Actor David Soul, best known for his role in the television series Starsky & Hutch, has died at age 80.
Soul’s wife, Helen Snell, confirmed the news in a statement issued on Friday, January 5.
“David Soul — beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother — died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family,” wrote Snell, per the BBC.
Soul faced a number of health challenges during his life including cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to his website.
Snell’s statement continued: “He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend. His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”
Soul rose to stardom for his portrayal of Sergeant Kenneth Richard “Hutch” Hutchinson on Starsky & Hutch, which ran from 1975 to 1979. The ABC series followed the two titular detectives (Paul Michael Glaser played Sergeant David Michael Starsky) as they fought crime in fictional Bay City, California.
After The Hollywood Reporter reported in February 2023 that a reboot of the series with two female leads was in development at Fox, Soul argued that he and Glaser, 80, should be tapped for the project instead.
“Every article mentions the ‘original’ actors by name. So why not just reboot Paul and me — as a couple of old farts solving piddly-ass crimes at the assisted living facility where we would now live? Who can do ‘Starsky and Hutch’ better than him and me?” Soul wrote via X at the time.
Glaser quipped in the comments section: “If you’re going to describe me as an ‘old fart,’ Please leave ‘old’ out of it.”
In addition to Snell, whom he wed in 2010, Soul is survived by six children from previous marriages and seven grandchildren. Prior to marrying Snell, Soul was married to Mirriam Russeth from 1964 to 1965, Karen Carlson from 1968 to 1977, Patti Carnel Sherman from 1980 to 1986 and Julia Nickson from 1987 to 1993.
Soul opened up about the health issues he faced in the later years of his life during an April 2019 interview with the U.K.’s Sunday Times.
“I spent 72 days in intensive care, including twice being put on a ventilator and undergoing a tracheostomy,” Soul said of spending 10 weeks in intensive care in 2017 after he lapsed into unconsciousness due to general anesthetic for a hip replacement. “I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t do anything, I was in delirium. As a last resort, I was moved to the Royal Free Hospital, where I underwent treatment that saved my life.”
Soul also attributed his battle with COPD, an inflammatory lung disease that causes breathing-related problems, to 50 years of smoking up to three packs of cigarettes a day.
“It took its toll and I quit about 10 years ago, [but] you can’t reverse the condition,” he said.
Despite his struggles, Soul looked back on his life with gratitude during the interview.
“I’ve had it all. I’ve been a No. one [star] in the world for a while — not now. I’ve had No. one records around the world — not now,” he began. “I have six wonderful children. I’m married to a wonderful woman. I’m happy, I’ve explored, I’ve seen, I’ve done.”
