Why is KITT's Roof Taped? A Real Jet Pack? Knight of the Chameleon Episode Commentary | KNIGHT RIDER

[@marctronixx]

28:14 -- sure looks like the round steering wheel used in the stunt cars for the blind drivers, right? id call that an easter egg...

[@cecwaterbury]

I enjoyed that episode! I love how in the beginning, Michael wanted to see the stats of a game and poor KITT was like, "Gambling isn't for Foundation equipment." Michael says he won't do it again, but then he asks KITT to tell him who's gonna win! And KITT let out a very wholesome little chuckle!

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

In the flyer, the top picture is an ignition coil with a Chrysler style ceramic ballast resistor, the middle is a wiring schematic, and the bottom is an electrical plug, possibly for a steering column or an alternator.

[@pdennis93]

The jet pack is also seen in the opening credits of the Fall Guy

[@j.hubbard9428]

Looks like the one off of NCIS as well

[@Samuel-gc6js]

28:14 looks like KITT's stunt wheel in the majority of the Knight Rider cars

[@essbe7158]

Another great commentary. Nice catch with the welcome message on the sign.

[@MrAwesomeBikerDude]

When thieves make doughnuts with KITT you see fuel leaking out of the gas tank, I guess they forgot to put the filler cap back on.

[@TwistedSMF]

Dominick Brascia as you mentioned was also in "Friday the 13th: Part 5" He was the kid who axed in the back by the guy chopping wood. RIP - He passed away in 2018.

[@karr203]

I knew I remembered him from Friday 5

[@dehavenfamilyfarm]

One of my favorite commentaries you have done!

[@stolmich]

James Bond would have been proud, that his technology made it into Knight Rider. I think, I'd get a martini, shaken, not stirred.

[@DieselSgrass]

15:29 is the ttop cat as well. Can see the center ridge and the ridge meeting the b pillar

[@JackBurtonPCE1986]

I love it when that Jetpack shows up in stuff. James Bond, Lost in Space, The A-Team, Knight Rider...seems like it made it onto almost every TV show from the 60s to the 80s. Great stuff.

[@iananderson4897]

The car with the tape over the roof looks like the tape is actually holding black fabric or similar. If you look closely at the front of the roof at 16:00 it looks like it's not flat, also note the interior is in shade which it isn't normally in the T-top cars. 16:50 it's pretty obvious there is fabric over the roof as it's non-reflective.

[@danmurphy9173]

This is the insert car, so when filming they probably wanted the option of shutting out the glare from the sun through the T-Tops especially when filming from the front - depending on time of day and position of the sun…And of course, the auto roofs may need to be taped down with or without the fabric in place….

[@Samuel-gc6js]

@@danmurphy9173 remember the insert car with the working auto roof didn't have glass. I believe the historians said this car was a hard top originally. Watch the Knight in disgrace commentary :)

25:35 - T-Top is not open, i bet Michael went right through it :D

[@PetesGuide]

_All Summer in a Day_ was also shot at Fort MacArthur. Oh boy did that film haunt me as a kid!

[@phoenixblack1220]

Very cool to see all the filming locations. And yes, they got a lot of mileage out of College of the Canyons because they are going to be back there very soon with Junkyard Dog.

[@GartheKnightReturns]

Dick Gautier also took over voicing duties from Judd Nelson in season 3 of Transformers as Rodimus Prime and amongst other miscellaneous characters.

[@MyGuyJustinH]

I never knew that Dick Gautier was in Knight Rider. I've seen him on several game shows in the 70's & 80's & he was really good on those shows. He would help the contestants on the shows win money.

[@GartheKnightReturns]

@@MyGuyJustinH Huh, I didn't know that. I only knew him from his various voice acting roles and playing Hymie on Get Smart reruns when I was a kid.

[@FirstDan2000]

I normally wait until I have watched your video before commenting but not this time. I HAVE THAT PHOTO ON A POSTCARD ! 😄 I've had it for years and I think it came from Cars of the Stars museum in Keswick UK. I can't wait to find out why the roof is taped up.

[@Montebann]

Thanks Joe, another great episode. I like the jumper thing with the collar, but then I never had any fashion sense.

[@kimberlywalters7592]

Dominic also guest starred in the A-Team episode There goes the neighborhood.

[@petermclachlan-wortley3339]

another great NADC instalment Joe,this is another good episode...had seen the gafers tape KITT pics ages ago ,now i know where they were taken..the Right Hand Blind Drive was a great addition for allowing the single shot of picking up micheal or as seen here Micheal jumping out and KITT driving on...looking forward to the next one..

[@davidrivera414]

It was so interesting to know that most of the KR episodes were filmed at the college of the canyons I really enjoyed the jet pack scenes and the leather jacket that David wore was sold in 2012

[@houseofno]

RIP Dick Gautier. He was also Rodimus Prime and occasionally Hot Rod in Season 3 of the G1 Transformers series and the three part finale Rebirth.

[@Thunderwing88]

I met him at BotCon 2002.

[@karr203]

Ahhh another Transformers fan

[@iVTECInside]

1. Appears to be an ignition coil. 2. Looks like an electrical schematic of ignition system. 3. Some sort of electrical distribution block. Never seen anything like that though.

[@nathanfanderson]

Joe! I love Hasselhoff's sweater!!!!! Lol!!! Come on!!!

[@Thunderwing88]

I met Mr. Gautier at a Transformers convention in 2002, I asked him about his Wonder Woman episode.

[@MrSpyder550]

In regards to the car with the Gaffer tape. Looks much like black fabric stretched over the T-Top panels and then taped down. It all just looks too black and no reflection. If the Panels were removed and covered there would have been no roof line above the doors to tape to since coupe doors. But it certainly looks blacked out with fabric.

[@kavinskysmith4094]

If I'm remembering it correctly that is also the same jetpack they used in Thunderball in 1965, I think a bell X-5?, kinda showed up on the radar recently within the last year or so as their just now finally making a jetpack that can stay in the air for 30 minutes or so I think, some water feed type thing and they referred back to it and its limitations in the video with them ironically actually ditching in the water to refuel while this used some iso something or another fuel mixture that you really didnt want to be in the exhaust of and they were seeking FAA approval last I heard of it

[@tonystanco7315]

Great commentary as always Joe. The reason why they didn't keep the working title "The Chameleon" was probably because on the Fall Guy, another great Larson's shows made for Fox, there is an episode titled the Chameleon which plot is basically the same, and guess what, it was made for the sow's 3rd season as well. Speaking of the Fall Guy, Colt Seavers, Lee Majors Fawcett🤣, uses the same jet pack on the show, just in a different story.

[@ILMODC]

I've been waiting for this episode. I used to live in the apartments right next to Granery Square (Now a ralphs "shopping center"). I now live somewhere in the housing tract that was being built.

[@j.hubbard9428]

Yup the yellow rabbit AND the "Friday" Cadillac

[@michaelknight7820]

Hay Joe. The battery charger on the roof of Kitt my dad had. I might still have it.

[@filipohman7277]

Awesome Work Bro, Thanks 👍👍 Greetings from Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸🇫🇮🇺🇸

[@davidandrews5215]

Okay it was cool to find out who actually made the jet pack I remember of seeing it on the James bond movie thunder ball and also James bond film where Pierce Brosiman says this is where all of the old relics are it in and he says this in the James Bond movie Die Another Day. It was also cool of seeing where the 5th season of A Team was shoot at too as well . Another great episode Joe, keep up informing us on all of the knowledge too as well looking forward to your commenting on Custom Made Killers .

[@kamranetemad4968]

One of the great episoids.thank you joe.i saw a 81 dorsey tlr at Arizona in my last trip sitting in a field.i asked permission from the owner if I can see the run down tlr.i saw it and No it looked exactly like knight Riders tlr.but no evidence of back door hinging down or black paint under the current white faded paint.

[@crushingvanessa3277]

At 11:12, the two Olds have different wheels on them. One has the wheels covers and the first one has rally wheels. You can see the center caps and trim rings at the angle. The grill seems more pronounced in the second picture even though it looks the same shape, maybe just different lighting. Perhaps they dressed the same car up or down in between. I think wheels covers can fit on rally wheels if you take the trim rings and caps off. One of those things on the poster is an ignition coil, the top one on the poster.

[@donovaneddiealanhodges1499]

18:08 If I'm not mistaken, those seem to be small schematics for either an engine or maybe a power generator.

[@TastierBackInThe80s]

The items on the contest flyer is a coil pack, and also some kind of 6 pin connector. Ive owned one or two Holden (Australian) cars from the 70s, Holden being owned by GM. Those two items look like they are from another manufacturer. Chrysler?? The schematic might relate to the coil pack or be apart of a steering wheel column. I cant distinguish. Im actually amazed they had jumper packs back in the 80s. Another great piece of content Joe, thanks for sharing.

[@michaeldunn3088]

I actually remember a few seems in some episode where the T-top on the drivers side was bouncing up and down.

[@mattwebb6056]

28:00 - is that steering wheel on the roof one of the round stunt wheels? Looks small enough to be one.

[@kimberlywalters7592]

Actress Kimberly Foster starred on Dallas as Michelle Steven's she played Bobby Ewings sister in law.

[@tommydavis102]

When you talk about that shopping center being used before in the first episode of Knight Rider and KITT is doing 360's in the middle of the intersection next to it (at 5:47), did you notice that big gush of fuel coming out of KITT's gas tank during that first turn around?

[@marctronixx]

was already discussed in that particular episodes commentary.

[@mrjsv4935]

Great episode :) I think those automotive parts in the flyer are ignition coils, top one with resistor for older breaker type ignition system and lower perhaps an electronic ignition module. The right side schematic looks like ignition system diagram, a distributor, spark plugs, etc. :)

[@brianwilliamsZ28]

KITT fixed in the puzzle or had Bonnie do it. That first item is a remote coil

[@kharim8055]

In one of the pics it seems the car had a camera on the rear seats. Now I don't remember if there is that point of view in the episode but I think they closed the roof with that black fabric because they had issues with the sunlight through the t-tops.

[@briank.8925]

Dick Gauthier! I remember watching him on Super Password with Bert Convey a few years back wondering tha t he had to have something behind him to be on that gameshow. As for the Rocket Belt. Bell Aerospace in Niagara Falls, NY! My uncle Pete also trained with Bill and did public demos of it.

[@kimberlywalters7592]

Great Commentary ❤️

[@originalsubwayjones]

Fantastic as always.

[@thebandit7408]

Just from my knowledge from smokey and the bandit they would put black material over the t-tops and tape it down with duct tape, it was all to mask sunlight

[@michaelknight2721]

Brilliant Joe.The Chameleon was one slippery customer Love the story of the jet pack,.KITT looks terrible with all that tape on him.I thought it was David playing g a double role when he played the Chameleon.I loved all of KITT's prizes at the end.

[@AlanMac79]

When I seem the convertible KITT at the Cars Of The Stars museum here in Scotland around 2004 I think it was, I remember they also had a jet pack in the props section. I remember reading the blurb about how it genuinely worked and was used in one of the Bond films. Could this be the same one that was used here? Great video as always👍

[@HangoverTelevision]

16:30 but why does that taped roof look like made out of cloth there? O_o

[@MichaelWilliams-ob8ud]

So u don't notice the blue Cadillac in the last bunche of videos you've done Everytime you show the yellow car the lac is right there lol

[@RouteACG]

It looks like the tape is holding a black blanket over the top of the car. It could just be artifacts but the roof looks unusually bumpy to me when the tape is present and almost looks like the top is absorbing light rather than reflecting it, like a glass or painted metal piece would do... could it be a blanket of some kind was used to block the sun (assuming it had actual t-tops and not the pop up ones that weren't glass to begin with)?

[@DJLewProductionsInc]

The first photo on the ACE flyer is a starter as you said but the second photo is showing pins for an OBD 2 port. Not sure what the third is showing.

[@ChrisScibelli5586]

Obd 2 didn't come out till the mid to late 90's

[@socalltd]

OBD1 was 1986 and OBD2 was 1996

[@bobbova8708]

Thanks for a great commentary! I always liked this episode and Dick Gautier was cool to see in Knight Rider. The Bell jet pack was used in lost in space and in season 1 the original uniforms were changed and seen in season 2 in color.The original shots of the jet pack were filmed in color so they could be used in later seasons and Guy Williams originally had a blue shirt and pants and in season 2 it was changed to green.so every time he would use the rocket belt he would suddenly be wearing blue!The wonders of making stock footage match.The Bell rocket belt used in lost in space had a 30 second flight time so I don't know if it's the same belt used here or a variant. The Chamelion wearing the ring thru the different make up/ disguises is identical to a similar character in Voyage to the bottom of the sea where he is identified by wearing the ring while in disguise I really liked David playing the Chameleon impersonating Michael Knight and the line "I always thought there wasn't enough of me to go around" always made me laugh.The scene where Michael gets out of the moving kitt to jog was well done also.Thanks Joe and A.J. for these great not a director's commentary!!

[@vijayantgovender2045]

Thank you joe I appreciate and enjoy watching your wonderful videos I am watching from South Africa

[@danlugo4365]

When I'm watching it in HD on my 65 inch tv i can't help but wish I was watching it in fuzzy VHS quality on a tiny 14 inch screen.

[@simonlewis5511]

Ah great one. I did love that episode. Amazing how the Chameleon was also able to change his height from around 5'10, to Hasselhoff's 6'4" as well! Very clever. hehe. I would like to know how they did the masking tho, like when he one go to put one on, and then turn and (cut scene) he would be the new person. Was it just a crude bit of Hollywood masking then used? Also... did she actually sing "The Lucky One", or did Laura Branigan give her voice to it? I think I had a few communications with that actress a while ago. Sadly not with Laura who passed away, far too soon. When they did that shot at the end, ejector up to the man on the crane, how did they film it? Was there a crash mat behind KITT, so they could film that in reverse?

[@Namcap01]

This is one episode where I'm actually rooting for the villan. It has the same story elements from Ant-man. Convict gets out of prison, has to resort to crime and tries to make amends with his daughter, and a cop who makes the daughter believe he's not a good enough dad. Not to mention that Michael has given other criminals a past. Do I really need to get into the issue of Randy Merrit and Grace Fallon's butler?

[@kareemrichards8635]

Cool episode, I enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing.

[@_baller]

I like when I DONT see the fog lights

[@keepingitreal71]

This episode was great... Sad to see one of the locations in sad disrepair....

[@jironmeister]

I just had watched on TV "Knight Strike", and there is the same footage background.

[@pt008]

The "ejecting up to the jet pack guy" scene must have been a drop, shown in reverse?

[@DJLewProductionsInc]

You need a yellow Rabbit counter. LOL!

[@pt008]

Regarding the tape over the t-tops... maybe it was raining earlier? ;)

[@minhajhassan3731]

Great stuff as always. One of my favorite episodes

[@stevenduering7155]

At 5:48, it looks like that pilot car is leaking fuel. For the episode Out Of The Woods, I think it would be great to consult with Justin Cornette (Dukes Of Hazzard guru) because some of the filming locations look like they were in both. (Boar's Nest and Duke Farm) Coming up in Season 4, the Griswold's make an appearance.

[@johnmogavero8156]

Today I learned that the jet pack was real !!!!! Awesome !!!!!

[@GTArajgaming]

fun fact the guy that kept giving kitt the competition flyer was in friday the 13th part V , he was murdered at the very beginning for giving a wood cutter a chocolate bar.

[@Namcap01]

It's funny that you mention the jet pack. There's an interesting story about the two men that flew it. Check out The Dollop podcast episode called: Jet Pack Madnes (its on KZbin). Their story is CRAZY.

[@CliffordKITT]

Did I see a mr fusion ( coffee grinder) from BTTF as one of the prizes on kitts hood at the end?

[@rayf2145]

If I remember correctly, the jetpack was also featured in The Fall Guy.

[@chosenman08]

So many interesting things uncovered, thank you!

[@thumper8128]

I didnt see any HARD TOP car at 15:30. You can clearly see the T-Top centerpiece on top of the car. ? ? ?

[@AndrewChapman]

5:15 Nowadays, that would be someone filming with their camera phone.

[@wordenentertainment1997]

Hey Knight Rider Historians, I don't mean to go off topic but do you by any chance still have the Smokey and the Bandit plate you mentioned in the previous :Lost Knight" episode commentary? I'm a huge Bandit fan and that is so cool that a plate still exists. Not many Smokey and the Bandit props still exist. Love this channel and I'm actually working on identifying the Trans Ams used in Smokey and the Bandit. I found many interesting details similar to those on the KITT Trans Ams. As always, great video and thank you so much for keeping the Knight Rider legacy alive!

[@mmone1178]

Thanks soo much for sharing

[@cark79]

Great. Is there a list with all google maps places?

[@dh1031]

Any idea what the object is seen at the 16:53 mark in the video that appears to be in the back/interior of the car? Initially I thought it may have been a quick release pull handle for opening the rear hatch but the handle looks too far back for that and the handle appears to be mounted to some sort of assembly.

[@naybur74]

doing the promos before you start the episode is choice!

[@toysofyourspecialtyt.o.y.s8718]

Compare the schematics from the beginning to the equipment Kitt won.... maybe they are the internal schematics...

[@MrSFSTUDIOS]

I like these where you break down episodes.

[@Theratron]

Dick Gautier is a very important actor to us Transformers fans as well, as he was the voice of Rodimus Prime (and Hot Rod) in seasons 3 and 4 of the original cartoon (ca 1986). So yeah, what do KARR and the Chameleon have in common? They are both voiced by Primes! :) Do we know which car made the jump over the truck in the beginning of the episode? It wasn't the regular rollcaged acrylic windowed jumpcar. Seems to me they used a high-traction dropdown car for it, as it seems to be a bit high on it's feet (and it would land less harsh for the camera inside). But I suppose that high-traction stuntcar would have the "stock" nose on it at this point, and the jump car clearly has the regular KITT nose. As for the gaffer tape and cloth covering the T-Top.... I had a T-Top car once, and it would get pretty hot under the glass on a summer's day, even with the interior covers installed. Since they were filming on what seems to be a hot day in a desert-like environment.... couldn't they simply have taped off the glass at the top to keep the car cooler on the inside? And finally, two jetpacks can also be seen in 1983's "unofficial" Sean Connery James Bond movie 'Never Say Never Again' I believe. They were popular at the time!

[@TheFlyingHogg]

Lowkey disappointed you didn't recognize Ogre from "Revenge of the Nerds" in this episode.

[@rolandscharf6486]

I think they tried to darken the interior with a black cloth taped on the t tops so that you won‘t see the stuntman’s face

[@Legitcar117]

Looks about the same as the one from the James Bond film thunderball 1965

[@ThaMythbuster]

That steeringwheel Kitt won looks a lot like the one in the stuntcars, or is that just me? How did they film the scene where Michael jumps up and grabs the Chameleon in the jetpack? Is it just the tape played in reverse, stuntguy hangs onto his legs, lets go and lands on a trampoline or whatever behind Kitt?

[@Scoth42]

It looks more like the $9.99 from pep boys "hot rod style" to me. I think the stunt wheels were smaller, were deeper, and less... spindly looking. They probably sent a PA to the local auto parts store and said "Just buy a bunch of random stuff"

[@JACKATTACKED]

Top drawing looks to be a coil. So 2nd pic coil connector, module?

[@TheMustachioedJames]

Didn't KARR debut the air vac system a few eps earlier when he depressurized the cockpit to threaten that girl?

[@q8knight795]

What engine did the hero cars have?

[@virtualsoran]

Hey KR Historians -- The outtake you showed here had so much different going on, like blaring alarms and shaking in the truck! I've actually noticed now that *several* outtakes I've seen now from KR have the rear semi set really *rocking* (not like AC/DC, but back and forth) during outtakes, but the actual shots in the show are stable and normal. I have two questions then: 1) Do we know why there was an alarm in the outtake? and 2) were there several times they were thinking about rocking the semi set during takes, over the years, and then they changed their minds and went with stable? what's the deal?

[@devangdesai6642]

Is that fuel leaking out of the gas cap on the pilot donuts near the shopping center?

[@Theratron]

Yup!

[@pl5624]

Dick Gautier..."when things were rotten"

[@Xantylon74]

18.14 ignition coil,, strip fuse box and steering gear?

[@ashleymcquirt9737]

Whatever happened to the super pursuit mode kitt?

[@KnightRiderHistoriansOfficial]

We did a video on it a while back...check it out!

[@ianmarkey9434]

How did they do interior Semi shots, was it a set on a stage or a larger than life Semi?

[@EmielRoumen]

Stage! Look closely as occasionally you can see beyond the boundaries of the ‘semi’.

[@Xantylon74]

5:48 no fuel cap.

[@ginog5037]

Great fun show. Why wouldn't they at least use black tape, so much for production value?

[@Mr80sliveon]

Bong! The cemelean is also wearing Michaels com link watch too....