Hasselhoff paid tribute to Newman on Instagram, stating that the actor and genuine lifeguard “saved my life at least four times” during the filming of the wildly successful 1990s television show.
The only actors with more episodes than Newman were Jeremy Jackson (as Mitch Buchannon’s son) and Hasselhoff (as Mitch Buchannon).
Eight years after receiving a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, he passed away.
Hasselhoff paid homage by sharing a photo of the two of them together along with the caption, “Newman was a warrior… he literally saved my life at least four times.”
“He performed the transition from the scarab [speedboat] to the jet skis flawlessly multiple times.
What a wonderful man.
The sea never frightened him. He was excellent, and I recall directing him in a couple of episodes. He developed into a superb actor. We’ll all miss him.
Jackson wrote in his own post that he felt “so fortunate” and “honoured” to have met Newman.
“There [will] never ever be another warrior like this,” he said, characterizing him as a great leader.
