(LibertySociety.com) – Fans are mourning the death of actor David Soul, after a family member shared the news to TMZ on January 4. Soul rose to fame in the late 1970s for his role as Hutch in the popular television series Starsky & Hutch. He and his partner Starsky, played by actor Paul Michael Glaser, were detectives in the fictional town of Bay City, California. Hutch was the more grounded of the pair, and Starsky often acted on emotions. Four seasons and 92 episodes secured Soul’s iconic status in Hollywood. The show was eventually made into a movie in 2004, starring actors Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Soul and Glaser made cameo appearances in the film.
A family member told TMZ that Soul, 80, died in a London hospital with his family by his side and that he had been suffering from a long-term illness for many years. Soul experienced many health issues during his life but was particularly affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He admitted to smoking three packs of cigarettes every single day for 50 years. Soul’s wife also spoke with TMZ, telling the outlet that he had put up a “valiant battle for life.” She spoke of his many attributes and said that his “smile, laughter, and passion for life will be remembered.”
Glaser spoke fondly of Soul following his death in a statement to People magazine. He recalled their recent insult-filled conversations on the telephone. He praised Soul’s wife, Helen Snell, for standing by Soul over the many years of his illness. He expressed sympathies to Soul’s children and thanked the fans for their endless support over the years. After Starsky & Hutch came to an end, Soul played a role in the miniseries Salem’s Lot in 1979. He starred in the 1980 movie Homeward Bound, where he played a writer who took his terminally ill son to meet his grandfather for the first time.
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