Who is William Katt? 'NCIS' Season 24 Episode 4 features surprise appearance from 80s TV star
'NCIS' returned with a new episode featuring an 80s icon. Fans were surprised when 'The Greatest American Hero' star William Katt appeared during 'Like and Subscribe.' Katt starred in the popular show on ABC in 1981. He played Ralph, a high school teacher whose life changed instantly after an alien suit gave him superhero powers. The role catapulted him into overnight stardom. The series' theme was so popular that it became a Top 5 hit on the Billboard charts. The show ran for three seasons and remains a favorite among viewers.
'NCIS' paid homage to Katt's popular series through several callbacks. The case-of-the-week dealt with a sailor's death. The victim, named Mark, used to visit a hospital, where he entertained kids while dressed as Ralph from 'The Greatest American Hero.' At the end of the episode, the game show's host, Jordan (Case Walker), decided to replace the sailor as the entertainer. "It's a big cape to fill, but I'll do my best," he said. A doctor played by none other than Katt took Jordan to the ward.
The cameo became even more memorable when 'Believe It or Not' began playing in the background. The song is the iconic theme from Katt's show. After seeing Jordan in the costume he popularized, Katt said, "Nice suit." Showrunner Steven J. Binder teased this cameo while speaking to TV Line before the current season's premiere. He didn't reveal Katt's name but said, "someone who was on a TV show that might have been my favorite TV show in the '80s, and a lot of people's favorite TV show in the '80s" will appear on the show. He added that the cameo "fits in the story in a really nice, heartfelt way."
Stephen J. Cannell’s daughter Tawnia McKiernan directed the episode. Cannell was the mastermind behind 'The Greatest American Hero.' McKiernan had previously directed many episodes of 'NCIS' and suggested that Binder use the costume to pay homage to the 80s series, according to Parade. Getting the costume was easy, as she held the rights. McKiernan also arranged Katt's cameo. She believes her father would have loved Jordan's sequence. “[My dad] would have loved it,” McKiernan said. “The whole concept of 'The Greatest American Hero' character was an everyday guy that got a super suit and in 'NCIS,' this is an everyday guy where he’s wearing a super suit and really understands the weight of being a superhero. I think it’s a great story of redemption."
Elsewhere in the episode, the team discovered that Mark's killer was none other than Nathan, Jordan’s producer and longtime friend. He killed Mark to retrieve an incriminating recording. Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Tali (Isla Gie) went through a rough patch, but the seasoned agent eventually ironed things out. 'NCIS' airs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
