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

David Soul, who won cult status for his role in 1970s TV series Starsky & Hutch before topping the charts with his hit ‘Don’t Give Up On Us’, has died at the age of 80. 

His heartbroken wife Helen Snell said the British-American star had passed away surrounded by his family following a ‘valiant battle for life’. 

She said in a statement: ‘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. His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.’

Soul played Detective Ken ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson alongside Paul Michael Glaser’s Detective Dave Starsky. The pair remained friends, and in 2017 Glaser was seen pushing his old co-star on a wheelchair into the Comic Con in Liverpool. 

Soul married five times and leaves behind five sons and a daughter. He first wed the actress Mirriam ‘Mim’ Solberg in 1964, but this lasted only a year. 

Further unions followed with Karen Carlson, who he met on the set of TV series Here Comes the Brides; Patti Carnel Sherman, the ex-wife of 1960s pop idol Bobby Sherman; and the actress Julia NIckson. 

Soul described how he ‘fell in love’ with Britain after spending time there for work and lived in Maida Vale for many years – becoming a dedicated Arsenal fan. He gained citizenship in 2004. He met Helen Snell, a PR executive, in 2002 on the stage production of Deathtrap and they married in 2010.  

Glaser is now aged 80 and an abstract artist. He is also honorary chairman of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The charity is named in honour of his first wife, who died after contracting HIV through a blood transfusion while giving birth to their first child, Ariel, who also died aged seven. 

There was a flood of tributes to Soul on social media today, with the actor hailed as a ‘bright light and an inspiration’. 

Star Trek actor William Shatner shared on social media: ‘Condolences to the family of David Soul. One of his early roles was on an episode of Star Trek Original Series.’

Supermodel Carol Alt told DailyMail.com: ‘I grew up with the handsome David Soul starring in Starsky & Hutch. That show was a weekly staple thanks to David, who had real star power and a strong presence. I loved his character. I’m very sorry to hear of his passing.’

Singer Nikki Lund – who sang You & I with Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi – posted: ‘He was such a bright light and an inspiration for so many singers. And he was the meaning of masculine charm in the 1970s that still has an impact today. I am really sad he is no longer with us.’

Jonathan Cheban, aka FoodGod from Keeping Up With The Kardashians, remarked: ‘His loss will be felt. I mean, he is one of the most memorable TV actors from the 1970s.’

Fans also made comments about the star.

‘RIP David Soul – thanks for all you did on the small screen.’

And another said: ‘Very sad to hear about David Soul. I loved his 70s song, I still listen to it now and then.’ 

Soul became an international star and pin-up thanks to Starsky and Hutch during the show’s four year run between 1975 and 1979.

He had a cameo in a 2004 feature film remake of the hit show, starring Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch, which introduced the legendary characters to another younger generation.  

The original series ran for four seasons on ABC from 1975 to 1979, following the title characters, detectives who fought crime on the streets of the fictional Bay City, California in a bright red Gran Torino, with Antonio Fargas playing their informant, Huggy Bear.

Soul also enjoyed a short-lived pop career, scoring a number one hit in the US and UK with catchy ballad Don’t Give Up On Us Baby in 1976.

Further chart toppers would follow in 1977, with singles Going In With My Eyes Open and Silver Lady, but Soul’s foray as a singer would end 12-months later with the release of It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes – his fifth and final single.

Other memorable film roles included that of a vigilante cop in Dirty Harry sequel The Enforcer and the lead as nostalgic writer Ben Mears in 1979 Stephen King adaptation Salem’s Lot.

Born in Chicago on August 28 1943 as David Solberg, he spent his childhood between South Dakota and post-Second World War Berlin.

His father Dr Richard Solberg, a professor of history and political science and an ordained minister, moved them to Berlin where he was a religious affairs adviser to the US high commission.

Starting out as a musician, he sang on The Merv Griffin show and appeared in 1960s’ dolphin series Flipper.

He acted in Star Trek, Here Come The Brides, Perry Mason and Johnny Got His Gun, throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Soul got his break as officer John Davis in Clint Eastwood’s police yarn Magnum Force, about Inspector Harold Callahan, which led to a part in Starsky & Hutch from 1974 to 1979. 

At the height of his fame he released the UK chart-toppers Don’t Give Up On Us and Silver Lady, and the hits Going In With My Eyes Open and Let’s Have A Quiet Night In.

He also went on to appear in TV series Salem’s Lot, an adaption of Stephen King’s novel ‘Salem’s Lot, as Ben Mears, who returns to his hometown, which has been taken over by vampires.

Soul was also in Miami Vice, Harry’s Hong Kong, Homeward Bound and a TV series remake of Casablanca.

In the 1990s, he made his debut on the West End stage in the award-winning play Blood Brothers while he was living in the UK.

His turn in British theatre led to a role as a surgeon on BBC hospital drama Holby City and he also appeared in detective shows Poirot and Dalziel And Pascoe.

Soul also starred in the musical Jerry Springer – The Opera as the infamous talk show host, taking over from Michael Brandon in 2004.

He gained British citizenship in 2004 and had been living in London with his fifth wife, Helen Snell, since 2010. 

 

Referring to his love of the UK in 2015, he told MailOnline: ‘Britain is beautiful. I like south Devon a lot, the bleakness of Dartmoor.

‘And I like being in a country steeped in history. I return to the States about three times a year as my five sons all live there, though my daughter lives here.’

He added: ‘When Paul Michael Glaser and I were filming Starsky & Hutch in the 70s, Princess Margaret once came to meet us on the set because she liked the show.

‘We took her to lunch and, suffice to say, we didn’t go back to work in the afternoon. Also we were told the Queen Mother once said, ‘I like those boys so much!’ But I don’t think I’ll ever be Sir David, even though I act like it sometimes!

‘The only person I’d care to call me Sir David is my wife, as I call her Lady Helen!’

Soul was also known for his social activism, particular around animals.

The former BBC war reporter Martin Bell, who Soul helped in his successful 1997 UK parliamentary election campaign, spoke warmly of their friendship.

‘I like the fact that David seems unaffected by being famous,’ he told the Independent in 1999.’It can’t have been easy when Starsky and Hutch finished, but he just got on with life and forged a career for himself as a singer and stage actor.’