"Knight Rider" (1982) TV series 1982-1986

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Creator:

Glen A. Larson
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

26 September 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A lone crimefighter battles the forces of evil with the help of an indestructible and artificially intelligent supercar.

Plot Keywords:

Forces Of Evil | Artificial Intelligence | Detective | Electronic Music Score | Famous Opening Theme

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

David Hasselhoff	...	Michael Knight / ... (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Edward Mulhare	...	Devon Miles / ... (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
William Daniels	...	K.I.T.T. (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Richard Basehart	...	Narrator - Opening Titles / ... (83 episodes, 1982-1986)
Patricia McPherson	...	Bonnie Barstow (62 episodes, 1982-1986)

(more)

Series Directed by
Georg Fenady		(11 episodes, 1983-1986)
Winrich Kolbe		(11 episodes, 1983-1986)
Sidney Hayers		(10 episodes, 1982-1986)
Bernard L. Kowalski		(7 episodes, 1982-1984)
Harvey S. Laidman		(6 episodes, 1983-1986)
Jeffrey Hayden		(5 episodes, 1983-1985)
Bernard McEveety		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Bob Bralver		(4 episodes, 1984-1986)
Charles Bail		(4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Alan Myerson		(3 episodes, 1983)
Gil Bettman		(2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Daniel Haller		(2 episodes, 1982)
Paul Stanley		(2 episodes, 1982)
Charles Watson Sanford		(2 episodes, 1985)

Series Writing credits
Glen A. Larson		(84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Robert Foster		(12 episodes, 1983-1985)
Janis Hendler		(8 episodes, 1983-1984)
Rob Gilmer		(7 episodes, 1983-1984)
Gregory S. Dinallo		(6 episodes, 1982-1986)
Tom Greene		(6 episodes, 1982-1984)
Richard C. Okie		(6 episodes, 1984-1985)
William Schmidt		(5 episodes, 1982-1983)
Gerald Sanford		(5 episodes, 1984-1985)
Burton Armus		(5 episodes, 1985-1986)
Deborah Dean Davis		(4 episodes, 1982-1986)
David Braff		(3 episodes, 1982-1983)
E. Nick Alexander		(3 episodes, 1986)
Steven E. de Souza		(2 episodes, 1982)
E. Paul Edwards		(2 episodes, 1982)
John Alan Schwartz		(2 episodes, 1982)
Jackson Gillis		(2 episodes, 1983-1986)
Virginia Aldridge		(2 episodes, 1983-1984)
Stephen Katz		(2 episodes, 1983)
William Elliott		(2 episodes, 1984-1985)

Series Produced by
Glen A. Larson	....	executive producer (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Robert Foster	....	executive producer (71 episodes, 1983-1986)
Gino Grimaldi	....	producer / co-producer / ... (70 episodes, 1983-1986)
Robert Ewing	....	coordinating producer / associate producer (69 episodes, 1983-1986)
Ronald Martinez	....	associate producer (42 episodes, 1984-1986)
Bernadette Joyce	....	associate producer (40 episodes, 1982-1984)
Bruce Golin	....	associate producer (36 episodes, 1984-1986)
Joel Rogosin	....	supervising producer (30 episodes, 1983-1984)
Burton Armus	....	supervising producer / producer (28 episodes, 1985-1986)
Steven E. de Souza	....	producer (21 episodes, 1982-1983)
Rob Gilmer	....	co-producer (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Gregory S. Dinallo	....	co-producer (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Bruce Lansbury	....	supervising producer / co-executive producer (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Gilbert Bettman Jr.	....	associate producer (20 episodes, 1982-1983)
Gerald Sanford	....	producer (17 episodes, 1984-1985)
Tom Greene	....	co-producer / producer (14 episodes, 1982-1984)
Robert A. Cinader	....	co-executive producer (11 episodes, 1982)
Hannah Louise Shearer	....	producer (11 episodes, 1982)
George E. Crosby	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1984)
Stephen Downing	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1983)
Mark Jones	....	co-producer (3 episodes, 1985-1986)
James M. Miller	....	producer (2 episodes, 1984)

Series Original Music by
Don Peake		(72 episodes, 1983-1986)
Stu Phillips		(12 episodes, 1982-1984)
William Broughton		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
H. John Penner		(83 episodes, 1982-1986)

Series Film Editing by
Lawrence J. Gleason		(18 episodes, 1982-1985)
Lawrence J. Vallario		(15 episodes, 1983-1985)
Domenic Dimascio		(12 episodes, 1983-1986)
Grant Hoag		(12 episodes, 1984-1986)
Stanley Wohlberg		(11 episodes, 1982-1984)
Beryl Gelfond		(9 episodes, 1982-1984)
Edward Nassour		(6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Howard B. Anderson		(5 episodes, 1983-1984)
William Martin		(4 episodes, 1982-1983)
Dayle Mustain		(4 episodes, 1984-1986)
Edwin F. England		(2 episodes, 1982)
Ron Rutberg		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
April Webster		(40 episodes, 1982-1984)
Joe Reich		(21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Donna Dockstader		(21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Ron Stephenson		(2 episodes, 1982)

Series Art Direction by
Russell J. Smith		(33 episodes, 1982-1984)
Frank Grieco Jr.		(21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Louis Montejano		(21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Seymour Klate		(9 episodes, 1982)

Series Set Decoration by
Lynn Smart		(82 episodes, 1982-1986)

Series Costume Design by
George Whittaker		(6 episodes, 1982)
Richard Hopper		(3 episodes, 1982)
Jean-Pierre Dorléac		(2 episodes, 1982-1984)

Series Makeup Department
Allen Payne	....	hair stylist / makeup artist (63 episodes, 1983-1986)
Jeremy Swan	....	makeup artist (5 episodes, 1982-1984)

Series Production Management
Ronald Martinez	....	unit production manager (80 episodes, 1982-1986)
Frank Crawford	....	unit production manager (3 episodes, 1982)
Zane Radney	....	unit production manager (2 episodes, 1984)
Edward D. Markley	....	unit production manager (1 episode, 1982)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bruce Humphrey	....	second assistant director (57 episodes, 1983-1986)
Robert Villar	....	first assistant director (34 episodes, 1983-1986)
Jack Gill	....	second unit director (30 episodes, 1984-1986)
Louis Race	....	first assistant director (21 episodes, 1984-1986)
Bob Bralver	....	second unit director (20 episodes, 1982-1983)
Don Wilkerson	....	second assistant director (20 episodes, 1982-1983)
Charles Watson Sanford Jr.	....	first assistant director (19 episodes, 1982-1984)
Richard Coad	....	second assistant director (6 episodes, 1986)
Fred Miller	....	first assistant director (5 episodes, 1982-1983)
Phil Bowles	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1982)
Ronald Martinez	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1982)
Barry K. Thomas	....	dga trainee (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
James Passanante	....	paint foreman (12 episodes, 1982)
Glenn Forbes	....	assistant property master (unknown episodes)
Ed Keyes	....	property master: second unit (unknown episodes)
George Tuers	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
John Shouse	....	sound editor / sound effects editor (61 episodes, 1983-1986)
Pat Somerset	....	sound (58 episodes, 1983-1986)
Walt Jenevein	....	sound effects editor (12 episodes, 1982-1983)
Stan Gordon	....	sound (9 episodes, 1982-1984)
John R. McDonald	....	sound (8 episodes, 1982)
Sam Gemette	....	sound effects editor / sound recordist (2 episodes, 1983)
Barney Cabral	....	adr editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Scott Forbes	....	special effects technician (11 episodes, 1982)
Wayne Rose	....	special effects (5 episodes, 1985)
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator (unknown episodes)
George Zamora	....	pyrotechnician (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
Charles Gibson	....	visual effects (42 episodes, 1984-1986)
Jim Michaels	....	visual effects producer (37 episodes, 1984-1986)

Series Stunts
Jack Gill	....	stunt coordinator / co-stunt coordinator / ... (65 episodes, 1982-1986)
Andy Gill	....	stunts (52 episodes, 1982-1986)
Bob Bralver	....	stunt coordinator (26 episodes, 1982-1984)
Marian Green	....	stunts / stunt double (9 episodes, 1982-1986)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts / stunt coordinator (5 episodes, 1983-1986)
Dean Raphael Ferrandini	....	stunts (5 episodes, 1984-1986)
Richard Epper	....	motorcycle stunts / stunts (4 episodes, 1982-1985)
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt performer (2 episodes, 1983)
Jerry Summers	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 1982)
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jean Coulter	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tom Elliott	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Harold 'Hal' Frizzell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
David Hasselhoff	....	stunt driver (unknown episodes)
Terry James	....	stunt double: David Hasselhoff (unknown episodes)
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Eric M. Miller	....	utility stunts (unknown episodes)
Sherry Peterson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Pat Romano	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
James Winburn	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Calvin Maehl	....	gaffer (1 episode, 1982)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator (1 episode, 1982)
Stan McClain	....	camera operator: aerial unit (1 episode, 1982)
Mike Chevalier	....	camera operator: second unit (unknown episodes)
Randall Robinson	....	first assistant camera: second unit (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barry Downing	....	costume supervisor (47 episodes, 1983-1986)
Karen Braverman-Ohrberg	....	costume supervisor / costumer (26 episodes, 1984-1986)
Judie C. Champion	....	costume supervisor (21 episodes, 1983-1984)
Don Snyder	....	costume supervisor (10 episodes, 1982)
Gilbert Loe	....	costume supervisor (3 episodes, 1983)
Nancy McArdle	....	costume supervisor (2 episodes, 1983)
Gregory B. Peña	....	co-costume supervisor / set costumer / ... (unknown episodes, 1982-1984)

Series Editorial Department
Steve Johnson	....	colorist (21 episodes, 1982-1983)

Series Music Department
Glen A. Larson	....	composer: theme music / composer: main theme (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Stu Phillips	....	composer: theme music / composer: main theme (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Richard Lapham	....	music editor (83 episodes, 1982-1986)
Jerry Cohen	....	music editor (2 episodes, 1982)
William Broughton	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Bradley Carow	....	assistant music editor (unknown episodes)
Carl Cedar	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Udi Harpaz	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Ralph Kessler	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Kim Richmond	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Nathan Scott	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Jack Smalley	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Alan Kaminsky	....	driver (20 episodes, 1982-1983)
Chris Haynes	....	production driver (9 episodes, 1982-1985)
Frank Khoury	....	driver (2 episodes, 1982)

Series Other crew
Winnie Rich	....	script supervisor (84 episodes, 1982-1986)
Joyce Heftel	....	script supervisor: second unit (42 episodes, 1982-1984)
Richard C. Okie	....	executive story consultant / story editor (21 episodes, 1984-1985)
Michael Eric Stein	....	story editor (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Janis Hendler	....	executive script consultant (18 episodes, 1983-1984)
David Braff	....	story editor / executive script consultant (16 episodes, 1982-1983)
William Schmidt	....	story editor (11 episodes, 1983-1984)
Gregory S. Dinallo	....	executive script consultant (7 episodes, 1985)
Larry Mollin	....	executive story consultant (6 episodes, 1984-1985)
Robert Sherman	....	executive story consultant (4 episodes, 1984-1985)
Tom Lazarus	....	story editor (3 episodes, 1984)
David Carren	....	story editor (2 episodes, 1984-1985)
Gerald Sanford	....	executive story consultant (2 episodes, 1984)
George Barris	....	car designer (unknown episodes)

Series Thanks
Robert A. Cinader	....	in loving memory (1 episode, 1982)
Marcel Rafael Marcelino	....	dedicated to the memory of (1 episode, 1984)

Production Companies

• Glen A. Larson Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1982-1986) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Bravo Television (????) (UK) (TV)
• CIC Victor Video (198?) (Japan) (VHS)
• Independent Television (ITV)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• RTL (1985-1986) (West Germany) (TV)
• Studios USA Television
• TV Asahi (1984) (Japan) (TV)
• Televisie Radio Omroep Stichting (TROS) (1984-1987) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005-) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (season 1)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (seasons 3 and 4)
• Universal Pictures (2005-) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)
• Universal TV
• V8 (2001-2003) (Netherlands) (TV)

Other Companies

• Universal Title  optical effects

Runtime:

46 min (90 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Netherlands:MG6 | Australia:M (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Glen A. Larson Productions

Trivia:

The character of Michael Knight was originally known as Michael Long before undergoing reconstructive surgery on his face and joining Knight Industries.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: K.I.T.T. is supposed to have an air-plane style steering wheel. However, in many episodes, the top portion of the stunt-car's normal, round steering wheel is visible through car's windows.

Quotes:

Michael Knight: I need ya buddy!
KITT: Right away Michael.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "SeaQuest DSV: When We Dead Awaken (#2.8)" (1994)

Knight Rider was among the BEST of the 80s

In 1982 an unknown actor named David Hasselhoff burst onto the scene in a weekly Friday night series aired on NBC. Hasselhoff played Michael Knight on a brand new 80s vehicle oriented TV show (that frequently targeted boys) called Knight Rider to rival The Dukes of Hazzard on CBS.

Hasselhoff was what many in the industry call an "8 x 10", a perfect hunky man with shoulder length wavy hair and beaming smile. Hasselhoff was also gifted with a keen sense of humor and wit, which allowed many of the outrageous stories of Knight Rider to work and not be taken too seriously. Knight Rider was about an undercover cop named Michael Long who was betrayed and left for dead in the desert. Long was rescued by an eccentric billionaire by the name of Wilton Knight, who nursed Long back to health. Wilton Knight also gave Long a new face and identity as "Michael Knight". Knight convinced Long to use his police officer skills to help his private organization (The Foundation for Law and Government), and equipped him with a super car with artificial intelligence named KITT (Knight Industries Two-Thousand). The supporting actors like Edward Mulhare, Patricia McPherson complemented Hasselhoff wonderfully as Devon Miles and Bonnie Barstow. It is rare that a cast gels so well like this, and in many ways KR was more about the characters then the stories or KITT.

Despite some negative and absurdly over the top reviews here, Knight Rider remains one of the most fondly remembered action adventure TV shows of the 1980s. Knight Rider was not an L.A. Law or St. Elsewhere type drama, nor was it Harlan Ellison level science fiction, and it never tried to be. Knight Rider had some camp, but campy doesn't mean a dog meat series. Every single one of those action/adventure shows from the 80s like A-Team, Dukes of Hazzard, Blue Thunder, Airwolf, Hunter and MacGyver had plenty of instances of overt stupidity. They ALL had their "what the hell was that about?" moments. Every one of those 80s shows. So why is Knight Rider singled out and getting ridiculously picked on like this?

The show was a fun yet not too serious one hour adventure series. Many people here seem to be overly concerned with "looking cool" as adults and join in on the over the top teasing of a series that you know everyone loved back in the 80s. Stop trying to be so cool just because you're now an adult in the 2000s versus being the young kid that watched this show every week back in 80s. I highly recommend Knight Rider, (it will blow you away!) and check out the newly released DVD if you can. The Season 1 DVD has rich vibrant colors and sound, complete with an assortment of extra features that will keep you busy for days.

My Rating:

9/10