Baywatch 1989-90 
1990-2002 (Syndicated)
DAD: Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff) 
DAD’S JOB: Lifeguard
KIDS: Hobie (11)
WHERE’S MOM?: Gayle Buchannon (Wendie Malick) / Divorced, lives with some rich guy
STAND-IN "MOM": unknown
Cobbling together information from a few episodes, Mitch is apparently divorced from Hobie’s mom, but it’s amicable. Mom somehow needed to "find herself," and that could best be accomplished by leaving Hobie with Dad. There is some episode where Mom is out with her Bruce Wayne-boyfriend, and their jet crashes, so Mitch has to save them (fortunately they crashed just in front of his stretch of beachfront, huh?)
According to Joshua Burgin, there is another episode where Mitch’s ex-wife comes back into his life, and regrets not being around for Hobie’s teen years.
Gayle Buchannon, played by Wendie Malick, also played Martin Tupper’s ex-wife (Judith Tupper Stone) on Dream On. Guess she must be typecast!
If you have any more info about Baywatch, please email me about details of the show.
A tip of the Lorne Greene Memorial Cowboy Hat to Gene Floyd (gfloyd@atlantic.net) for the info on Baywatch. Thanks, Gene!
Also, a one-gun salute of the Chuck Connors Memorial Rifle to Joshua Burgin (joshua@purestuff.com) for the info on Mitch’s ex-wife. Thanks, Joshua!