"Starsky and Hutch" Actor And Singer David Soul Passes Away at 80

In a statement released on Friday, his family announced, "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 an 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."

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Born David Richard Solberg on August 28, 1943, in Chicago, to a Lutheran minister and a teacher, Soul began his acting journey as a founding member of the Firehouse Theatre Company in Minneapolis.

His national breakthrough came in 1967 on "The Merv Griffin Show" as "The Covered Man," a masked blues singer, which led to his first TV appearance on "Flipper." This persona became the title of his 2007 autobiography.

Soul's major success came with the role of Detective Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson in "Starsky & Hutch" alongside Paul Michael Glaser. The show, airing from 1975 to 1979, became a TV phenomenon, propelling Soul and Glaser to stardom.

Aside from acting, Soul achieved chart-topping success in 1977 with "Don't Give Up on Us" and followed up with the No. 1 UK hit "Silver Lady."

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Throughout the 1990s, he transitioned to the UK, where he established himself as a stage actor in London's West End, eventually becoming a British citizen and a regular on British TV.

Soul, married five times and father to five sons and a daughter, leaves behind a lasting legacy in the entertainment world.