The story as reported in a 1986 issue of Starlog magazine was that Stephen J. Cannell was being honored for his great role in creating television series, and at this function he was sitting next to NBC's Brandon Tartikoff. Clips from various Cannell programs were being shown and when clips of TGAH came up Tartikoff supposedly stated, "ABC made a big mistake in cancelling that series." So a deal was set in motion for TGAH's return. A pilot was shot from portions of what originally was a 2 hour script. Many scenes were eliminated, including a huge battle with Ralph fighting commandos and their helicopter at a highrise which leads to a young woman being thrown out of a window....all to expose Ralph to the world! Katt who had just signed on to make a series of Perry Mason television movies declined to star in another GAH, so the solution was to give the suit to someone else.
Katt and Sellecca (in the middle of shooting the series Hotel) were in the pilot's 1st half, while Robert Culp reprised his role as Bill Maxwell. Mary Ellen Stuart played Holly Hathaway, the new owner of the suit. Except in the scenes featuring the original cast the magic was gone, and the pilot just wasn't the same. NBC passed on the series which was probably a wise move since the show would have been scheduled on Sunday night opposite 60 Minutes. The Greatest American Heroine never aired on NBC and 1st aired when the series was in syndication in the 80's. Even as late as 1989 /1990 rumors existed of a possible cartoon series but the toon never sold and never made it past the development stage. Maybe the future one day holds a return of The Greatest American Hero.
