Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser) and Hutch (David Soul), two renowned police detectives, became household names in the 1970s due to the explosion of American television shows.
However, their on-screen celebrity was not the only crucial component of their story; their car also played an important role.
The duo’s television series was top-rated, lasting four seasons and 93 episodes. The two significant actors’ lives were drastically altered due to their newfound celebrity.
David Soul, the charming blonde heartthrob who enchanted audiences, struggled with the pressures of celebrity. He turned to booze for solace, which led to violent conduct, culminating in an episode where he struck his pregnant third wife, Patti.
As a result, he was imprisoned and ordered to attend counseling. The soul has regularly visited jails to speak about his fight against addiction and to raise awareness about domestic abuse. He has worked tirelessly to repair his connections with his six children from four marriages.
A soul lost his opulent Bel Air mansion in Los Angeles due to poor financial decisions and unsuccessful documentary initiatives. He also sold his portion of the series’ rights for a pittance of around 90,000 euros.
Given the show’s global resurrection, he could now be a millionaire. Instead, he and his fifth wife have opted to live modestly on London’s outskirts.
Recent images of the actor show him gaining weight and struggling with movement, contrasting with his alluring idol days.
Furthermore, at 76, he still has lung obstruction concerns due to his previous cigarette addiction and battle with surgically treated cancer. Despite these obstacles, the soul has recently had surprisingly little professional artistic output.
Soul’s dear friend and companion, Paul Michael Glaser, has likewise had a torturous existence. Following the conclusion of the series, he married Elizabeth Meyer in 1980. Elizabeth was an exhibitions director and professor at the Children’s Museum of Los Angeles.
When Elizabeth needed a blood transfusion after suffering severe bleeding after the delivery of their daughter, Ariel, their marriage hit an early snag.
Despite numerous medical consultations, Ariel’s ailment, which turned out to be HIV (Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus), took four years to be diagnosed. AIDS primarily impacted the LGBT population at the time, and the first notable figure to succumb to the epidemic was actor Rock Hudson in 1985.
When doctors chose to test the girl, Elizabeth and their second child, Jake, born in 1984, were positive for HIV. Paul, happily, had avoided infection.
Meanwhile, scientists worked tirelessly to create therapies and vaccinations to tackle the deadly illness. Despite receiving the commercialized AZT treatment, Ariel tragically died in August 1988. Six years later, Elizabeth died from the condition.
The loss of his loved ones caused Paul Glaser to experience severe psychological distress. Using what little strength he had left, he dedicated himself to helping his HIV-positive son, Jack, who lives an ordinary life.
Glaser also actively supports the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to pediatric AIDS research.
Glaser found love again in 1996 when he married producer, Tracy Barone. They have a daughter, Zoe, who is now 23 years old. However, the pair chose to divorce after ten years of marriage.
Unlike his colleague, Glaser remains active in the entertainment world as a guest actor and film director, pursuing his artistic interests.
