Renowned actor and singer David Soul, best known for his role in the 1970s TV series Starsky and Hutch and his number-one hit song “Don’t Give Up on Us,” has died at the age of 80. His wife, Helen Snell, confirmed that Soul’s death on Thursday was due to a long-term illness.
“David was an extraordinary talent. He was an actor, singer, storyteller, and artist. His smile, laughter, and love for life will be cherished by everyone whose lives he impacted,” Snell expressed. Soul’s career spanned various roles, including appearances in the ABC show Here Come the Brides (1968-70), the 1973 film Magnum Force, and the 1979 CBS miniseries Salem’s Lot.
Soul also portrayed Rick Blaine in Casablanca, a TV prequel to the iconic Humphrey Bogart film, and appeared alongside Sam Elliott and Cybill Shepherd in The Yellow Rose. Playing the role of Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson, an undercover cop in Starsky and Hutch, he featured in all 92 episodes of the series that ran from April 1975 to May 1979.
Before his acting career took off, Soul was a singer who performed as an opening act for renowned artists such as Frank Zappa, The Byrds, and The Lovin’ Spoonful. His signature song “Don’t Give Up on Us” topped the Billboard 100 and was a number-one hit in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and other countries. His other notable hit was “Silver Lady.”
Born as David Richard Solberg on Aug. 28, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, Soul was the son of June and Richard, both teachers. His father, also a Lutheran minister, contributed to the reconstruction efforts in Europe after World War II. Despite getting an offer from the Chicago White Sox, Soul decided to study at Augustana College for two years before spending a year at the University of the Americas in Mexico City, where he discovered his passion for music.
Upon his return to the U.S., Soul started his acting career in New York with John Arden’s play Sergeant Musgrave’s Dance. He later signed with MGM Records and performed on The Merv Griffin Show. Soul also had a stint at Columbia Pictures in Los Angeles, California, and appeared in TV shows such as Flipper, I Dream of Jeannie, and Star Trek. He stayed active in the industry, directing episodes of Miami Vice and Crime Story, and even made a brief appearance in the 2004 movie adaptation of Starsky & Hutch.
Besides Snell, his fifth spouse whom he wed in 2010, he leaves behind six children, among them his daughter, China, who pursues a career in singing and songwriting. Soul moved to England in the 1990s and continued his career on stage, television, and film.
