William Katt

William Theodore Katt (born February 16, 1951) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for his starring role as Ralph Hinkley/Hanley on the ABC television series The Greatest American Hero (1981–1983).

Katt first became known for playing Tommy Ross, the prom date of Carrie White in the original film version of Carrie (1976). He subsequently starred in films such as First Love (1977), Big Wednesday (1978) and Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979). Between 1985 and 1988, he starred in nine Perry Mason television films alongside his mother Barbara Hale, who reprised her role as Della Street from the television series Perry Mason.

Early life Katt was born in Los Angeles to actors Bill Williams (birth name Herman August Wilhelm Katt) and Barbara Hale. His paternal grandparents were emigrants from Germany, while his mother had Irish and Scottish ancestry. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley and began acting as a teenager, sometimes appearing with his parents. He graduated from Army and Navy Academy, Carlsbad, California.

Career

Katt attended Orange Coast College before pursuing a career as a musician. Inspired by his father, he then started an acting career, appearing in summer stock theatre and in small television roles. His earliest film credits include the role of a jock, Tommy Ross, in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film adaptation Carrie, which allowed Katt to make a name for himself. In 1978, he appeared as Barlow, a young surfer, in the John Milius drama film Big Wednesday opposite Jan-Michael Vincent and Gary Busey. His mother in that film was his real-life mother, Barbara Hale. The following year he took the role of Sundance Kid in the 1979 film Butch and Sundance: The Early Days. The role in Big Wednesday made him so well known in the surfing community that in 2004 he presented one of the Association of Surfing Professionals awards at their annual World Championship Tour ceremony to wild applause from the crowd of professional surfers. Katt explained in a 1979 interview with critic Roger Ebert that he was holding out only for parts that were personally interesting to him.

In December 1975, Katt auditioned for the part of Luke Skywalker in 1977's science fantasy George Lucas film Star Wars, and footage of his audition has been featured in many Star Wars documentaries. He was seriously considered for the role, which went to Mark Hamill, and Katt instead starred that year in First Love, playing a college student who experiences his first romantic relationship.

In 1981, Katt was cast as the title role in a filmed production of the Broadway musical comedy Pippin for Canadian television network, which received mixed reviews. However, he landed on his best-remembered role that year, as Ralph Hinkley, a mild-mannered schoolteacher given a superpowered suit by aliens on the popular television series The Greatest American Hero, a role he played for three seasons until the show was canceled in 1983. Also starring veteran actor Robert Culp, the show retains a cult fanbase. Its theme song, "Believe It or Not", penned by Mike Post, also became a hit on the music charts. In 1982, due to the success of the first season of The Greatest American Hero, Katt signed to MCA and released a soft rock album, Secret Smiles under the name Billy Katt.

After The Greatest American Hero, Katt starred in Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985), about explorers searching for apatosaurs in Africa, and the cult horror/comedy film House (1985); he later reprised his role for the third sequel, House IV, in 1992. Between 1985 and 1988, Katt starred in nine Perry Mason television films, playing the role of private detective Paul Drake Jr., son of Paul Drake, a fictional private detective in the Perry Mason television series and the Perry Mason series of detective stories written by Erle Stanley Gardner; Katt co-starred with his mother Barbara Hale, who reprised her role of Della Street from the Perry Mason television series. Katt starred in the 1989 TV series Top of the Hill and made a guest appearance on the first episode of the short-lived 1991 series Good Sports.

Katt continues to appear on television and in supporting film roles, and does voice acting as well. He appeared in an episode of House in 2006. In recent years, he has returned to genre work, with appearances in Andromeda and Justice League and roles in the award-winning film Gamers (2006), The Man from Earth (2007), and Alien vs Hunter (2007).

Katt briefly appeared in Heroes season 3 in "The Butterfly Effect" as a nosy reporter investigating Ali Larter's character. He portrayed Jack Matheson in the thriller film Mirrors 2. In 2010 during season 6, Katt guest starred as C.J. Payne's musician birth-father in the episode "Who's Your Daddy Now?" in the Tyler Perry comedy House of Payne.

Katt has also written a Greatest American Hero comic book and contributed to the series' Facebook page.

In 2013, Katt played himself in the spoof film Paranormal Movie directed by Kevin Farley. In 2014, he appeared in The Unwanted. In 2020, he appeared in The 2nd.

Personal life Katt married Deborah Kahane in 1979 and they have two sons, Clayton and Emerson. They divorced in 1992.

He married Danielle Hirsch in 1993 and has a daughter with her, Dakota, as well as a stepson, Andrew.

Selected filmography

Film Year Title Notes 1971 The Late Liz Peter Addams Film debut 1976 Carrie Tommy Ross 1977 First Love Elgin Smith 1978 Big Wednesday Jack Barlow 1979 Butch and Sundance: The Early Days Sundance Kid 1985 Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend George Loomis 1985 House Roger Cobb 1988 White Ghost Steve Shepard 1989 Rising Storm Elliot Kropfeld Uncredited 1989 Wedding Band Marshall Roman 1990 Naked Obsession Franklyn Carlysle 1991 Last Call Paul Avery 1992 House IV: The Repossession Roger Cobb Direct-to-video 1992 Double X: The Name of the Game Michael Cooper 1993 Desperate Motive Richard Sullivan 1994 Cyborg 3: The Recycler Decaf Direct-to-video 1994 The Paperboy Brian 1994 Stranger by Night Troy Rooney Direct-to-video 1994 Tollbooth Waggy 1995 Piranha Paul Grogan Showtime TV Movie 1995 Problem Child 3: Junior in Love Ben Healy, Jr. Direct-to-video 1996 Daddy's Girl Don Mitchell 1997 u'Bejani Father Bob 1997 Whacked Sgt. Niktaukus Short 1998 Hyacinth Andy Gillis 1998 Deadly Game aka Catch me if you can Jean Benoit 1999 Twin Falls Idaho Surgeon 1999 Jawbreaker Mr. Purr 2000 The Clean and Narrow George Director 2000 Learning to Surf 2001 Circuit Gino 2002 Snake Island Malcolm Page 2002 Treading Water The Investor 2003 Descendant Dr. Tom Murray 2005 River's End Ed Kennedy Director 2006 Gamers Reese's Boss 2006 Backstage Pass Kurt Wilson Direct-to-video 2007 The Man from Earth Art 2007 AVH: Alien vs. Hunter Lee Cussler Direct-to-video 2008 Big Game Dave 2008 Beautiful Loser Father Hume 2009 Deadland Shiv 2010 Earthling Ryan Donnelly 2010 Super Sgt. Fitzgibbon 2010 Mirrors 2 Jack Matheson Direct-to-video 2010 Pure Country 2: The Gift Winter 2011 The Encore of Tony Duran Art Smith 2011 Stok Stalk Stock Conscience 2012 Sweetwater Dean Taylor 2013 Sparks Matanza 2013 .357 Smalls 2013 Paranormal Movie Houseguest Bill 2013 The Secret Lives of Dorks Mr. Thomas Gibson 2014 The Unwanted Troy 2015 Subterranea Mockenrue 2017 The Man from Earth: Holocene Dr. Art Jenkins 2018 The Other Side of the Wind Man in Bathroom Stall 2020 The 2nd Senator Bob Jeffers 2021 Overrun Detective Ed Dobbs 2022 Pursuit Taye Biggs

Television

Video games YearTitleRoleNotes 2010 Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame Hawkman Voice