'Starsky & Hutch' Actor David Soul Was 'Tight' on Money & Sold Series Rights – Inside His Last Years Away from the USA

• David Soul, the actor who won hearts with his "Starsky & Hutch" role, faced a challenging period marked by financial constraints.
• This led him to decide to sell the rights to the series that had brought him fame.
• In his later years, Soul spent time away from the USA. He once shared his experiences and choices during this time.

The entertainment industry recently lost one of its brightest stars. David Soul, the American and British actor who rose to fame as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the hit TV series "Starsky & Hutch," passed away in January 2024 at 80.

In his later years, Soul faced some tough times. One of the most significant was a period of financial difficulty that led him to sell the rights to the beloved cop series that made him a household name. Soul also chose to live his later years outside the USA, immersing himself in a different environment and culture.

On January 5, 2024, a heartfelt post on Soul's X profile (formerly Twitter) announced the sad news of his passing, saying that he died "after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family." In the post, his family praised his talents, achievements, and positive impact on the world.

"He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend," it read. The post concluded, "His smile, laughter, and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched." Soul had a long and successful career as an actor and singer, notably acting alongside Paul Michael Glaser, who played Starsky.

Soul left behind the sunny and glamorous life of Los Angeles and moved to the UK in 1993, the same year he lost his expensive LA home to the bank. He packed his belongings in a shipping container and said goodbye to his past. He revealed that paying for the upkeep of six children from his four previous marriages had made a considerable dent in his bank account and that he needed a fresh start.

He settled in London with his wife, Helen, where he pursued his acting career on stage and screen. After moving to the UK, Soul gave up singing, but he still drove a convertible as a reminder of the warm weather and his freedom in Los Angeles. However, he confessed that he did not miss LA much, as the icon had grown disillusioned with the city and its culture, and he was glad to leave it behind.

Before his death, Soul occasionally visited the US, as his son and grandson lived there. He had five sons and one daughter from different relationships. Soul enjoyed the perks of living in the UK, where the actor was less recognized and more respected. He became a British citizen in 2004 and embraced the culture and lifestyle of his adopted country.

He was an avid fan of football and supported Arsenal FC. He often went to watch their matches at the Emirates Stadium, where he could mingle with the fans without being bothered. He also liked to walk from his rented flat to his favorite wine bar in Hampstead, where he could relax and socialize with his friends.

Soul may have been a star in the 1970s, but he was not enjoying a lavish lifestyle in the years leading to his death. In a 2019 interview, he confessed that he was struggling financially, admitting that money was "still tight," partly because of a decision he made decades ago. He sold his share of the rights to "Starsky & Hutch," for a mere $100,000.

Had he not made that move, he could have earned millions from the renewed popularity of the show, which was later revived and remade in various forms. At the time of the interview, a new TV version was in the works, and a video game based on the show was available for Xbox and PlayStation.

Soul missed out on the profits he would have gained from these projects if he had kept his stake in the show that defined his career. But surprisingly, he was not too bothered by his financial woes, saying he was alright and was living within his means. He admitted that he had many aspirations, but his priority was his wife's happiness.

He said, "Helen is my life, and I hope our love will always fulfill her, wherever and forever. She is an incredible woman, a truly wonderful person." He did not always feel this way about his soulmate, Helen Snell. When they first met, they clashed.

Soul was touring Britain with "Deathtrap," a play that Snell promoted. She had never seen "Starsky & Hutch" and did not know who he was. He had no interest in PR and did not care for her.

As they got to know each other more, they grew closer and eventually tied the knot in June 2010. Meeting Snell transformed Soul's life and inspired him to become a British citizen. He said, "I finally got British citizenship in 2004 because I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Helen." The couple lived happily together until Soul's final days.

Soul faced a series of health challenges in his later years, but he never gave up hope or his fighting spirit. In 2009, he revealed a personal struggle plaguing him since the 1970s. The actor had been grappling with debilitating back pain, a constant companion that made even the simplest tasks a challenge.

Despite undergoing three surgeries aimed at alleviating his condition, the pain persisted. Soul speculated that the daring stunts he performed onscreen might have contributed to his chronic discomfort. His body bore the scars of numerous surgeries, including hip replacements, spinal decompression, and neck grafts, to cope with the effects of nerve damage.

The latter left him with a paralyzed arm, robbing him of the ability to play the guitar, a passion that had once brought him immense joy. For a time, he used a wheelchair, but Soul was not one to be easily defeated. "I am a fighter, and I did fight my way through this thing," he declared.

In 2017, a routine hip replacement surgery took a turn for the worse. Soul lapsed into unconsciousness following a general anesthetic, leading to a grueling 10-week stay in intensive care. Doctors feared the worst, moving him to palliative care. But Soul was not ready to give up.

He spent 72 days in intensive care, enduring the discomfort of a ventilator and a tracheostomy. His condition deteriorated to the point where he was unable to walk or even comprehend his surroundings. As a last resort, he was transferred to the Royal Free Hospital, where he received life-saving treatment.

Soul's health battles didn't end there. He had a cancerous growth removed from his left lung and grappled with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a life-shortening lung condition. He attributed this to his 50-year habit of smoking up to three packs a day. Despite quitting a decade earlier, the damage was irreversible.

The disease took a toll on his voice, robbing him of his vocal range and power and, with it, his ability to sing or work in the theatre. Despite these challenges, Soul remained grounded. He turned down lucrative offers for guest appearances on reality shows, choosing instead to live his life in reality.

His wealth, he said, lay in his marriage and his family. Surrounded by his six children, he felt rich. In August 2023, Soul celebrated his 80th birthday. He was deeply moved by the outpouring of support from fans around the globe, many of whom donated to charities in his name.

The beloved icon spent his birthday surrounded by family and close friends. "You made turning 80 something extraordinarily special," he wrote on his X profile. "So here's to my next 80 years. I hope you'll stay along for the (bumpy) ride."

Sadly, David Soul passed away on January 5, 2024, leaving a legacy of music, art, and love. His death was met with an outpouring of grief and tributes from fans worldwide, who remembered him as a talented and charismatic star, a kind and generous person, and a role model and inspiration. Many shared their memories and condolences on his official website, where a memorial page was set up.