Michael Cole, ‘Mod Squad’ Actor, Dies at 84
Michael Cole, who most famously portrayed Pete Cochran, one of the three young undercover cops on ABC’s crime drama Mod Squad died on Tuesday, December 10. He was 84 years old.
Cole’s representatives shared that the actor died “peacefully this morning, surrounded by loved ones, after living a full and vibrant life.” The actor passed away at Providence Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Tarzana, California, publicist Rachel Harris announced, according to The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death has been revealed at this time.
Cole was born on July 3, 1940, in Madison, Wisconsin. He guest-starred on multiple shows in the 1960s, including Gunsmoke, before he got his big breakthrough via Mod Squad, alongside Peggy Lipton and Clarence Williams III. Cole’s character was the disgruntled son of well-to-do parents. After his character got arrested, he avoided jail time when all three agreed to become cops. The tagline for the hit series was “One white, one black, one blonde.” Cole similarly named his 2018 memoir I Played the White Guy.
Mod Squad tapped into the counterculture of the era and tackled issues that other series shied away from, like racism, drug use, and anti-war sentiments. The three-member cop team, Linc, Julie, and Pete (Cole, Lipton, and Williams), often found themselves infiltrating parts of society where other cops (let alone other shows) didn’t dare go. Cole was the last surviving member of the original main cast.
Fans and peers took to social media to pay tribute on X after the news broke.
Michael Cole’s final role was in the TV movie I wrote called GRAVE MISCONDUCT. Here he is sharing the screen with Joanna Miles and Crystal Bernard. My condolences go out to his family and friends. https://t.co/XN5RzYeJaY pic.twitter.com/6Nr9uBZuIr
— Matthew Chernov (@MatthewChernov) December 10, 2024
“Michael Cole, ‘Mod Squad’ Star, Dies at 84 I loved Mod Squad when I was a kid. Thanks Michael for your work,” another fan wrote.
After Mod Squad ended, Cole continued his acting work on various TV shows and miniseries. He appeared on Murder, She Wrote, Fantasy Island, Wonder Woman, and The Love Boat. He also played the adult version of Henry Bowers in Stephen King’s horrifying 1990 It mini-series and on General Hospital as Harlan Barrett.
Cole also appeared in movies, including The Bubble, Nickel Mountain, Mr. Brooks. His final film role was in 2008, when he graced the screen in Grave Misconduct. He also had a love of theater, taking the stage for plays like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
The star was married and three times and divorced twice. He is survived by his third wife Shelley, and his two children from his first marriage.
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