Since its premiere in 1982, “Knight Rider” has evolved from a beloved cult classic into a cultural icon. Hollywood has made several attempts to revive the series, albeit with limited success. Whether through “Team Knight Rider,” “Knight Rider 2000,” or the lesser-known “Knight Rider 2010,” each iteration showcased a high-tech supercar. While not all versions of KITT had a voice or personality, those that did required a talented actor to bring the car to life. Over the years, several notable voices have contributed to this legendary character, making KITT one of television’s most memorable vehicles.

Many might be surprised to learn about Jim Ward’s involvement with KITT. Unlike what one might expect, Ward didn’t voice KITT in any of the “Knight Rider” reboots or spin-offs. Instead, he lent his voice to the famous car in a 1984 episode of the sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes.” In this special two-part episode titled “Hooray for Hollywood,” the show’s characters visited the set of “Knight Rider,” featuring a cameo by David Hasselhoff. Ward’s uncredited role as KITT marked his first foray into voice acting, launching a prolific career that would see him contribute to beloved franchises such as “Mighty Mouse,” “Betty Boop,” and “The Jetsons Movie.” Through more than 300 projects, Ward has become a respected name in the industry, his journey beginning with the voice of an iconic car.

If you’re wondering where Jim Ward voiced KITT, well, you wouldn’t be alone. And the answer isn’t what you’d expect either; No, Ward didn’t voice KITT in any of the “Knight Rider” revivals, nor did he voice some kind of alternate reality version of KITT. Instead, Ward provided the pipes for the AI car during its meta-guest appearance in a 1984 episode of the TV sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes.” We might not even include him on this list, if it weren’t for the fact that he’s one of the premier voice actors working in the business who few people recognize. With a long and impressive career, he’s contributed to some of the biggest cartoon franchises in TV history.

Ward’s career started in the ’80s, and in fact, his uncredited voice work as KITT was his very first voice-over role. It took place in the two-part episode “Hooray for Hollywood,” which saw the “Diff’rent Strokes” gang visit the set of “Knight Rider,” complete with a David Hasselhoff cameo. From there, Ward’s career as a voiceover artist took off: He contributed to iconic properties like “Mighty Mouse,” “Betty Boop,” and 1990’s “The Jetsons Movie.” His career is far too varied to list everything, including video game voiceover work. All in all, though, he counts more than 300 projects to his name — and it all started when he voiced a certain artificially intelligent car.

If you’re a fan of ’80s movies, Val Kilmer needs no introduction. Kilmer is the man who played rival pilot Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in 1986’s “Top Gun,” giving Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell a run for his money. But that’s hardly his only claim to fame, as the legendary Kilmer was also the man who played the cinematic Batman after Michael Keaton departed the role, filling the bat-boots in 1995 for Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever,” not long before he starred opposite Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Michael Mann’s classic crime thriller, “Heat.”

It was in the late 2000s that Kilmer voiced KITT, giving life to the iconic car for the short-lived 2008 revival series. But Kilmer is probably best known for his haunting performance as real-life rock star Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 music biopic “The Doors.” Kilmer also starred in the ’80s fantasy classic “Willow,” playing the renegade swordsman Madmartigan. While he didn’t return for the “Willow” revival on Disney+, he did reprise his role as Iceman in 2022’s long-awaited legacy sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick.” 

Sadly, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015 and passed away from the disease shortly after the release of the “Top Gun” sequel. He was 65.

The most famous voice of KITT is William Daniels, the man who vocalized the original version of the car in the 1980s “Knight Rider” series. His unmistakable tones made him famous among an entire generation, but until a certain other role years later, most kids watching had no idea what he looked like. He became more famous in front of the camera for his role as Principal George Feeny in the 1990s teen sitcom “Boy Meets World.”

Daniels wasn’t, however, unknown to adult audiences. During his run on “Knight Rider” — where he could record his lines in a booth — he was also starring in “St. Elsewhere,” one of the most beloved TV shows of the 1980s, and one of the most binge-worthy medical dramas ever made. There, he played Dr. Mark Craig, a brilliant heart surgeon who — in contrast to his friendly demeanor as KITT — was eager to bully and intimidate the younger members of his hospital staff.

Following his run on “Boy Meets World” in the ’90s, Daniels stepped back from major roles, mostly taking guest spots and recurring TV parts, including a voiceover role as another AI computer in an episode of “Star Trek: Voyager.” He showed up for a stint on “Grey’s Anatomy” in 2012, and even reprised his role as George Feeney in “Girl Meets World” in 2014. Today, he’s retired from acting at the age of 98. 

Jim Ward isn’t the only man that you didn’t realize once voiced KITT from “Knight Rider.” There’s one other man — who you probably do recognize — who voiced KITT for a single episode, though it’s unlikely you’ve ever seen it. That man is Will Arnett, the “Arrested Development” alum who later built a career as a voice actor. He voiced KITT in a pilot episode of the 2008 “Knight Rider” revival, but was replaced by Val Kilmer when the show was picked up and became a series.

Arnett’s biggest roles are on the small screen, such as magician brother Job in “Arrested Development” and his recurring role as Devin Banks on Tina Fey’s “30 Rock.” But it’s really his voice acting that’s provided the most material for him: He is, of course, the voice of BoJack Horseman on Netflix’s adult animated series of the same name, a role that won him two Emmy Award nominations — to add to the five he’d collected from “Arrested Development” and “30 Rock.”

While big on television, Arnett also loves the big screen, famously playing the Lego version of “Batman” in “The Lego Movie” and “The Lego Batman Movie” among others. He currently voices Sweet Tooth, the psychotic killer clown, in the Amazon sci-fi series “Twisted Metal” (a casting that confused many longtime fans of the video game) and stars in Bradley Cooper’s 2025 directorial effort, “Is This Thing On?”