JPI
Michael Cole, best remembered for being one of the stars of The Mod Squad, has passed away at the age of 84. The actor also played a very important role on General Hospital in the early 1990s — he was the father of Brenda Barrett, played by Vanessa Marcil.
In The Beginning
The actor passed away “surrounded by his loved ones after living a full and vibrant life,” it said in a press release. That life began on July 3, 1940 in Madison, Wisconsin. He never knew his biological father but his mother raised him and his older brother at his grandmother’s home. His childhood was a bit rough, having started drinking at the age of 12. By 20, he was divorced with two children. He moved to Los Angeles and was down on his luck but a meeting with acting coach Estelle Harman changed things for him. She believed in him and with her help, he developed the skills he needed.
He started getting acting jobs in the ’60s but it wasn’t until 1968 and his role as Pete Cochran on The Mod Squad, along with Peggy Lipton and Clarence Williams III, who both preceded him in death, that he became a household name. The show was about a trio of reformed juvenile delinquents who worked as undercover cops and it was a huge hit, running until 1973 and it cemented him forever in pop culture. In 1979, he also appeared in the TV movie, Return of Mod Squad.
Plenty of episodic work followed, including Love Boat, Fantasy Island and Murder, She Wrote and in 1991, he was cast as Harlan Barrett, whose daughter Julia, lived in Port Charles. Harlan was briefly involved with Tracy Quartermaine, partners with Faison in a cartel and eventually was shot and killed in November 1991. After his death, his other daughter Brenda came to town to claim her share of his fortune.
After his time on GH, the actor returned to episodic work including Diagnosis: Murder, 7th Heaven and ER. His last work were two shorts in 2010 — Officer Lenot in: Showtime and Father’s Day.
In 2018, Cole penned the autobiography, I Played the White Guy, in which he discussed his incredible career, struggles with addiction and experiences trying to make it in Hollywood.
He is survived by his third wife, Shelly Funes, whom he married in 1996, as well as his children. Digest sends condolences to his family, friends and fans during this difficult time.
JPI
Michael Cole, best remembered for being one of the stars of The Mod Squad, has passed away at the age of 84. The actor also played a very important role on General Hospital in the early 1990s — he was the father of Brenda Barrett, played by Vanessa Marcil.
In The Beginning
The actor passed away “surrounded by his loved ones after living a full and vibrant life,” it said in a press release. That life began on July 3, 1940 in Madison, Wisconsin. He never knew his biological father but his mother raised him and his older brother at his grandmother’s home. His childhood was a bit rough, having started drinking at the age of 12. By 20, he was divorced with two children. He moved to Los Angeles and was down on his luck but a meeting with acting coach Estelle Harman changed things for him. She believed in him and with her help, he developed the skills he needed.
He started getting acting jobs in the ’60s but it wasn’t until 1968 and his role as Pete Cochran on The Mod Squad, along with Peggy Lipton and Clarence Williams III, who both preceded him in death, that he became a household name. The show was about a trio of reformed juvenile delinquents who worked as undercover cops and it was a huge hit, running until 1973 and it cemented him forever in pop culture. In 1979, he also appeared in the TV movie, Return of Mod Squad.
Plenty of episodic work followed, including Love Boat, Fantasy Island and Murder, She Wrote and in 1991, he was cast as Harlan Barrett, whose daughter Julia, lived in Port Charles. Harlan was briefly involved with Tracy Quartermaine, partners with Faison in a cartel and eventually was shot and killed in November 1991. After his death, his other daughter Brenda came to town to claim her share of his fortune.
After his time on GH, the actor returned to episodic work including Diagnosis: Murder, 7th Heaven and ER. His last work were two shorts in 2010 — Officer Lenot in: Showtime and Father’s Day.
In 2018, Cole penned the autobiography, I Played the White Guy, in which he discussed his incredible career, struggles with addiction and experiences trying to make it in Hollywood.
He is survived by his third wife, Shelly Funes, whom he married in 1996, as well as his children. Digest sends condolences to his family, friends and fans during this difficult time.