David Soul, born David Richard Solberg on August 28, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, was a versatile American actor, singer, and producer. With a career spanning several decades, he has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment through his notable contributions in film, television, and music.
David Soul’s upbringing was shaped by his family, providing a foundation for his later success and diverse talents. His father, Dr. Richard Solberg, was a Lutheran minister. His commitment to the church and his role in the community undoubtedly influenced David’s values and sense of responsibility. Dr. Solberg’s religious background played a significant role in shaping David’s perspectives, even as he pursued a career in the entertainment industry.
Soul’s mother, June Solberg, was a schoolteacher. Her involvement in education may have contributed to David’s own pursuit of knowledge, eventually leading him to Augustana College. His brother Daniel Solberg followed in his father’s footsteps and became a Lutheran Pastor. After completing his high school education, David Soul pursued higher studies at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where he studied for two years. His family then moved to Mexico City, where he studied for one year at the University of the Americas.
While in Mexico, inspired by students who taught him to play the guitar, Soul changed his direction and decided to follow his passion for music. His first appearance upon returning from Mexico was in a club in Minneapolis, The 10 O’Clock Scholar.
Soul began performing on stage as an actor in the mid-1960s, when he became a founding member of the Firehouse Theater in Minneapolis. He traveled with the company to New York City in 1965, appearing in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal and John Arden’s Serjeant Musgrave’s Dance. Soul first gained national attention as the “Covered Man” appearing on The Merv Griffin Show in 1966 and 1967, on which he sang while wearing a mask.
He explained: “My name is David Soul, and I want to be known for my music.” In 1966, he made his television debut in “I Dream of Jeannie” and then “Flipper” (1967).
He was in the season 2 “Star Trek”episode The Apple (1967), “Here Come the Brides” (52 ep. 1968-1970), “All in the Family” (1971), “The F.B.I.” (1972), “The Streets of San Francisco” (1972), “Cannon” (1973), “Circle of Fear” (1973), and the tv film “The Disappearance of Flight 412”.
His breakthrough came with the hit television series “Starsky & Hutch” (1975-1979). The show follows the dynamic partnership of two detectives, David Starsky (played by Paul Michael Glaser) and Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson (played by David Soul) with the help of police snitch, Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas).
Airing for four seasons, the show became a cultural phenomenon, blending action, drama, and a touch of humor. David Soul’s portrayal of Hutch, the cool and laid-back detective, contributed significantly to the show’s success, earning him widespread
acclaim and international recognition. The chemistry between Soul and Glaser, along with the show’s engaging narratives and memorable car, the 1976 Ford Gran Torino, made “Starsky & Hutch” a staple in 1970s television.
After “Starsky & Hutch” he would play the lead, Ben Mears, in the TV minseries of Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot” (1979), “World War III” (miniseries 1982), “Casablanca” (5 ep. 1983), “The Yellow Rose” (22 ep. 1983-1984), “The Fifth Missile” (TV film 1986), “The Secret of the Sahara” (4 ep. 1988),
“In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders” (TV film 1988), “Unsub” (8 ep. 1989), “The Young Riders” (2 ep. 1990), “Murder, She Wrote” (1991), “Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann” (TV film 1991), “Holby City” (2001), “Little Britain” (2003), “Poirot” (2004), “Dalziel and Pascoe” (2004), and “Lewis” (2012).
David Soul’s film appearances included “Johnny Got His Gun” (1971), Clint Eastwood is Dirty Harry in “Magnum Force” (1973), “Dogpound Shuffle” (1975), “The Stick Up” (1977), “The Key to Rebecca” (1985), “The Hanoi Hilton” (1987), “Appointment with Death” (1988), “Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive” (1992), “Pentathlon” (1994), the film adaptation of the original television series of “Starsky & Hutch” (2004), “Farewell” (2009), and “Filth” (2013).
David Soul’s musical career is a noteworthy facet of his artistic repertoire, marked by successful albums and a chart-topping hit single. His most notable musical achievement is the release of his hit single “Don’t Give Up on Us” in 1976 written by Tony Macaulay.. The song became an international sensation,
reaching the top of the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Its melodic ballad style and Soul’s soulful vocals resonated with audiences, solidifying his position as a credible musician. The success of “Don’t Give Up on Us” not only showcased Soul’s vocal talent but also demonstrated his crossover appeal from the television screen to the music charts.
Soul’s 1977 singles “Going in with My Eyes Open”, “Silver Lady” and “Let’s Have a Quiet Night In” did very well on the UK charts. He had several albums including “David Soul” (1976 – Private Stock – no. 2 in the UK), “Playing to an Audience of One” (1977 Private Stock), “Band of Friends” (1979 Energy), “The Best Days of My Life” (1982 Energy), and “Leave a Light On…” (1997 self-released).
Soul was married five times and had five sons and a daughter. When 21 when he married the actress Mirriam “Mim” Solberg and they had a son. Next he married actress Karen Carlson in 1968, after they met on the set of the television series “Here Come the Brides”. They also had a son. While filming “Starsky & Hutch”, Soul had an open relationship with actress Lynne Marta.
In 1980, Soul married Patti Carnel Sherman, ex-wife of Bobby Sherman. Soul was jailed and ordered to attend therapy classes for alcoholism after attacking her when she was seven months pregnant with his child. In 1987, Soul married actress Julia Nickson. The couple had a daughter, China Soul, who is a singer/songwriter. Nickson urged Soul to seek help for his excessive drinking, persuading him to enter a rehabilitation facility in 1989.
Soul married his fifth wife, Helen Snell, in June 2010. They had been in a relationship since 2002 after meeting when Soul was working in the British stage production of Deathtrap. He referred to her as his soulmate and credits her as to why he obtained British citizenship in 2004.
David Soul died in a London hospital, Thursday January 4, 2024, at 80 years old. He was a three-pack-a-day smoker for fifty years. Although he had stopped smoking ten years prior to his death, he was seriously affected by COPD and had also had a lung removed due to cancer. David Soul is survived by his wife, Helen (nee Snell) and five sons and a daughter.
Further Reading
Sources
- “Starsky & Hutch” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072567/
- “David Soul” https://en.wikipedia.org//wiki/David_Soul
- “David Soul’s five wives: The Starsky and Hutch star’s love life from first wedding to Louisiana beauty queen aged just 21, then marrying THREE American actresses and finally settling with a British PR girl 30 years his junior before death” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12930767/five-wives-David-Soul-Starsky-Hutch-star-married-Louisiana-beauty-queen-aged-just-21-tying-knot-three-American-actresses-finally-finding-love-British-PR-girl-30-years-junior.html
- “David Soul” https://www.davidsoul.com
- “THIS 1976 FORD GRAN TORINO STARRED IN ‘STARSKY AND HUTCH’” https://fordauthority.com/2023/02/this-1976-ford-gran-torino-starred-in-starsky-and-hutch/
- “Don’t Give Up on Us (song)” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don’t_Give_Up_on_Us_(song)
- “David Soul, ‘Beloved’ Starsky & Hutch Actor, Dead at 80” https://people.com/starsky-and-hutch-actor-david-soul-dead-8422738
- “David Soul obituary” https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/jan/05/david-soul-obituary
