The red bathing suits, tan bodies and slow-motion running makes Baywatch impossible to forget — even decades after it originally aired.
Baywatch followed lifeguards on a California (and later, Hawaii) beach as they saved innocent people from drowning, sharks and the occasional serial killer. The drama first premiered on NBC in 1989 and ran for 11 seasons before the series finale aired on May 14, 2001.
In its later years, Baywatch attracted all kinds of talent, with everyone from Jason Momoa to Pamela Anderson joining the cast. It even launched the careers of its guest stars, including Mila Kunis, who played a blind child who got lost on the show.
“This was during the Pamela Anderson days, because my dad insisted on taking me to set and so did my grandfather and so did every man in my family. ‘We will take her to set. We got this one,’” she said while on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in April 2021, adding that Anderson and David Hasselhoff were very kind and took photos with her.
While it’s a fun memory for guest stars, several actors spent a huge chunk of their careers rocking the red costumes. Actress Elena Eleniak helped launch the show and spent three years on the beach as Shauni McClain.
“As I have evolved over the years and grown, so has what Baywatch means to me now, as opposed to then,” Eleniak told Entertainment Tonight Canada in 2019. “Back in the day, it was so exciting and exhilarating to be a part of and today, it’s a golden, sweet nostalgia for me. I am very grateful to have played Shauni and to have been part of the ‘OGB’ — original cast.”
Hasselhoff, however, stuck around the longest. The original cast member appeared as Mitch Buchanan in 220 episodes of Baywatch over 11 years, plus 45 episodes of the spinoff, Baywatch Nights.
“What a phenomenal experience it was to be part of the Baywatch journey, from the show’s first season being cancelled to lasting over 10 years to being rebooted some 30 years later,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019. “I am honored and proud of the work our cast and crew did together. Baywatch is truly a spectacular worldwide hit and has affected millions of people and saved a lot of lives. Heart, humor and action! Baywatch forever!”
Scroll through to see the Baywatch Season 1 cast, then and now:
After appearing as Jill Riley on Baywatch for just one season, Weatherly popped up on shows like Murder, She Wrote and Chicago Hope. However, the actress has only shown up on screen a few times since 1999, with 2014's Love in the Time of Monsters listed as her latest gig. She married husband Chip Harris in 1994, and they share daughter Jessie and son Jack. Shutterstock (2)
For three seasons, Warlock played Eddie Kramer on Baywatch while also appearing on Days of Our Lives. After that, he went on to hit most of the major soap operas, including The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, As the World Turns and One Life to Live. He hasn't been on screen since 2010. Warlock married his Days costar Julie Pinson in 2006. He later left Hollywood and moved to Colorado to help run a kids' ski school. He told Australia’s The Morning Show that he knew that he'd leave eventually. Shutterstock (2)
After stints on One Life to Live and Days of Our Lives, Gagnier only spent one season as Gina Pomeroy on Baywatch. She appeared on Murder, She Wrote and Wings shortly after hanging up her red bathing suit. She had lots of short term roles on hits such as Crossing Jordan and House, and she was last seen onscreen in 2015 during an arc on General Hospital. Off screen, Gagnier has been working to help other actors. She's an acting coach, according to her Instagram, and she has helped her students score roles on HBO, Freeform, Netflix and Nickelodeon projects recently. YouTube; Shutterstock
The actor left the role of LAPD officer Garner Ellerbee in 1998, and Williams has worked pretty consistently in TV and film ever since. On the small screen, he has had roles on Necessary Roughness, Drop Dead Diva, Chicago Med and Secrets and Lies. On the big screen, he has appeared in 2003’s Old School, 2015’s Terminator Genisys, 2019’s Brightburn and more. The Iowa native has authored several books, including A Gathering of Heroes: Reflections on Rage and Responsibility: A Memoir of the Los Angeles Riots. Shutterstock (2)
She played Shauni McClain for three seasons, but Eleniak eventually left the beach behind for a film career. She appeared in Under Siege (1992) and The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) shortly after leaving the show. She guest starred on CSI: Miami and Desperate Housewives and is set to appear in the 2022 movie Lolipop Gang. The actress' website states that she is an acting teacher, hosts the podcast "Spiritual Alchemy With Erika" and has a daughter, Indyanna. Shutterstock (2)
After playing Craig Pomeroy in Baywatch season 1, as well as seasons 8 and 9, Stevenson went on to land a variety of TV gigs on shows like Judging Amy, Longmire, Bull and, most recently, Greenhouse Academy, which he has been on Netflix for four seasons. Stevenson and ex-wife Kirstie Alley welcomed son William in 1992 and daughter Lillie in 1994. He married chef Lisa Schoen in 2018. Shutterstock (2)
Baywatch's first Australian lifeguard was Trever Cole, played by Phelps, but the actor returned to his native Australia by the mid-90s to work on shows such as The Flying Doctors, Stingers and Home and Away. He has worked steadily across Australian TV, film and theater projects. YouTube (2)
The actor had a 30-year career before playing Don Thorpe on Baywatch, and he's been working steadily ever since. Notable titles include 1995's Piranha and 2014's Life Partners. Shutterstock (2)
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