Even if you weren't the biggest fan of The Greatest American Hero, there's no doubt that you remember the theme song, "Believe It or Not." While the song became a hit outside of the show, the lyrics describe the plot of the 1980s series about a man who unexpectedly becomes a superhero and has to figure out how to use his powers—often to comedic effect, like crashing into walls. The star of The Greatest American Hero was William Katt, who still has strong feelings about that silly red suit he had to wear.
Outside of being known for his role on series, which ran from 1981 to 1983, Katt is also remembered for his role in the 1976 horror movie Carrie, as the title character's (Sissy Spacek) prom date. He's continued acting ever since and is still connecting with fans of his best known projects today. Read on to find out more about Katt's life at 71.
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William Katt is still acting.
ABCBefore landing the roles in Carrie and The Greatest American Hero, Katt had appeared in a number of TV series, including Gunsmoke, M*A*S*H, and Police Woman. When The Greatest American Hero ended in 1983, he went on to appear in a number of Perry Mason TV movies, alongside his mother, actor Barbara Hale. He's also known for the 1978 movie Big Wednesday about surfers and the 1985 horror movie House. His most recent films are 2021's Overrun and Pursuit, which came out this year.
Additionally, Katt has acted on stage. "I started in the theater so it’s probably my favorite," he told Baltimore Media Blog in 2019. "I’ve worked in several theater groups over the years. I even got to work with [Bob] Fosse when we did Pippin for home entertainment."
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He attends fan conventions.
Albert L. Ortega/Getty ImagesKatt meets up with fans of his work at entertainment conventions. While being interviewed at one by Celebrity Biograph in 2019, he said he attends "about four conventions a year."
"One of my favorite things is visiting with the fans," he told Baltimore Media Blog. "I do my very best to be present and listen to them. I love to talk and share stories with them, as well. People don’t just come for an autograph. They want to tell you what your project meant in their lives and that’s very interesting to me."
He's a father and has been married twice.
Kathy Hutchins / ShutterstockKatt was married to Deborah Kahane from 1979 to 1992, and they had two children, Clayton and Emerson. He is current married to this second wife, Danielle Hirsch, with whom he has a daughter, Dakota, and a stepson, Andrew. Katt was asked about passions outside of acting in the Celebrity Biograph interview. He responded, "My kids are my passion," and added, "I still dabble. I play music everyday, but that’s just a hobby."
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He's not so interested in a Greatest American Hero reboot.
Studio 10 / YouTubeDuring a Feb. 2022 interview with Studio 10, Katt was asked how he'd feel about a reboot of The Greatest American Hero. "No one is interested in seeing William Katt at this point in his life in a red suit," he said. "I could be the grandfather or play someone who has passed on and comes back in a hologram once in a while. I could do that."
He also talked about how his feelings about his costume have changed. "I saw the suit for the first time, which was mortifying," he said. "Horrible. It sagged in all the wrong places. It was cold in the winter. It was hot in the summer. Forty years later, it's become a very good friend of mine and something that I am so proud to have been able to wear and meet the public, who I had no idea had such a wonderful time watching that show."
