David Soul, who played Starsky and Hutch's blond half, died at 80

Actor-singer David Soul, who peaked at number one on the charts with the song "Don't Give Up on Us," and costarred as the blond half of the crime-fighting team "Starsky & Hutch" in the 1970s, passed away at the age of 80.

His wife, Helen Snell, said Friday that “David Soul – beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother – died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family.”

Originally from Chicago, Soul's acting career began in the 1960s when he joined the avant-garde Firehouse Theater in Minnesota. His name was David Solberg. Even though he performed on stage and cinema well into the 20th century, his work from the 1970s is what made him most well-known.