knight rider online

I was over at miami-vice.org http://www.miami-vice.org/forum/display ... opicID=681 and one of the topics I saw was that in the Knight Rider book it says that Don Johnson was one of the top actors up for the part of Michael Knight. Whoa Don Johnson as Michael Knight, I couldn't see that but, it's fun to think about it.

I havent read my Legacy book in while, but im sure it states that there were around 3 or 4 people including Hasselhoff up for the role.

Nick

It does, in fact Don Johnson was one of the close runner-ups for the part of Michael Knight. It is an interesting concept, and if you look at Crockett from Miami Vice, you can see that Don Johnson seems to get type cast for the part of you young loner hot shot who takes risks.

KI

hhmm Make's you wonder dosen't it, if Don Johnson had got Knight Rider, then would David Hasselhoff have had Miami Vice?

Probably not, since Hasselhoff didn't even necessarily go out for Knight Rider in the first place. He was discovered on a plane flight by Brandon Tartikoff, who offered him a screen test for the show. Otherwise, Hasselhoff would have most likely ended up continuing on in his Soap Opera life.

KI

I wouldn't have any problem with Johnson involved in Knight Rider, if I were a Revolution big-whig. If, however, money started missing from secure Revolution accounts, or some rather shady looking characters began showing up at the studio asking for Johnson (or, after shooting the movie, about $8billion in transaction proofs spilled out of some hidden compartment in KITT), I would begin to very seriously rethink the decision to hire him.

Other than a very vague suspicion regarding a guy who has spent a good deal of his life learning popular methods of TV crooking, I have no qualms about him.

DK

Darknight, errr, what are you talking about?

This was a report from when Knight Rider the original series first started, not for the movie.

And other than a tabloid fostered hate of him, what is your real problem with Don Johnson?

KI

I don't hate him. I wish the very best for him. I wouldn't even mind if he had a hand in the new Knight Rider. I just think it's a bit suspicious that he
would have $8 Billion dollars worth of receipts and various transaction proofs just sitting around in his car. If those things were totally on the level, he would've probably had them stored in a safe somewhere, rather than right with him. I doubt that the guy has made 8 Billion legitimate dollars in his whole life. I'm not making any accusation though. I just find it a bit peculiar that he had such a large collection of proofs, and that he was just on his way to look at a Mercedes in Germany, coming across the border from Switzerland, whose banks money launderers are notorious for using due to their anonymity.

This wasn't idle tabloid chatter; this actually happened. I never pay attention to the tabloids, which is why I'm not a Michael Jackson hater like the rest of the world who has also never met him, but actually believe what the printed and TV tabloids say about him.

DK

1) You personally know the people involved, right, that is how you know this all happened? Yeah, I know it was real, I heard it on Entertainment Tonight.

2) Read carefully, Don Johnson is not being talked about with the New Knight Rider Movie, so basically your rant about him is pretty much....strange.

All that was being mentioned was that Don Johnson was originally up for the part of Michael Knight when the part was being cast for the Original Series. That is it.

KI

I knew it was real because I heard it through real sources, rather than trash sources.

I knew that no one had mentioned him in connection with the new movie. I was just mentioning that with a few exceptions it it wouldn't bother me if he were.

I do think sometimes, though, that people who act on shows where there's alot of high level organized crime sometimes think that they can get away with it easier than others, because they've fooled themselves into thinking that they actually know enough about it. They forget that all the methods on the show are old and well-known by law enforcement, and also, that it's just a show. Ah well. I truly hope that he did have a legit reason for having all that stuff. I really like the guy, actually.

DK

Darknight, you're making absolutely no sense and bring up things that weren't ever even mentioned. They were talking about Don Johnson being in the old show. Nobody ever mentioned the movie until you did. And nobody made mention of Johnson's money issues, or even asked. Maybe you should consider your posts before you actually post them.

Rusti

Um, ok Russ.

DK

As far as the actors considered for the role go, on the E: True Hollywood Story about the life and times of David Hasselhoff, Glen A. Larson states that they screen tested Don Johnson, Steven Bauer, and Hasselhoff himself.

I think Don Johnson would have been a great choice if they hadn't gone with David (he even has a car chase in a Trans-Am in the Miami Vice pilot). But no doubt the series would have been... different. It's interesting to wonder how it would've turned out -- more successful? Less successful? What would he have brought to the role that Hasselhoff didn't? How would his relationship with the car differed?

Coincidentally, both Johnson and Steve Bauer were both married to the same actress -- Melanie Griffith. An alternate Stevie in another universe, maybe?

- Paul
- Knight Rider Archive
- http://members.fortunecity.com/knightriders/

I find it even funnier in that researching the Battlestar Galactica book im doing, Larson seemed to pass over Don Johnson because of his "southern accent" for that show, so there is no love lost between them.

dont know if i could have dealt with him calling kitt bubba.. but it woulda been cool.

it says that Don Johnson was one of the top actors up for the part of Michael Knight

Imagine Micheal Knight in pastals?

Imagine what Kitt would think of the colors!!

Veering further off-topic, but with regards to Don Johnson and his TV dress sense - what was with Nash Bridges? It's crept onto the Saturday afternoon schedule over here, and the clothes in that are more 'pastiche' than 'pastel'. Scary.

Sarah

Imagine Micheal Knight in pastals?

Imagine what Kitt would think of the colors!!

Yeah or how about Michael Knight smoking? I wonder how KITT would feel about him smoking in the car and putting out his cigs. in the ashtray? Now that I think about it I don't think KITT would have taking to kindly of it.

I don't think Kitt even had an ashtray did he? Of course he could use the chem. analyzer but that might not go over too well.

Cheri

(he even has a car chase in a Trans-Am in the Miami Vice pilot).

If you mean the scene where he is chassing Tubbs in his speed boat at the begining, it's actually a Z-28 Camaro.

Small world eh? I was the "Miami Vice" fan who posted this over at MV org
Don Johnson wouldn't have worked as Michael Knight. David Hasslehoff was perfect for the part. I'd like to see the screen test they shot though.

The Equalizer UK wrote:Small world eh? I was the "Miami Vice" fan who posted this over at MV org
Don Johnson wouldn't have worked as Michael Knight. David Hasslehoff was perfect for the part.

But is that only because David is the only actor we know as Michael? It's like saying that somebody really suits their name, only because that's the name they are commonly associated with. Don Johnson wouldn't have been David's Michael, he would have been his own version, and brought to the role his own qualities.

Sarah

But then there is the other side of this coin where you have to look at what Larson had envisioned for the role, and then look at what the actors had brought to it, which is what the whole idea of casting is about.

As we have seen, Hasselhoff doesn't take himself seriously, he can take a joke, and he is more lighthearted, which is what the whole concept about Michael Knight was written for. He had his serious moments, but most of the time, it was the non-serious attitude that was his forte, as you can even see with the interactions between Michael and KITT that were written in the first season, episodes that were not written necessarily with Hasselhoff in mind.

Don Johnson is more gruff, more gritty, and more serious about himself and the roles he plays. We may not take Nash Bridges seriously, but it was pretty obvious that he did. Don Johnson also has that southern accent that he can't get rid of easily, where Michael Knight was a man without origin for the most part.

So, there is also that to look at.

KI

Quote:
(he even has a car chase in a Trans-Am in the Miami Vice pilot).


If you mean the scene where he is chassing Tubbs in his speed boat at the begining, it's actually a Z-28 Camaro.

Yes it was a Camaro. TNN was showing the Miami Vice pilot today. Also, in it Tubbs is shown driving a '84 black Trans Am with gold trim.

Don Johnson. isnt that the guy who played on that one show as a cop with a sidekick played by Cheech Marin? (sorry, been so long that I forrgot). if so, he would be great as Michael Knight. his sense of humour would mix in quite well.

makes ya think though. wondering if he would insist on using his Yellow convertable for KITT instead of the Trans Am.


EDIT: whoops. shouldve read the whole topic before posting read KI's last post and yes, I was right. and the show was Nash Bridges.

if Don Johnson ever got the part as Michael Knight, I wonder if they wuld make Cheech Marin the voice of KITT?