David Soul, who is best known for his role as Hutch on Starsky & Hutch, died at 80. He was married five times and left behind his wife and six kids. The actor’s wife, Helen Snell, announced the news on Friday.
Helen wrote that her “beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother – died yesterday (4 January) after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.” No cause of death was shared. She further spoke about him and said, “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.”
How did David Soul turn towards entertainment?
The Chicago-born actor originally aspired to play baseball with the Chicago White Sox. Born in Chicago, Illinois, he had “spent the first twelve years of his life between the prairies of South Dakota and the divided city of post-WWII Berlin.” He later changed course to study to be a diplomat, following in his father’s footsteps. The actor said his “detour into entertainment was purely accidental.”
His father, Richard Solberg, was a professor of history and political science. Besides, he was an ordained minister and moved the family to Berlin. Here, the elder Solberg served as religious affairs advisor to the US High Commission. Later, he became a senior representative for the Lutheran World Federation, a refugee relief organisation.
The man who would go on to become a star had a passion for sports, including baseball, and after graduating from high school, the then 18-year-old was offered a contract to play with the Chicago White Sox. But after they moved to Mexico City, in his second year of college, his path changed. There, he learned Spanish and fell into the entertainment industry almost by accident.
What are David Soul’s other famed appearances?
Before Starsky & Hutch, he made appearances in many shows. This included names like Star Trek, Here Comes the Brides, All in the Family and Magnum Force. His performance as Hutch starting in 1975 solidified his career.
The series aired for four years and saw Paul Michael Glaser as Hutch’s partner and fellow detective, David Starsky.
His television work in the 1960s in I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek and Flipper led to a starring role as Joshua Bolt in the series Here Come the Brides.
In 2004, he and Glaser reprised their roles as Starsky and Hutch 2004 in the film adaptation with Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Snoop Dogg.
Was He removed from the reboot?
A piece of news broke last year of a potential reboot of the cop series. It was said to be starring two female characters as the leads. Soul responded to the reports. He questioned why he and his original partner could not be the ones to do the reboot.
The actor’s demise has left the fans grieving. The family and his wife have posted on their social media to express their grieving hearts.
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