Actor David Soul of ‘Starsky and Hutch’ dies at 80

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.”

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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.”

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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.

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