Michael Cole died at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, as announced by his publicist Rachel Harris. No cause of death was revealed.
Cole was best known for his role as Pete Cochran on the television crime drama “The Mod Squad” (1968–1973). He was the last surviving member of the original cast.
Cole appeared in numerous films and TV shows, beginning in 1961 with a role in the film drama “Forbid Them Not.”
He has also appeared on “Gunsmoke,“ in 1966, as Kipp. During the 1970s, he had many guest appearances on “Wonder Woman,” “The Love Boat” and “CHiPs.”
But it was his role as Pete Cochran, a troubled youth turned crime fighter in “The Mod Squad,” that made Cole an international celebrity. Cole’s boyish good looks and brooding, deep-voiced personality meshed perfectly with his character’s backstory—a ne’er-do-well son of wealthy parents who had evicted him from their home after he had stolen a car.
Produced by Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas, “The Mod Squad” resonated with counterculture-era viewers and ran for five seasons, during which a total of 123 episodes were produced.
