Hasselhoff was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to business executive Joe Hasselhoff and homemaker Dolores Hasselhoff.He is of German ancestry; his great-great-grandmother Meta immigrated with her family to Baltimore from Völkersen, 30 kilometres from Bremen, in 1865.[7] Hasselhoff spent his pre-teen years in Jacksonville, Florida, and later lived in Rothesay, Bute, Scotland, where he attended Marist High School. At Marist High School, he was coined with the nickname "Hooves". He graduated from Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois, in 1970. He was a member of speech team, senior discussion leaders, president of choir, captain of the volleyball team and held roles in several plays (including one lead role as Matt in The Fantasticks). He studied at Bates College and Oakland University and graduated with a degree in theater at the California Institute of the Arts