5 Things You Never Knew About David Hasselhoff for His 73rd Birthday

Lauren Novak July 17, 4:08 pm

KICKIN IT OLD SKOOL, David Hasselhoff, 2007 — Yari Film Group Releasing/Everett Collection

David Hasselhoff, known to fans as “The Hoff,” rose from his first television role on The Young and the Restless to international superstardom as Michael Knight in Knight Rider and Mitch Buchannon in Baywatch. Beyond acting, he launched a successful singing career in German-speaking Europe, released fifteen studio albums and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996. Hasselhoff recently published his autobiography, Making Waves: My Story, and embarked on a European book tour with stops in Berlin and Vienna. He has made guest appearances on animated series such as Close Enough and stars in the 2023 documentary Hasselhoff: From Baywatch to Broadway, reflecting on his life and career. In honor of his 73rd birthday on July 17, let’s learn some interesting facts about the star:

1 He was named the “Most-Watched Man on Television”

Pearson All-American Television/Everett Collection

In 2011, Guinness World Records honored Hasselhoff with the title “Most-Watched Man on Television” for the combined global audience of Knight Rider and Baywatch. At its peak, Baywatch drew an estimated weekly audience of 1.1 billion viewers across 142 countries, cementing his status as a worldwide television icon.

2 His song became an unofficial anthem

Hasselhoff’s cover of “Looking for Freedom” topped the German charts for eight consecutive weeks in 1989. On New Year’s Eve of that year, he performed the song at Brandenburg Gate, suspended from a crane while wearing a glowing jacket and it became a poignant soundtrack for Germans celebrating the fall of the Wall and the promise of reunification. He told US Weekly that moment was the proudest of his entire career.

3 His Broadway dream

BAYWATCH NIGHTS, David Hasselhoff, (1996), 1995-97

All American Television/Everett Collection

Although Hasselhoff made his name on television, he always aspired to the stage. In 2000, he made his Broadway debut in the title roles of the musical Jekyll & Hyde. Despite mixed critical reviews, his run at the Plymouth Theatre made him one of the rare TV action stars to headline a major Broadway production.

4 A deep-sea crab earned his nickname

In 2012, marine biologists discovered a new species of squat lobster at Antarctic hydrothermal vents and named it Kiwa tyleri. The creature’s dense white setae across its chest reminded researchers of Hasselhoff’s signature chest hair, earning it the nickname “The Hoff Crab.” This crab survives in waters over 2.3 km deep by farming bacteria on its hairy underside.

5 His most starstruck day

Everett Collection

Hasselfhoff said that one of his favorite singers was Sammy Davis Jr. and explained, “The moment I was the most starstruck was when I [met] Sammy David Jr. He knew me as Snapper from The Young and the Restless. He told me I wear the hat of success well, but [to] be careful because that hat can be taken away. He became a really good friend.”