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The Greatest American Hero(TV show/series, 1981-1983)

TV-14
| 1h per episode | Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Crime

Scripted Reality in 3 seasons with 43 episodes

The Greatest American HeroRating: 3.7/5 (with 48 votes)
The Greatest American Hero is an American comedy-drama superhero television series that aired on ABC. Created by producer Stephen J. Cannell, it premiered as a two-hour pilot movie on March 18, 1981, and ran until February 2, 1983. The series features William Katt as teacher Ralph Hinkley, Robert Culp as FBI agent Bill Maxwell, and Connie Sellecca as lawyer Pam Davidson. The lead character's surname was changed from "Hinkley" to "Hanley" for the latter part of the first season, immediately after President Ronald Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981. The character's name was reverted to "Hinkley" after a few months had passed. The series chronicles Ralph's adventures after a group of aliens gives him a red and black suit that grants him superhuman abilities. Unfortunately for Ralph, who hates wearing the suit, he immediately loses its instruction booklet, and thus has to learn how to use its powers by trial and error, often with comical results. ()
Poster of The Greatest American Hero

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About The Greatest American Hero

The chronicles of teacher Ralph Hinkley's adventures after a group of aliens gives him a red suit that gives him superhuman abilities. Unfortunately, Ralph, who hates wearing the suit, immediately loses its instruction booklet, and thus has to learn how to use its powers by trial and error, often with comical results.

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Trailer for The Greatest American Hero + Featurettes/Teaser/Clips

'The Greatest American Hero' [01] TV Promo - 1981(Trailer, 0:39)

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The Greatest American Hero Seasons and Episodes

10/29/1982Season 3 - 13 episodes
#1 | 10/29/1982Divorce Venusian Style
After a loud argument with Bill, Ralph quits the hero business and turns in his super-suit. Unknown to both men, a gang of neo-Nazis plans to murder them.
#2 | 11/05/1982The Price is Right
While attending a high-school reunion, Ralph discovers that the wife of a famous pro football player is held hostage to ensure her husband will throw the big game.
#3 | 11/12/1982This is the One the Suit Was Meant For
With their relationship in trouble, Ralph convinces Pam to go on a vacation without Bill or his suit. Unfortunately Bill shows up unannounced with his suit and trouble ensues.
#4 | 11/19/1982The Resurrection of Carlini
A magician killed performing his greatest trick seemingly returns from the grave to murder his three rivals. Ralph must use his suit to out trick the would-be killer.
#5 | 01/06/1983The Newlywed Game
Ralph and Pam's wedding is almost ruined when Ralph receives special orders from the President to fly a mission over the North Pole. Bill discovers the orders were faked, and that Ralph has accidentally given the Russians valuable military secrets.
#6 | 01/13/1983Heaven is in Your Genes
A former Nazi genetic engineer fakes Bill's death to use him in an experiment, but Ralph realizes his friend is still alive. He flies off to rescue Bill and the evil doctor's other victims, but a genetic horror created in an earlier experiment waits to battle him.
#7 | 01/20/1983Live at Eleven
An Aging TV anchorman plans to retire in grand style. He hires a band of mercenaries to sabotage a nuclear plant, hoping that his coverage of the event can launch a Presidential campaign. Ralph must stop the plant from exploding, but the saboteurs, now dying of radiation poisoning, are determined to succeed.
#8 | 01/27/1983Space Ranger
One of Ralph's students invents a radio telescope capable of decoding Russian satellite messages. The KGB tries to steal his system. When that maneuver fails, they decide to kill him before he can share his discovery with the CIA.
#9 | 02/03/1983Thirty Seconds Over Little Tokyo
A young Chinese scientist has invented a deadly particle "ray gun" weapon. A local gang kidnaps his uncle, hoping to obtain the gun. Bill's plan to save the Uncle backfires, and Ralph must test his suit against the deadly ray.
#10 | 02/10/1983Wizards And Warlocks
King Abu Al-Fahad asks Ralph and Bill to help find his son, Prince Aha, who was kidnapped by Middle Eastern terrorists while playing a Dungeons and Dragonsesque game, Wizards and Warlocks. Their search leads them from Aha's college campus -- where they meet Aha's Keeper of the Clock, Joey Margolis -- to the game's author himself, Norman Fackler.
#11 | 02/17/1983It's Only Rock and Roll
Bill is called by the manager of a rock group that is aboard a plane threatened by a bomber, who has hidden a device set to explode if the plane descends below 1000 feet. Ralph flies into action, but matters escalate when Pam is kidnapped and a band of bikers threaten Bill's life.
#12 | 02/24/1983Desperado
A weekend in the country leads Ralph, Pam and Bill into a race to save a wild stallion from a cruel rancher. The man blames the horse for a crippling injury. His men are also selling horses for use as dog food.
#13 | 03/03/1983Vanity, Says the Preacher
It seems that 30 years ago Bill helped some revolutionaries overthrow a corrupt regime in an unnamed Central American country, where he is now regarded as a hero. But now Bill's old revolutionary compadres have turned up, and they soon kidnap him and try to get him to help lead another revolution.
#14 | 02/13/1986The Greatest American Heroine
When Ralph's identity is made public, the aliens require him to give up his suit. Much to Bill's chagrin, Ralph chooses to give the suit to Holly Hathaway, who is as far to the left as he is to the right.
11/04/1981Season 2 - 22 episodes
03/17/1981Season 1 - 8 episodes
?Specials - 10 episodes

Additional Information

Production country: United States of America (USA)
Original language: English (EN)
Spoken languages: English (EN)
Translated into 8 languages: English (EN), Spanish (ES), French (FR), Italian (IT), Dutch (NL), Portuguese (PT), Romanian (RO), Russian (RU)
Status: Ended
First episode released on: 03/18/1981
Last episode released on: 03/03/1983
Composer: Mike Post
Alternative titles in other countries (from previews, ads etc.):
"Super-Herói Americano"
"El superhéroe americano"
"El gran héroe americano"
"Ralph Super-héros"
"Ralph Supermaxieroe"
"UFO時代のときめき飛行 アメリカン・ヒーロー"
"위대한 영웅"
"Súper héroe por accidente"
"Titta han flyger"
Keywords: alien encounter

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WatchPlayStream ID: SHOWS:5263, Added: 05/12/2018, Last updated: 04/23/2024