KITT on display at Universal Studios ()
Knight Rider was a popular US 1980s television show. It starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a modern-day adventurer armed with an advanced supercar with artificial intelligence.
In the pilot episode undercover police officer Michael Long was seriously injured on duty by a gunshot wound to the head. His medical care was taken over by the Knight Foundation, a private crime-fighting organization founded by a dying millionaire. Long was officially declared dead. After recovery and plastic surgery, which changed his appearance, he became a crime fighter known as Michael Knight, working together with a high-tech automobile, called KITT (an acronym for Knight Industries Two Thousand).
KITT was guided by an artificial intelligence of a high enough level to reason and talk almost like humans. KITT's chassis was resistant to most known weapons below heavy artillery, was capable of quickly accelerating to over 200 MPH and it featured numerous other special abilities, the one used most often (practically in every episode) being the ability to jump over obstacles. In most episodes, a new technical gadget was added to KITT's repertoire, which was then utilised later during the episode to buy out Michael and KITT from some nasty situation caused by the villains.
Knight Rider set the basis for Hasselhoff's career in television. His character, Michael Knight, was an old fashioned hero, a modern knight, brave and good mannered, who avoided unnecessary violence and refrained from using firearms. Most episodes featured a conventionally attractive young woman (younger than Hasselhoff), usually in need of Knight's help and often falling in love with him.
The car "KITT" was based on a modified Pontiac Trans Am.
Total Episodes - 84
First Air Date - September 26, 1982
Final Air Date - August 8, 1986
KITT - Knight Industries Two Thousand
Facts
The Cast
William Daniels was one of the stars of St. Elsewhere - Dr. Mark Craig
