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"The Greatest American Hero"
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"The Greatest American Hero" (1981) More at IMDbPro »TV series 1981-1983

Photos (see all 4 | slideshow) Videos (see all 45)
"The Greatest American Hero" (1981): Season 3: Episode 9 -- Ralph and Maxwell battle sinister forces that have taken a young scientist's uncle hostage in exchange for an advanced weapon that could dramatically shift the world's balance of power.
"The Greatest American Hero" (1981): Season 3: Episode 8 -- Ralph's unusual new student creates international chaos when his class project of building a radio telescope for tracking orbiting satellites brings the CIA and KGB down on the school.
"The Greatest American Hero" (1981): Season 3: Episode 7 -- Ralph and Maxwell become embroiled in a bizarre scheme when a disgruntled news anchorman plots the terrorist takeover of a nuclear power plant to launch his career. William Windom guest stars.
"The Greatest American Hero" (1981): Season 3: Episode 6 -- The fake death but real kidnapping of Maxwell leads Ralph on a wild chase to a tropical island, where a demented scientist plans to use Maxwell in his genetic engineering experiments - the last of which created a hideous monster.
"The Greatest American Hero" (1981): Season 3: Episode 5 -- The biggest day in the lives of Ralph and Pam - their wedding day - is made even more complicated when the President sends Ralph on a secret mission to the North Pole.

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   666 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Contact:
View company contact information for The Greatest American Hero on IMDbPro.
Seasons:
Release Date:
18 March 1981 (USA) more
Plot:
A teacher is asked to be a superhero using a special alien suit with powers he can barely understand or control. full summary
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(24 articles)
Copyright expirations in comics.
 (From Comicmix. 22 December 2009, 8:33 AM, PST)

Nathan Fillion Wants To Be The Greatest American Hero
 (From ReelzChannel. 29 October 2009, 9:32 AM, PDT)

User Reviews:
The "Katt" was Cool! more (50 total)

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 5 of 71)
William Katt ... Ralph Hinkley / ... (44 episodes, 1981-1986)
Robert Culp ... Bill Maxwell (44 episodes, 1981-1986)
Connie Sellecca ... Pam Davidson / ... (42 episodes, 1981-1986)
Don Cervantes ... Paco Rodriguez (23 episodes, 1981-1983)
Faye Grant ... Rhonda Blake (22 episodes, 1981-1982)
(more)
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Series Directed by
Arnold Laven (7 episodes, 1981-1983)
Ivan Dixon (6 episodes, 1981-1983)
Rod Holcomb (6 episodes, 1981-1982)
Bruce Kessler (5 episodes, 1981-1983)
Robert C. Thompson (4 episodes, 1981-1982)
Lawrence Doheny (2 episodes, 1981-1982)
Gabrielle Beaumont (2 episodes, 1981)
Chuck Bowman (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Robert Culp (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Sidney Hayers (2 episodes, 1982)
Christian I. Nyby II (2 episodes, 1983)
 
Series Writing credits
Stephen J. Cannell (30 episodes, 1981-1986)
Frank Lupo (10 episodes, 1981-1983)
Patrick Hasburgh (7 episodes, 1982-1983)
Juanita Bartlett (5 episodes, 1981)
Babs Greyhosky (5 episodes, 1982-1986)
Rudolph Borchert (3 episodes, 1982-1983)
Danny Lee Cole (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
Robert Culp (2 episodes, 1982-1983)
J. Duncan Ray (2 episodes, 1982-1983)

Jeff Ray (unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Christopher Nelson .... associate producer / co-producer / ... (22 episodes, 1981-1986)
Stephen J. Cannell .... executive producer (20 episodes, 1981-1986)
Juanita Bartlett .... co-executive producer (18 episodes, 1980-1983)
Frank Lupo .... producer / supervising producer (12 episodes, 1981-1986)
Jo Swerling Jr. .... supervising producer / co-executive producer (11 episodes, 1981-1986)
Alex Beaton .... producer (8 episodes, 1980-1981)
Gary Winter .... associate producer (5 episodes, 1982-1983)
Babs Greyhosky .... producer (2 episodes, 1982-1986)
 
Series Original Music by
Pete Carpenter (14 episodes, 1981-1986)
Mike Post (14 episodes, 1981-1986)

Garry Schyman (unknown episodes)
 
Series Cinematography by
Héctor R. Figueroa (7 episodes, 1981)
Jacques R. Marquette (6 episodes, 1981-1982)
 
Series Film Editing by
Rod Stephens (6 episodes, 1981-1982)
Edilberto Cruz (2 episodes, 1981)
John Elias (2 episodes, 1981)
Patrick M. Ryan (2 episodes, 1981)

John Carrol (unknown episodes)
Mario Di Mambro (unknown episodes)
Dave Goldson (unknown episodes)
Chris G. Willingham (unknown episodes)
 
Series Casting by
Reuben Cannon (10 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Production Design by
John D. Jefferies Sr. (unknown episodes)
 
Series Art Direction by
John D. Jefferies Sr. (12 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Set Decoration by
Sam Gross (7 episodes, 1981)
Lowell Chambers (5 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Costume Design by
Jean-Pierre Dorléac (13 episodes, 1981)
Kent Warner (5 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Makeup Department
John Inzerella .... makeup artist (13 episodes, 1981-1986)
Suzan Bagdadi .... hair stylist (12 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Production Management
Ronald R. Grow .... unit production manager / production manager (13 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Stafford .... second unit director (17 episodes, 1982-1983)
Stephen Sassen .... second assistant director (12 episodes, 1981)
Beau Marks .... first assistant director (7 episodes, 1981)
Bob Bender .... first assistant director (2 episodes, 1981)
Lindsley Parsons III .... first assistant director (2 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Art Department
George Tuers .... property master (13 episodes, 1981)

Kenneth Milfred .... set dresser (unknown episodes)
 
Series Sound Department
Jack C. May .... director of post production sound / director of sound post-production / ... (13 episodes, 1981)
Louis C. Williman .... sound mixer (7 episodes, 1981)
'Fast' Eddie Mahler .... sound mixer (5 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Special Effects by
John Coles .... special effects (12 episodes, 1981)

Frank Ceglia .... special effects technician (unknown episodes)
Ken Speed .... special effects assistant (unknown episodes)
 
Series Stunts
Dennis Madalone .... stunt coordinator (13 episodes, 1981)

Kenny Bates .... stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Brubaker .... stunts (unknown episodes)
Gene LeBell .... stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Snegoff .... stunt rigger (unknown episodes)
 
Series Camera and Electrical Department
Jack N. Green .... camera operator (7 episodes, 1981)
Sal Orefice .... gaffer (7 episodes, 1981)
Bob Rust .... key grip (7 episodes, 1981)
Robert Blair .... key grip (5 episodes, 1981)
John Kiser .... camera operator (5 episodes, 1981)
Michael Schuyler .... gaffer (5 episodes, 1981)

John Burnett .... second assistant camera: second unit (unknown episodes)
Jim Marquette .... assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Michael R. Marquette .... assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Stan McClain .... assistant camera: aerial unit (unknown episodes)
David Morton .... electrician (unknown episodes)
 
Series Casting Department
Victoria Tarazi .... casting assistant (15 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Rawley .... wardrobe: men / costume supervisor (12 episodes, 1981)
Gregory B. Peña .... daily set costumer (8 episodes, 1981)
Marie Brown .... wardrobe: women (6 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Editorial Department
Jimmy Giritlian .... assistant editor (1 episode, 1981)
Dave Goldson .... assistant editor (1 episode, 1981)
Rod Stephens .... additional editor (1 episode, 1981)
 
Series Music Department
John Caper Jr. .... music editor / music supervisor (14 episodes, 1981-1986)
Joey Scarbury .... singer: main title theme (13 episodes, 1981)
Stephen Geyer .... composer: theme music / music coordinator (12 episodes, 1981)
Mike Post .... composer: theme music (12 episodes, 1981)

Andy D'Addario .... music scoring mixer (unknown episodes)
 
Series Transportation Department
Ronald Stinton .... transportation coordinator (13 episodes, 1981)
 
Series Other crew
Patrick Hasburgh .... staff consultant / creative consultant / ... (13 episodes, 1981-1983)
Rosemarie Abelson .... production coordinator (13 episodes, 1981)
Joan Etchells .... production accountant (13 episodes, 1981)
Grace Curcio .... assistant to producers / assistant to producer / ... (8 episodes, 1981-1986)
Rosemarie Clemente-Johnstone .... script supervisor (7 episodes, 1981)
Suzi Alter .... script supervisor (5 episodes, 1981)
Ralph Alderman .... location manager (4 episodes, 1981-1986)
Joanna Guzzetta .... location manager (3 episodes, 1981)

Daniel Cameron .... security officer (unknown episodes)
Ira S. Rosenstein .... location manager (unknown episodes)
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
60 min | USA:30 min (43 episodes)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The series was parodied in an episode of "Robot Chicken" (2005), "Yancy the Yo-Yo Boy". more
Quotes:
Bill Maxwell: OK, let's not panic.
Pam Davidson: I feel like panicking. I can panic if I want to panic.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Believe It or Not more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
10 out of 10 people found the following review useful.
The "Katt" was Cool!, 22 July 2005
10/10
Author: happipuppi13 from Phx. Arizona ("Arizona Smells Funny"!- Homer Simpson)

I'll keep the review simple,10 stars! Loved it! Have nothing bad to say about this show! (Heck,I still have the 45rpm record of the theme song with the original picture sleeve and Joey Scarbury's album!)

I wasn't too crazy about the fact (at the time) that I had to watch the debut at a local hospital(visiting my grandmother ). I was still 12 when the show debuted and had looked forward to it's premiere and I certainly wasn't disappointed!

William Katt,a dramatic actor who got no respect from critics in the forgotten yet wonderful 1978 dramatic/surfing film "Big Wednesday",didn't get much more respect here but..to all of us who watched this show,he was cool and the "greatest". I'm sure he was just glad to be working...and with "I Spy" vet Robet Culp yet! Not to mention Connie Selleca. (Ralph must've used some smooth line to land her!)

Even though the "green screen" effects are obvious,it doesn't take away from the action one bit. I'll never forget watching Ralph stop a nuclear missile from being launched by simply holding it down with his hands! Pretty darn great effect for that time,not to mention just for TV! It makes me glad to see this come out on DVD,despite the fact there's no conclusion to the series.

I agree,it was unfair to call this kiddie-TV. This is a kind of satirical look at what would really happen if someone on earth got to be a hero. Wheather they asked to be or not. Not surprisingly,choose an earthling....lose the instruction manual! Get the DVD,you wont be sorry (unless you have no sense of humor.)

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