One day, benevolent aliens popped down from outer space and presented a red costume with unique powers to Los Angeles high school teacher Ralph Hinkley while he was on a desert field trip with his students.

The "suit" looked like a pair of tight fitting red pajamas with a black cape and bestowed fantastic powers (flight, incredible speed, telekinesis, clairvoyance, invisibility, invulnerability from bullets and super strength) to this blond, mild-mannered Whitney High School teacher.

The aliens had chosen Hinkley because he matched their profile of someone having the qualities of "moral character, idealism and integrity."

Unfortunately, before Ralph got the hang of the suit's abilities, he lost the instruction manual that came with it. He spent the rest of the series clumsily fighting evil as he tried to unlock the many mysteries of this extraterrestrial costume.

Assisting our superhero in the pursuit of the bad guys was Ralph's attorney girlfriend Pam Davidson who along with FBI agent Bill Maxwell kept the secret of this Greatest American Hero.

Agent Maxwell called Ralph's suit "The Jammies." He had witnessed the initial alien encounter in the desert and later convinced Ralph to use his powers to fight crime. Ralph and Bill eventually meet the aliens in person and learn the truth behind the suit.

At the end of the series, Ralph's identity was inadvertently revealed and the Aliens advised Ralph to find another earthling to wear the suit. It was given to Holly Hathaway, an altruistic environmentalist who would become "The Greatest American Heroine."

External Links

• The Greatest American Hero (IMDb)

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