Results: Another Musical (and Dramatical) Obituary, This One For David Soul

Arguably best remembered on television for portraying blond Kenneth Richard "Hutch" Hutchinson on the 1970's U.S. crime drama series Starsky & Hutch, David Soul (born Solberg) was an actor and singer who died in January 2024 in London (though born in the United States, he eventually became a U.K. citizen). Are you familiar with any of Soul's work?

Though Soul had more musical success overseas, his biggest U.S. pop hit charted during his run on Starsky & Hutch. "Don't Give Up On Us" hit #1 in Soul's homeland in 1977. The same song topped the U.K. singles chart as well, but he had a second chart-topper there there in "Silver Lady." Do you know anyone who has had more professional success in a nation other than the one where s/he was born?

Though Bobby Sherman became a singing teenybopper idol from appearing on it, Soul also had a regular role on Here Come The Brides, a 1968-70 comedic Western series. Like Soul, Sherman had made numerous attempts at establishing himself as a recording artist before TV provided a springboard for making a sizeable musical splash. Do you know anyone who has parlayed professional success in one field into success in work about which s/he may be as or more passionate?

Soul didn't have as many false starts as a successful singer before making certifiable hits as Sherman did, but one of them was certainly...unique? In an apparently occasional bit on Merv Griffin's 1960's TV talk show, Soul appeared as a masked singer known as The Covered Man. His theme song for the role provided him his first attempt at a hit record; and, to my ears, it's a hoot. Do you know of anyone whose job involves a disguise (see Soul's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqLxxaOtl0c&t=1s)?

Though Soul physically attacked his pregnant wife and sought treatment for alcohol addiction in 1980, he seemed to have led a stable, peaceable life thereafter, wherein he had many roles in TV shows, movies (including the 2004 movie adaptation of Starsky & Hutch), and stage productions, as well as more infrequent musical recordings. But then there's that name; I understand how actors and singers may want catchy monikers to grab people's attention, but, even though it's phonetically an abbreviation of his given last name, doesn't "Soul" strike you, as it does me, as at least a bit odd?