David Soul, left, Paul Michael Glaser, and Antonio Fargas, right, stars of the original 1970's "Starsky and Hutch" television series, arrive at the British premiere of the new movie of the same name based on the TV series, in London, Thursday March 11, 2004. Soul, who hit fame as blond half of crime-fighting duo "Starsky and Hutch” in a popular 1970s television series, has died. He was 80. Wife Helen Snell, said Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 that Soul died the day before "after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.” (AP Photo/John D McHugh, File)
Actor David Soul, who earned fame as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo Starsky & Hutch in the popular 1970s television series, has died at the age of 80.
His wife, Helen Snell, said Friday that "David Soul - beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother – died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family."
"He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend," she said in a statement. "His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
Soul portrayed detective Ken "Hutch” Hutchinson alongside Paul Michael Glaser as detective David Starsky in Starsky & Hutch. It ran on ABC between 1975 and 1979 and grew so popular it spawned a host of children's toys.
At the height of his fame, Soul also hit the music charts with the single Don’t Give Up On Us.
Soul had lived in Britain for many years, performing in several stage roles. In 2001, he won a libel case against a journalist who called The Dead Monkey, a play that Soul was in, the worst production he had ever seen – without having seen it.
Soul also played the titular talk-show host in Jerry Springer – The Opera in London's West End.
Soul and Glaser had cameos in the 2004 big-screen remake of Starsky & Hutch, starring Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch. – AP
