‘Starsky and Hutch’ TV Show Cast: See The Stars of the ‘70s Cop Drama Then and Now
Buddy cop drama Starsky and Hutch was must-see TV during its 1975-1979 series run. Fans were captivated by the crime-solving duo as they raced around town in their white-striped red Ford Gran Torino answering calls under the radio sign “Zebra Three” and, of course, wooing beautiful women. But it was the incredible Starsky and Hutch TV show cast that really had fans — even the Royal family — coming back for more week after week.
Set in the fictional Bay City, California, the 92-episode project that aired in 67 countries was based on real detectives and starred David Starsky (Paul Michael Glaser, now 80) and Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson (David Soul, also 80). The show made history as one of the first prime-time dramas to portray Black characters favorably, with Huggy Bear (Antonio Fargas) and Captain Dobey (the late Bernie Hamilton) noted as examples of positive black role models. In fact, Huggy Bear was so popular that he was the title character of a spinoff that never made it to the air.
Starsky and Hutch was executive-produced by Aaron Spelling, father of Tori Spelling, who also helmed Charlie’s Angels, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart, T.J. Hooker, Dynasty, Melrose Place, Beverly Hills, 90210, 7th Heaven and Charmed.
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Revisiting the show through reboots and remakes adds to its continued cache, bringing in new generations of fans with each iteration. Producers are now working with Fox on an updated version after the success of 2004’s sendup starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Snoop Dogg. Only this time: The series twist will see the lead actors as women named Sasha Starsky and Nicole Hutchinson, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The plot? The female detectives will try to sleuth out who sent their dads to prison 15 years ago for crimes they didn’t commit.
The top cops want a piece of the action after their cameos in the 2004 update revitalized their careers. On March 1, Soul posted on Twitter/X, “’He’s Starsky. I’m Hutch.’ Paul Glaser & I are proud to have given life and longevity to Starsky & Hutch, a TV series that ran for 4 years but over the past 4 decades has become an international ‘brand’ that continues to be enjoyed ’round the globe. It appears FOX is planning to re-imagine the original series with two women in the S&H roles. We’re just letting FOX know that we’re still around and happy to help pass the torch—if they’ll have us. It would certainly add credibility to the series and our legion of fans would applaud! #StarskyAndHutch"
Amongst the legions of fans were the royal family, and Soul, who was also a successful musician, performed his hit “Don’t Give Up On Us” for Queen Elizabeth II’s 25th Jubilee celebration in 1977. In addition, Princess Margaret visited the set. "We took her to lunch and, suffice to say, we didn’t go back to work in the afternoon," Soul wrote on his website.
In an interview with The Mirror--- in 2020, he admitted he "got Princess Margaret really smashed one afternoon" and that they "emptied a couple of bottles of gin."
That’s not all: “She told us the Queen Mother loved Starsky and Hutch and called us ‘nice boys,’” he added.
That’s not all: Glaser’s wife Elizabeth formed a friendship with Princess Diana. (Click through to our sister site for more little-known Princess Diana facts.)
"It was the love to support and protect their children that brought them together," son Jake told People in 2021. Let’s find out the origin story of the main characters, and what became of them after the show ended.
Starsky & Hutch cast
Paul Michael Glaser as David Starsky
Prior to becoming a household name as Starsky in the Starsky and Hutch TV show cast, Massachusetts native Paul Michael Glaser could be seen in Fiddler On The Roof, The Waltons and Kojak.
On the show, Glaser could be found scarfing down junk food as he rides around town sleuthing out criminals.
Of his time on the show, Glaser told Closer in 2023, “Fame scared the hell out of me! … I was an actor. I was an artist! But then [Starsky] happened. I realized that I basically made a deal with the devil, and I had to contend with that. What I didn’t like was the commercial aspect of it: Many of the choices were made to sell product.”
He wasn’t content to rest on his acting chops, directing five episodes of the show, which proved to be an ideal training ground that gave way to directing three episodes of Miami Vice, then led to helming films such as the Oscar-winning thriller The Running Man and ice-skating rom-com The Cutting Edge.
After the series ended, he continued working as an actor through the mid-1980s, then returned in the 2000 romantic comedy Something’s Got To Give, followed by a recurring role on Third Watch. Bolstered by his 2004 cameo in the Starsky and Hutch remake, he was in demand again, and one-off appearances on The Closer, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist and Numb3rs followed. Most recently he appeared in recurring roles on Grace and Frankie and Ray Donovan.
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While Glaser found money in his work, he found meaning with his family, members of which were taken far too soon.
Tragically, Glaser’s wife Elizabeth died from AIDS in 1994, after contracting the virus through a blood transfusion when she gave birth to daughter Ariel in 1981. Ariel also had AIDS, in addition to their son Jake, who was born in 1984, after they both unknowingly contracted it through breast milk. Ariel died from the disease while Jake is an HIV/AIDS advocate.
Her name may sound familiar: Elizabeth Glaser cofounded the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
How did he get through it? “It brought me to a place where I had to choose whether I was going to be a victim or whether I was going to see it as an opportunity to grow — to grow my heart and my capacity for love,” Glaser told Closer.
Later, Glaser had a daughter named Zoe with wife Tracy Barone, whom he divorced in 2007.
Throughout it all, his bond with Soul has endured. Glaser continued, “David and I had our ups and downs, but we had a great relationship. We really cared about each other, and we’re still good friends. I speak to him once every month or two. When I go to England, I see him. We also developed a great relationship with the whole crew. There was a tremendous sense of camaraderie.”
David Soul as Kenneth Hutchinson
Chicago-born David Soul, born David Solberg, got his start in single-episode stints of classic shows including Flipper, I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek, All In The Family and Gunsmoke prior to Starsky and Hutch, on which he played Hutch, a complicated character who loves fine cuisine.
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“I never wanted to be an actor, but I ended up as an actor,” he wrote on his website. “It wasn’t a case of ‘I can’t wait to get onstage – I want to be a star.’ No, never. It was accidental.”
In addition to his TV credits, Soul was a prolific musical artist who has released five albums, including one that spawned the 1976 hit “Don’t Give Up On Us” and his 2020 best-of collection “Gold.”
After the show ended, he could be found in TV movies and one-off appearances on a variety of shows. He also acted in plays including playing the lead role in Jerry Springer: The Opera on London’s West End in 2004, which is the same year he became a British citizen.
Personal life: He now calls London home with wife Helen Snell. He has six children from his four previous marriages. Soul served jail time for hitting his third wife when she was seven months pregnant, for which he also underwent an anger management course.
During a People Magazine interview from 1983, he admitted he was in an open relationship with Starsky and Hutch costar Lynne Marta when the show was on the air.
Antonio Fargas as Huggy Bear Brown
Before breaking through with Starsky and Hutch TV show cast, New York-bred Antonio Fargas appeared in the groundbreaking crime-thriller Shaft, and appeared on shows including The Bill Cosby Show, Sanford and Son, Kojak and The Love Boat.
On the show, Fargas was an informant to the cop duo, and owner of bar The Pits.
Afterward, Fargas could be seen on CHiPs, Charlie’s Angels, Nurse, Hardcastle and McCormick, All My Children, Miami Vice, MacGyver, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, Numb3rs, Everybody Hates Chris and House of Lies in addition to movies including Firestarter. He is 77.
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Bernie Hamilton as Harold Dobey
Best known for The Devil at 4 O’Clock and Mysterious Island prior to being in the Starsky and Hutch TV show cast, Bernie Hamilton played the sensible Captain Dobey, whose temper sometimes flared, on the show.
Other appearances included Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Tarzan, A Clear And Present Danger, All In The Family, Sanford and Son and The Six Million Dollar Man.
After Starsky and Hutch, Hamilton appeared on The Love Boat. But music was his calling: He produced R&B and gospel records on the label Chocolate Snowman.
In 2008, Hamilton died of cardiac arrest at age 80 in Los Angeles.
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