam ...
. "True Survivor" debuted and peaked at number 94 on the Canadian Hot 100, becoming his first chart entry in Canada. In 2017, a retro music video called "Guardians' Inferno" was released as a bonus on the ''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
''Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'' is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to ' ...
'' home release, where Hasselhoff does the singing.
In September 2019, Hasselhoff released his fourteenth studio album, ''Open Your Eyes''. The album consists of covers of popular songs such as " Sweet Caroline" and " Lips Like Sugar", with all but one song featuring collaborations from other artists, including Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...
and Steve Stevens
Steve Stevens (born Steven Bruce Schneider; May 5, 1959) is an American guitarist. He is best known as Billy Idol's guitarist and songwriting collaborator, and for his lead guitar work on the theme to ''Top Gun'' – " Top Gun Anthem" – for ...
. The album charted in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, with the former reaching the top-thirty there. A promotional music video for the title track was released on YouTube on September 9, followed by the album's release on CD, vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...
, digital download and streaming services on September 27, 2019. To promote the album, as well as celebrating the 30th anniversary of the album '' Looking for Freedom'' and the song of the same name, Hasselhoff toured across Austria, Germany and Switzerland on the Freedom! The Journey Continues Tour, which took place in October 2019.
2020s
On December 10, 2020, Hasselhoff released his first heavy metal song titled "Through The Night". The song was recorded alongside CueStack, an Austrian duo who also enlisted the help of Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo
Caleb Joshua Shomo (born December 1, 1992) is an American singer, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He is most well known as the lead-vocalist of hardcore punk band Beartooth, though he records all studio instrumentals for the ba ...
to produce a retro synth-wave remix of the song.
Personal life
Hasselhoff's autobiography ''Making Waves'' was released in the UK in September 2006. In an interview in April 2006, he said the book would present the "last chapter" regarding controversial elements of his personal life.
In November 2015, Hasselhoff posted a YouTube video in which he announced that he had changed his name to "David Hoff". It was then reported that he was not changing his name; that the video was an excerpt from an upcoming advertising campaign.
After touring Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
in late 2015, Hasselhoff stated that he supports Scottish football
Association football ( sco, fitbaa, gd, ball-coise) is one of the national sports of Scotland and the most popular sport in the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Sc ...
team Partick Thistle F.C.
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional football club from Glasgow, Scotland. Despite their name, the club are based at Firhill Stadium in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908. The club have been mem ...
Family
Hasselhoff was married to actress Catherine Hickland
Catherine Hickland (born February 11, 1956) Note: Aged 51 on Feb.11, 2007 implies that she was born on Feb.11, 1956. is an American film, stage, and television actress, as well as a singer, author and cosmetics-company CEO and hypnotist. She ...
from March 24, 1984, to March 1, 1989. Their wedding was recreated in the ''Knight Rider'' Season 4 episode "The Scent of Roses" which first aired on January 3, 1986.
Hasselhoff married actress Pamela Bach
Pamela Bach (born Pamela Ann Weissenbach), also known as Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff, is an American actress.
Early life
Bach is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, the second of three daughters. Her mother was a model, and she also modeled as a teenager. She atte ...
in December 1989. The couple have two daughters: Taylor Ann Hasselhoff, born May 5, 1990, who attended the University of Arizona
The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
T ...
and was cast for the 2015 season of ''Rich Kids of Beverly Hills
''Rich Kids of Beverly Hills'' (stylized as ''#RichKids of Beverly Hills'') is an American reality television series that premiered on E!, on January 19, 2014. The series focuses on the lives of a group of twenty-something millionaires and billi ...
'', and actress Hayley Hasselhoff
Hayley Amber Hasselhoff (born August 26, 1992) is an American actress and plus-size model. She is known for her role as Amber in the ABC Family original series ''Huge''. She is the daughter of David Hasselhoff and Pamela Bach. Hasselhoff starre ...
, born August 26, 1992. In January 2006, Hasselhoff announced he was filing for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in August 2006. Bach was given custody of one daughter and Hasselhoff custody of the other, until Hasselhoff later obtained custody of both. he resided in Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
with his daughters.
In late 2011, Hasselhoff began dating Hayley Roberts, from the town of Glynneath
Glynneath ( cy, Glyn-nedd "valley of the River Neath"), also spelt ''Glyn-neath'' and ''Glyn Neath'', is a small town, community and electoral ward lying on the River Neath in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It was formerly in th ...
in Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
. As a new couple they attended Gordon Ramsay's Christmas special of that year. In the 2012 sequel, when asked about engagement they related how they had discussed it. On July 31, 2018 they married in Apulia
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, and in August they honeymooned in the Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
.
Hasselhoff is a fan of Welsh rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
, and the couple regularly attend matches in Wales.
In May 2016, Hasselhoff said he could not afford alimony
Alimony, also called aliment (Scotland), maintenance (England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Canada, New Zealand), spousal support (U.S., Canada) and spouse maintenance (Australia), is a legal obligation on a person to provide financial sup ...
of $252k a year to Bach anymore, because he had less than $4000 in cash to his name. He made $112k a month, but spent $66k and due to alimony, taxes and living expenses he had little left. In September 2017, Hasselhoff filed formal requests to end alimony payments and cited his ex-wife's "failure to make any efforts to become self supporting, contribute to her own support, or even make any efforts to gain job skills." Hasselhoff and Bach reached an agreement which reduced payments since December 1, 2017, from $10,000 to $5,000 per month.
Alcoholism
On May 3, 2007, a viral video surfaced online of Hasselhoff appearing to be severely drunk
Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ...
inside his home. His daughter, Taylor Ann, who filmed the video, can be heard interrogating him and asking him to stop abusing alcohol. She also warns her father he could be jeopardizing his spot on the Las Vegas production of '' The Producers'' he starred in at the time. In the wake of the leaked clip, Hasselhoff issued a statement saying it was recorded by Taylor Ann so that he could see how he behaved while intoxicated and the footage was deliberately released. As a result of the video, Hasselhoff's visitation rights with his two daughters were suspended on May 7, 2007, for two weeks until the video's authenticity and distributor were determined. In May 2009, Hasselhoff's attorney, Mel Goldsman, described Hasselhoff as "a recovering alcoholic".
List of works
Honors and awards
* 1983 – Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Program: People's Choice Awards
* 2005 – International Star of the Year Award for Outstanding Contribution to Global Entertainment: Bollywood Awards
* 2006 – Comeback Star of the Year: VH1 Big in '06 Awards
* 2010 – The Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff: Comedy Central
References
External links
*
*
*
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Q&A
''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', April 11, 2009.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hasselhoff, David
1952 births
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American bodybuilders
American entertainment industry businesspeople
American Lutherans
American male film actors
American male musical theatre actors
American male pop singers
American male soap opera actors
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American television producers
California Institute of the Arts alumni
Former Roman Catholics
Living people
Male actors from Baltimore
Male actors from Jacksonville, Florida
Marist School (Georgia) alumni
Oakland University alumni
Participants in American reality television series
The Apprentice Australia candidates
World record holders