William Daniels and John Cullum interviewed by Gene Shalit, TODAY 8Apr1986

They were promoting the benefit "Broadway Applauds Lincoln Center" to be held the next week. Talked about working together on Broadway in two musicals, "On a Clear Day you Can See Forever" and "1776" (both also did the film of "1776"); Daniels' work in St. Elsewhere and Knight Rider; Cullum's upcoming Broadway show "The Boys in Autumn" with George C. Scott at Circle in the Square; Shalit asks both about working with Scott, and asks Cullum if he'd like to work in television.

[@xKagryx]

I adore William Daniels as John Adams, I’ve never seen him smile so much before!

[@stellakowalski1]

It is August 2022 & both of these two wonderful men are still alive. John Cullum is 92 & William Daniels is 95. I loved them both in 1776.

[@kennyduthie8264]

KITT is 97 now and still going strong!

[@ghostcityshelton9378]

I was lucky enough to see Mr. Cullum live in the mentioned musical & 1776. He was great. I can't believe how time flies as he's now 88 yrs old.
I'm going to see today (Saw it last night) for a second time very talented folks who live in my town do 1776 in our community theater.

[@glamourdazeshorts]

Two of my fave actors

[@kokoken1]

Shalit to Cullum: Would you like to do television? Cullum: "I wouldn't mind doing it in my autumn years." ... Behold, "Northern Exposure."

[@jamescombs8316]

Behold, "Law and Order"...

[@SteveBrecht]

And only 4 years later

[@stflaw]

For those of you who only know Wlliam Daniels from Knight Rider, I strongly recommend you check out his performances in the movie 1776 and the television series St. Elsewhere (sadly, only one season and some "best of" collections are available on DVD). He is a great actor and much more than just the voice of a car.

[@stflaw]

Whatever. I didn't watch the show. I hope your meaningless little clarification made your day.

[@iancassidy6763]

About as meaningless as your nerd tidbit there

[@inquisitorchristopher8527]

I never cared about St. Elsewhere, but I watched Boy Meets World just to hear William talk, would close my eyes and hear KITT.

[@BobbNaef]

I started watching St Elsewhere it's first night and after watching Nightrider a few times I knew it was William Daniels Voice.
The man was busy in the 80s

[@Jaguarwoman79]

Mr. Adams but Mr. Adams!

[@tiffsaver]

Kudos to William Daniels, as well. Watch him as the proud father to Dustin Hoffman in "The Graduate." Pure magic.

[@tiffsaver]

I rate John Collum among the finest actors in American history... period.

[@daviddemar8749]

Wm daniels had a scene in the film version of 1776 with Blythe danner who was married to Bruce Paltrow RIP the producer of st. Elsewhere. Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow , "produced " a daughter named Gwyneth paltrow .

[@ghostcityshelton9378]

I knew he was the voice of Kitt from the get go.
I took my sister's son Roger to Universal Studieo & they had a look alike Kitt car & Roger was thrilled to be able to 'talk' to the car & the car spoke back to him. I didn't have the heart to tell him about the actor (not William D.) hiding where he could see us & talking into a mike. It was fun.

[@bejigante53]

OMG. All I hear is KITT XD

[@sydneyygaming7092]

IKR!!!!!

[@PersnicketyRed]

Me too! ❤️

[@superade1000]

K.I.T.T is such a handsome Man :)

[@fistteam]

Oh yeah, still commenting on in 2017...Anyone Else (where)? I strongly suggest watching the classic movie 1776, if you're a Daniels fan!

[@solveigmwilder2512]

Great Interview ! Loved John Cullum's song in 1776.

[@coloraturaElise]

Yes, it was the tour-de-force of the show!

[@naturalstrongman81]

2024, Gene is 98, William daniels 97 and John cullum 94. All still alive at the time of this post. May 31, 2024

[@DobbyJunior]

If KITT was somehow turned into a human this is what he would rightfully look like.

[@OAleathaO]

DobbyJunior I think one of the downsides of having your voice in a really popular show is that from that point on, no one hears you...they hear that character. I am not immune to it either.

[@DobbyJunior]

Aleatha Vogel I know what you mean but I also grew up watching him on St. Elsewhere so I knew his face but being just a kid I probably never placed his face with the voice of KITT until later in life. He was a doctor on St. Elsewhere (actually my fav was Howie on that show with being a kid and all) and KITT was KITT. :)

[@DobbyJunior]

DobbyJunior Anyone out there old enough to remember Howie placing rubber gloves on his head and blowing them up with his nose? He actually blew a nostril from doing that so much.

[@RoodeMenon]

Have you seen the GE commercial with William Daniels doing KITT?

[@DobbyJunior]

Is that the one where KITT is jealous of Michael and he drives off with another guy instead?

[@marycasey8226]

I knew from the KR pilot it was William Daniels because I loved 1776.

[@riobow5920]

william Daniels In the film her alibi with Tom selleck.
hilarious.
William is so dry with his humour in it.
cracks me up every time I watch it

[@sydneyygaming7092]

How can a human have such a robotic voice?! Omg I literally think I'm just hearing Kitt talking!!

[@katrose5179]

Oh wow. This was right before I was born. So cool.

[@bigkk758]

So much talent these guys were incredible In 1776

[@jeralynwhite2871]

I love how he used his regular voice for KITT it's so fun to watch this stuff and all you hear is KITT and you can't not hear it and think of KITT

[@d-heroshadez7359]

FEENAY! FEE HEE HEEE NAY! FEENYYY!! oh! That's a new one!

[@TheSimonhammond]

So weird to see KITT voice!

[@balmerlawn]

It’s KITT !! That’s all I see , thanks for the fantastic childhood William Daniel’s ! And KITT of course

[@coloraturaElise]

This is supposed to be about their appearance together, and Shalitt just talked about Daniels tv stuff.

[@tonymyers1756]

Mr. Fenny from Boy Meets World and Holland from Northern Exposure ( John Collum played Lee Garner Sr. on Mad Men.

[@user-jn7tc3tp2x]

All I can say is Knight Rider!!

[@christopherruge8166]

Everyone here is talking about KITT and knight rider, and all I can think of is Mr Feeny from boy meets world!!

[@nba_fanboy_0425]

FEENY!!!!!

[@capokhatpin]

They've turned KITT into a humanoid.

[@sugarplumsmith3545]

I can't believe today is the day I finally decided to type in ( who plays the voice of kitt ) . I watched the show when it first came out and today 20th of January I decide to type in that . Its weird how we think a voice just has to be part of a big successful show like Knight rider . Oh well now I know its William Daniels .

[@Anonymous-qg9xx]

If William Daniels drove The Knight Rider KARR onto the set of the show....it would be KITT in KITT!

[@Patrick76496]

I look at the KITT poster on the wall and all I hear is him :D

[@mrssonikuri]

As a kid I was found KITT voice soooo sexy, I was actually in love with the car like it was a being. Now it makes me laugh🤣🤣🤣

[@roxasthebandicoot4492]

Oh my God is that the guy who voice the food critic from spongebob.

[@bigkk758]

Gene Shallet is so funny

[@patrickb3000]

Everytime I closed my eyes I could see the red voice modulator .

[@Anonymous-qg9xx]

Mr Belvedere has KITT voice!!! William Daniels looks like Mr Belvedere from the show with the same name!!!

[@tonyd842]

KITT!

[@Anonymous-qg9xx]

If William Daniel's face was inside the knight rider car..we could see is mouth move as he spoke and not the 3 red bars as he spoke!! This is KITT without the car!!

[@bardia8905]

Damn KITT is really good at playing human

[@joestueckrath5275]

I’m gene shallot now bye🤣🤣🤣

[@FaisalAhmed-kf9yf]

KITT in flesh , 3:33

[@PrinceTrexus]

FEEHEEHEEHEEHEENAY!!!!

[@iamsosexyandurnot]

feeny