Pamela Bach, the ex-wife of “Baywatch” star David Hasselhoff who also had a TV career of her own, was found dead at her home in Hollywood on Wednesday.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office confirmed Thursday on its website that Bach died by suicide. A gunshot wound to the head is listed as her cause of death. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to The Times on Thursday that officers responded to a death investigation at the 3400 block of Troy Drive in Hollywood at around 10 p.m. Bach was pronounced dead at the scene, according to TMZ, which broke the news of her death. She was 62.
“Our family is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Pamela Hasselhoff,” David Hasselhoff said in a statement to TMZ. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time but we kindly request privacy as we grieve and navigate through this challenging time.”
Bach’s agent, Sharon Kelly, told The Times her client was a “force of nature” and a “proud mama” to the children she shared with Hasselhoff. The actors, in their 17 years of marriage, welcomed daughters Taylor and Hayley Amber.
“My heart goes out to her family, her beautiful daughters and granddaughter who Pamela constantly gushes about and loves so dearly,” Kelly said. “Pamela often talked about how very proud she was of both her daughters and what they have blossomed into.”
Hayley Amber Hasselhoff, the actors’ youngest daughter, reposted a photo of her parents to her Instagram story Wednesday evening. The 32-year-old actor and model added a white heart emoji above the picture.
Bach was born Oct. 16, 1962, in Tulsa, Okla., and had several acting credits — including stints on shows “The Young and the Restless” and “Otherworld” — before she married heartthrob David Hasselhoff in 1989. Her acting career spanned from the ’70s to the early aughts and also included roles on “The Fall Guy,” “T.J. Hooker,” “Superboy” and “Viper.”
Bach met her husband on the set of his Emmy-nominated series “Knight Rider.” After the series ended its four-year run on NBC in 1986, Bach and Hasselhoff tied the knot in a private ceremony in Studio City. The then-partners in life later brought their relationship to the set of the beachside drama “Baywatch,” which ran from 1989 to 2001. The series starred Hasselhoff as dreamy lifeguard Mitch Buchannon. Bach played multiple characters over 14 episodes from 1991 to 2000, according to IMDB.
In a 1989 interview with The Times, Bach dispelled any notion that her marriage to Hasselhoff helped her land “Baywatch” roles. At the time, she said her husband’s last name was “great baggage to have but I never open it up.”
