Believe it or not, some people never heard of the Greatest American Hero!

The Greatest American Hero ruled the television world for three years in the early '80s, but some people still claim it's just a footnote in history -- maybe even a myth. Bah!

Check out this letter from Stuck in the '80s fan Steve Schlesinger:

"Steve -- I thought I knew the 80's, but I guess I must have spent those ten years somewhere else. The Greatest American Hero, it was on for two or three seasons? Dude, we didn't have cable in the 80's so, the networks is where I lived. With that being said I've never even heard of the show. I don't remember promos or anybody talking about it, and I was in high school at the time."

Wow. It's shocking, I know. Maybe even disturbing and unsettlings. But for those who still deny the existence of the Greatest American Hero (and the laws of gravity and evolution for all I know), there is hope. Download the podcast interview with actor William Katt before it's too late!

What other actors from the '80s are on everybody's wish list for us to interview on the podcast?

Comments

[Ellen]

Quark! Yes-I do remember it!

[Douglas Arthur]

in a similar vein, Ellen, do you remember the show Quark, starring Richard Benjamin as a space garbageman? His first mate was name Ficus, the vegeton, a kind of alien plant that resembled a human. strange show, lasted about 6 episodes as I recall, which may or may not be longer that Salvage 1 lasted. I was 12 in 1979 and totally into these shows.

[Ellen]

Found it! A show called "Salvage One". Andy Griffith was a junk dealer and he built a rocket ship. It was from 1979 though.

http://crazyabouttv.com/salvage1.html

[Jeff in Minneapolis]

I was completely aware of GAH, was probably about 13 then, but I never had any interest in watching it and the theme sucks too, sorry. Passage of time hasn't made it any more appealing.

[Former Producer Dave, aka Maestro]

WTG Ellen....an '80s trivia throwdown! Very cool, and I don't have a clue. However, I'm almost old enough to do an authentic Grandpa Simpson "Maaaatttttllllloooooccccckkkkk!"
dave

[Ellen]

It was on ABC. There was supposed to be a spinoff and one episode was made with a female called Greatest American Heroine.

Does anyone remember a series with (I think)Andy Griffin and a spaceship/rocket? It was not a scifi show though.

[Mary]

Definitely Jack Nicholson for the Shining and Michael Keaton for Beetlejuice.

[Nate]

Dear Steve and Sean,
In concern of the letter writer claiming to "know the 80's" You sir must have been living in a cave during the 80's to not have heard of GAH. I suppose you never have heard of Matt Houston or Hart to Hart, or dare I say...Riptide? GAH was the shiznit. Do us all a favor, and go to Hulu and get a clulu.
Cheers big ears,
Nathan

[Marci]

Not only was GAH a TV show, (and totally great-available on DVD) but it is also a comic book at our store signed to you from William Katt!
http://myworld.ebay.com/catastrophic_comics2
get them while they last. Great for any Fan and their kids!

[DerekT]

I used to love this show back when I was a kid.
I would love to hear an interview with Dennis Deyoung, he does have a new solo album so there is a chance to get him. Also the members of the new superband Chickenfoot with 1/2 of Van Halen (Hagar and Anthony), drummer from Red Hot Chili Peppers and a great guitarist whose name slips my mind.
And of course, some heavy metal bands, like Bret Michaels and his broken nose.

Non Music interview, Steven Spielberg or Harrison Ford.

[Miguel]

Interview Diane Franklin,that would be a nice achievement.

Scott Baio or John Ratzenberger aka Cliff Clavin.

[jon in bradenton]

I loved this show! Watching him fly into buildings, and Robert Culp's over-the-top government agent, and (to an adolescent boy) the most-beautiful-woman-in-the-world, Connie Selleca, was must see TV for me. Maybe "most beautiful" was Bailey from WKRP, I'm a bit fuzzy on that now. I had the theme song for GAH on 45rpm and wore it out!

[Spears]

Sheen and Hall. Hall and Sheen. The big guns from the '80s. I can ask.

[Stanley Hetz]

They used to have reruns of it on FX back in the mid 1990s. I miss that show.

[Wuenchdog]

This may be unattainable, but you gotta rank Charlie Sheen high up there.
Forget his nearly million dollars an episode for "Two and a Half Men". In the 80's, his resume included "Red Dawn", "Platoon", "Wall Street", "Young Guns", "Lucas", "Eight Men Out", "Major League" and "Ferris Buellers Day Off".

I think he is even the same age as Steve so he's gotta have found memories of 80's music and movies. Perhaps Sean would ask him about all his conquests as well. We all know Sean loves Ginger Lynn.

Though Sheen is probably unattainable, I would still love a "Platoon" podcast. You've already done three of these movies on podcast: "Red Dawn", "Ferris" and "Wall Street".

[The Man Known Only as.......Rowan]

I don't remember if you had an interview with Anthony Michael Hall but if you didn't that would be a great one. I mean he was the epitome of geekness in the '80s

[Spears]

I'm hoping for Michael Pare at some point this year. Also Michael O'Keefe. If we can get Michael J. Fox, then I hit the trifecta!

[Miguel]

The first time i heard of this show was on your podcast.I never watched it either.I don`t know if it aired here in Portugal.If it did i was too young anyway,probably still watching the Smurfs or something.

It was also thanks to your podcast that i finally understood all the range of the Costanza answering machine song.When i watched that Seinfeld episode i laughed with that joke but i didn`t know that it had any relation with anything from the past.Only when i listened to the TV theme songs shows i finally got it.And it´s a good theme song.

[CHAD]

on the greatest american hero tip, what about michael pare as well, or furthermore connie sellica. by the way, try to get william culp.

[CHAD]

wow, i haven't been on here in a while. said that, never heard of greatest american hero, WOW!!! i can't believe this. this was a huge part of my youth. in 81, there wasn't much else, granted, but the idea of a superhero with questionable powers is still funny and brilliant. i can't wait for the movie(if it ever does comes out). as for other 80s actors for the show, i'm gonna throw out the big daddy of them all, michael j fox. since he has a new book out now, it could be a reality. now that would be a great interview, with so much content to choose from. back to the future, teen wolf, secret of my success, light of day, casualities of war, family ties, it's an endless list of great content. in the timeless words of rocky balboa, GO FOR IT.

[Spears]

Ah, Marc Singer. Loved him in "The Beastmaster" and "If You Could See What I Hear."

[Kosh]

I remember watching GAH on network TV. I was a fan, but then I liked odd stuff as a kid. Speaking of GAH, here's a suggestion for some 80s actors I'd love to catch up with - Marc Singer and Faye Grant from V (Faye played one of the students on GAH) With ABC rebooting V in the Fall, it seems like a good time.

As for cable comedy shows, I remember watching Not Necessarily the News on HBO when I was a kid. I even had a Sniglets book.

[Spears]

GAH was indeed on ABC those three years. In fact, I don't remember much in the way of comedy series on cable back in the '80s except for "Bizarre," which ran on Showtime, I think, in the US (and CTV in Canada, I believe.)

[Dave, aka Maestro]

Steve, I thought that GAH was on network TV, no? You wouldn't have needed cable to see it. Then again, I never watched it either (too old).