Yahoo Lifestyle Michael Cole, 'Mod Squad' and 'General Hospital' Star, Dead at 84
Actor Michael Cole, best-known for his role on the 1960s police drama The Mod Squad, died on Dec. 10 at the age of 84.
Cole rose to prominence on the television show playing undercover police officer Peter Cochran, a down-on-his-luck rich kid who must choose between fighting crime or being sent to jail. The program, which was executive produced by Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas, tackled issues such as racism and the Vietnam war, addressing the zeitgeist of a turbulent era in American history through the eyes of the counterculture.
In a statement obtained by People, representatives for Cole stated that the Wisconsin-born actor died peacefully, “surrounded by his loved ones after living a full and vibrant life.” A cause of death has not been reported at this time.
The statement continued, sharing that “beyond his career, Michael Cole will be remembered for his warm and generous spirit. Known among friends and family for his wit, charm, and boundless compassion, he brought joy to every room he entered. A storyteller at heart, he had a way of making those around him feel special, often regaling them with anecdotes from his Hollywood days or sharing wisdom from his remarkable journey.”
Along with a series of appearances in films and television shows including Murder, She Wrote and CHiPs, Cole appeared on 64 episodes of the soap opera General Hospital as Harlan Barrett, a crooked engineer at Barrett Industries who falls in with a cartel. Deadline reports that the character’s arc culminated with Cole’s character being hired to kill the popular Robert Scorpio, before ultimately getting shot himself in the 1991 episodes.
Cole released a memoir in 2009 entitled I Played the White Guy, in which he wrote about his experience as a Hollywood actor.
He is survived by his wife, Shelley, and his children.
