David Soul, star of 'Starsky and Hutch', has died at 80

(SOUNDBITE OF JAMES TAYLOR QUARTET'S "THE THEME FROM STARSKY AND HUTCH")

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

David Soul, star of the 1970s cop show "Starsky And Hutch," has died at 80. No cause of death was given. Soul played Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson alongside co-star Paul Michael Glaser as David Starsky. Fans will remember the iconic duo patrolling the streets of the fictional Bay City, Calif., in that bright red striped Gran Torino.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "STARSKY AND HUTCH")

DAVID SOUL: (As Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson) Look. The engine's a 375 cubic. You just want me to drive around in a striped tomato like you got.

PAUL MICHAEL GLASER: (As David Starsky) My car is a striped what?

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

While best known for playing Hutch, Soul got his start in entertainment as a singer.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE COVERED MAN")

SOUL: I am the covered man.

SUMMERS: Wearing all black and a ski mask, Sole's act as the covered man kickstarted his career on the TV talk show circuit. As an actor, Soul also played roles in the 1960s comedy western series "Here Come The Brides" and the noir thriller film "Magnum Force."

KELLY: After the success of "Starsky And Hutch," Soul returned to music. His song "Don't Give Up On Us" was a hit worldwide, topping charts here in the U.S. and the U.K.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DON'T GIVE UP ON US")

SOUL: (Singing) Don't give up on us, baby. Don't make the wrong seem right. The future isn't just one night. It's written in the moonlight and painted on the stars. We can't change ours. Don't give up on us, baby. We're still worth one more try. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.