David Soul—beloved husband, father, grandfather, and brother—passed away on January 4, 2024, 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.
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My condolences to David’s family and friends. I would like to thank him for the joy and happiness that he brought to me since I was a child! I enjoyed Starsky & Hutch since I was six years old, I am now almost 55 years of age. I also enjoyed many other TV shows and movies that David appeared in especially Salem Lot! His music was also special to me and I had his 45 record “Don’t give up on us baby” in my collection along with TV Guide clippings and my Starsky & Hutch dolls. I taped every episode twice until I got them on DVDs. I always wanted to meet them at one of their outings but my kids were small and then I started to have health issues. Please know how special David was to so many and how he will never be forgotten. Keeping you all in my prayers. RIP DAVID. AkA Hutch.
Zebra 3 ne repond plus😭😭😭… mon coeur est triste, encore une page de mon adolescence qui se referme… Au revoir David, rendez vous au paradis
Dear Helen, family and Paul. Many condolences.
I was 12 year old growing up with S&H and followed David’s career. He will be missed.
I had many video questions answered by David and he was so kind and warm and he wished me a happy birthday in a video also I will cherish those moments and continue to love his music and watch Starsky and Hutch my favorite show of all time it was on the years l was in high school and David and Paul Bernie and Antonio are amazing actors the show is so great and I love that it is the 70s my favorite decade David will be in my heart always and he will never be forgotten l am thankful for his friendship he called me his Tennessee pharmacist friend and I got to tell him how much l loved him his music and work as an actor especially playing Hutch his family is in my prayers and he loved his beautiful Helen he told me that thanks for letting me say these things about a wonderful man I love and respect with the most beautiful blue eyes and smile l have ever seen l told him that too it makes me happy that I got to do that one time he asked me when I sent him another question aren’t you getting tired of me and my answer then and now is never God bless you all l am so very sorry for your loss just wanted to let you know you are in my prayers thank you for sharing David with his fans and thank you David for everything l love you so very much your Tennessee pharmacist friend Rebecca
RIP David. Your work made life fun for a 70s young lad. Condolences to those who loved you.
Sincere condolences to David’s family and friends.I share my tears with you. David influenced my firmative years. Special humble person. He helped me through my turbulent life .Precious Lord take his hand and lead him on. Love and prayers,Catherine. Dublin.
Thank you. Exactly how I feel.
One week ago, I woke up, sat on the edge of my bed and began scrolling through my Facebook page. As I looked at the Starsky & Hutch fan groups I’m in, I saw words like, “I’m in shock!” “My heart is broken!” “I’m shattered!” My eyes widened, my finger began to scroll faster, and I heard my voice speak out loud and in high pitches, “What’s going on? What y’all talkin’ about?” No one else was in the room.
I then saw a message from Team Soul, confirming what my palpitating heart was realizing. He was gone…. David Soul had passed away. He had fought his last battle. His war was over, and he was receiving his reward in heaven. I, too, was now in shock, heartbroken and shattered. All I could hear myself saying was, “Ah, David….”
After a little cry, I had to smile. As a Christian, I had to believe that in death- he awoke in heaven. He awoke before the Father. He awoke to hear Him say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” He awoke to restoration-restored unlabored breathing and good health, restored singing vocals, restored unencumbered movement, restored…. EVERYTHING! He was his old happy, energetic, athletic self-up there.
I also had to think unselfishly. I don’t know if David Soul suffered any pain before he passed, but I had to tell myself that if it was God’s will to return him home, it was for the best.
As we traverse through our individual grief processes, remember to pray for one another, for we all are in sorrow. We can also smile and be happy, for our dearest David left us so many memories, lessons and LOVE!
Continue to leave a light on for him…….
It took me a while to muster up the strength to come here and write this tribute. For as long as I remember, I’ve been a fan of the series Starsky & Hutch, my father, John (the universe bless his soul) was an avid watcher of the show and he was the one who turned me on to watching the show. I loved Hutch because he was such a sensible, logical guy. Whenever I felt down or was having a bad day, I’d come home and watch the show and I’d feel better. The show would make me laugh, it would cheer me up, it would inspire me, and even at times, it would educate me. Then I started watching interviews David did and he made me respect him outside of playing “Hutch” on the series. What he said in interviews made me respect him as an actor, as a man and more so, as a family man.
I watched every episode of Starsky & Hutch and I even have the theme of the show as my ringtone. I have the sound bite from the show as my notification sound on my cell phone, the sound bite being the woman at the police station who would radio in to Starsky & Hutch the words, “Zebra-3.” I also have the Starsky & Hutch t-shirt and sweatshirt. So, suffice to say, I was and still am, a huge fan.
So, when I heard the news that David had passed away, I was crushed, emotionally crushed. Out of all of the actors out there, he’s the one I never would have thought would have passed away, not him. Somehow, I just thought he was…invincible. Hearing that he passed, I broke into tears immediately. I had always wanted to meet Mr. Soul as well as the rest of the Starsky & Hutch actors at a movie/fan convention but each time they would be at one, I never seemed to be able to have the time to attend. David was eighty years old, he still had a lot of life to him, but now he’s gone. It just seems….so unfair.
Despite me never knowing him personally, I’m extremely good at picking up on people’s spirits and I’m extremely good at reading people and I’ve been able to pick up on David’s spirit and read him numerous times, and from me being able to do that, I know that this was a good man with a tremendously good heart. He loved each and every moment he spent with Paul, with Antonio, with his close friends and with his close family members.
I agree with Paul’s (Michael Glaser) sentiments about David’s passing. I too have a hard time fathoming that this man is no longer here on what we all call Earth. It genuinely feels as if the world is empty now without his presence on it. To be honest, it feels like with David dying, a part of me has died too. It almost makes it feel as if living on this planet is useless now. It makes me feel like giving up, because one of the very few (and I do mean “few”) good spirits we have left in this cruel, cold world is now gone. However, I remember one of David’s quotes being, “each day heralds the gift of a new beginning.”
That quote is one of the many ones that keeps me going for whatever time I have left on this planet. David’s passing has forever changed the way I look at the world. There will never be another day that I won’t think about David’s passing. It has forever left a permanent mark on my heart and in my mind, and his passing is one that I will never get over for as long as I live. His passing feels like I’ve lost a best friend or even a great mentor and inspiration to my life.
Wish as hard as I may, I know I can’t change reality and have David back on Earth with his family, his friends and with those who loved his acting work, but I think and feel it is the duty of everyone who knew him and who knew of him, it is the duty of everyone who loved him to keep his memory alive by maintaining in yourselves the same type of heart and mentality that David had. Love your family and friends and everyone you meet with all of your heart, have kindness and compassion for everyone and everything you come across, including animals. Live and learn from those who are diverse and who are different than yourself, embrace music that heals you, that moves your soul and your spirit, that uplifts and motivates you, and most of all, look at each day as one that heralds the gift of a new beginning. I feel that if each one of us who have been touched by David’s presence does this, we will be keeping David’s memory alive.
In the free universe where souls go after departing Earth, where my father went after he departed from this Earth earlier this year, I hope that David is with the late, great Bernie (Hamilton) and they’re sharing many laughs together. When I depart from this Earth and travel to the free universe, I hope to one day meet David and thank him personally for being an inspiring light in and to my life. However, until that time comes….Travel in power, Mr. David Soul. As I stated previously, the world now feels empty without you in it but all of us who were tremendously touched by your warm spirit and soul, will find a way to keep your memory alive, each and every day.
I would like to express my heartfelt condolence’s to Mr. Soul’s family and loved ones. Like so many of his fans, I never had the privilege of knowing him personally, but his work impacted me in such a positive way. It is quite unusual that a movie can be made of a favorite book (in my case Salem’s Lot), and you wind up loving the movie, too. I am not necessarily a horror fan, but I love Stephen King’s work because he is such a fantastic storyteller. Mr. Soul’s portrayal of Ben Mears in the movie was and is outstanding. Mr. Soul was masterfully able to weave together complicated layers of mystery, conflict, fear, love, dedication, and kindness in a way that more than did King’s character justice and did so much to craft the atmospheric feel of the movie. To be able to do so effectively in just a three hour film is remarkable. Mr. Soul’s portrayal of Mears will always be one of my all time favorite acting performances. Mr. Soul – your loved one – touched my life and so many others in ways that he never knew. You have my most sincere condolences. Thank you for sharing him with us.
I wish to offer my condolences to Mr. Soul’s family, friends and fellow fans. It’s heartwarming to read so many kind tributes here and on many other social media platforms. Like others, I was a big Starsky and Hutch fan as a teen in the 70’s and have been enjoying re-watching over the past several years. I collected David’s records too, which bring back some great memories, and the CD copy of Gold I bought a couple years ago expanded my collection nicely. David’s autograph on it makes it even more special. I will miss reading his tweets, but David’s memory will certainly live on in his work and his humanitarian efforts. Rest in peace sir.
Peace and love from Michigan, USA.
He sentido mucho tu partida!! Fuiste mi amor platónico en starky y Huch !! Mi serie favorita!! Me hubiese encantado poder haberte conocido!! Un beso y un abrazo enorme para ti donde estés!!
Thanks for all your talents David, particulary your singing and I used to karaoke to “Don’t Give Up On Us” at the local discos. It was my party piece. You were one of the best. RIP.
We were fortunate to meet you in 2020, you were so kind and gracious. Thank you for your lovely music, your wonderful acting and your generousity towards your fellow man. Rest in peace.
We remember David as a fellow from South Dakota who accomplished extraordinary achievements with his acting, producing, directing, music along with his other noteworthy contributions and interests. My condolences to his family and friends. RIP DAVID “SOUL” SOLBERG!