Profile of David Hasselhoff on Famous Like Me

David Michael Hasselhoff (born July 17, 1952 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American actor best known for his lead roles on Knight Rider and Baywatch. He has also enjoyed a minor singing career, primarily in Germany.

Early acting career

Having played Dr. Snapper Foster on the soap opera The Young and the Restless for six years, he went on to star as Michael Knight in the Glen A. Larson-created series Knight Rider from 1982 to 1986. He launched his singing career with guest appearances on the children's program Kids Incorporated.

Singing career

Fulfilling his original dream to be a singer, he covered "Looking for Freedom" in 1989, just as the Berlin Wall came down. In Germany, his song became an anthem of sorts at the time, and the accompanying album went gold and triple platinum, topping the charts for three months.

Albums released in Germany include:

• (2004) David Hasselhoff Sings America
• (2000) Magic Collection
• (1997) Hooked on a Feeling
• (1995) David Hasselhoff
• (1995) Looking For...The Best
• (1994) Du
• (1993) You Are Everything
• (1992) Everybody Sunshine
• (1991) David
• (1990) Crazy for You
• (1989) Looking for Freedom
• (1987) Lovin' Feelings
• (1985) Night Rocker

Norm MacDonald, Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update newscaster, had a popular running joke that always ended with "Which once again proves my theory—the Germans love David Hasselhoff"

Taking back Baywatch

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.

Baywatch had premiered in 1989, but was cancelled after only one season. Feeling the series had potential, Hasselhoff revived it for the first-run syndication market in 1991, investing his own money and additionally functioning as executive producer.

The success of Baywatch was enormous. Running for another ten seasons, it was also well-received internationally and is said to be the highest-grossing show in syndication worldwide.

Late career

In 1994, he was scheduled to perform a concert on pay-per-view from Atlantic City. It was supposed to help reignite his singing career in the United States. On the night of his concert, O.J. Simpson was involved in a police chase on the California highway. People who were watching the concert switched over to watch the news. Since then, Hasselhoff has not attempted another concert.

In 1996, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2004, Hasselhoff played the lead role in London performances of Chicago, for three months, starting July 16.

Hasselhoff made a cameo appearance in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, released November 19, 2004, starring as himself and meeting SpongeBob and Patrick.

Hasselhoff also had another short appearance in the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story as, ironically, the dodgeball coach to the German national dodgeball team. He is shown scolding the German players to play better and smashing a photo of himself in his Baywatch attire.

David will be co-hosting the Australian version of the Grammy's - the ARIA's on Monday 24 October 2005 in Sydney.

Hasselhoff has been married to actress Pamela Bach since December 8, 1989, with whom he has two daughters, Taylor Ann and Hayley Amber. Although Hasselhoff was raised Catholic, he and his family attend non-denominational church services. He was married to actress Catherine Hickland from March 24, 1984 to March 1, 1989, when they divorced.

Alcohol problems

Hasselhoff received media attention in 2003/2004 for an alleged drinking problem. He attended a rehabilitation program in 2002, at the Betty Ford Center.

His problems with alcohol abuse apparently continued, as he was arrested on June 5, 2004 on suspicion on driving while intoxicated as a misdemeanor in the Los Angeles area in California. On October 28, 2004, his lawyer entered his no contest plea while he was absent from the court hearing. He was fined $390 (due to California's "Alcohol Abuse Education and Prevention Assessment" law, and other fees, the total amount paid to the court is assumed to be over $1400), sentenced to self-supervised probation for 3 years, ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings twice a week for 6 months, spend six months in a DUI program (several hundred more dollars), and to perform 200 hours of community service. While his driver's license was restricted for the next 90 days, he could drive only to his work, to take his children to school, and to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

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