Michael Cole, Actor on ‘The Mod Squad,’ Dies at 84
The Hollywood ReporterStory by Mike Barnes
scrn logline
Beloved 'Mod Squad' star Michael Cole, known for his role as the 'white guy' undercover cop, passes away at 84, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking television.
beat sheet
- Cole's memoir, 'I Played the White Guy,' provided a candid look at his personal life, including his early struggles with addiction and troubled upbringing that led him to the acting profession.
- The Mod Squad tackled controversial social issues of the era, with Cole's character, Pete Cochran, and his two counterparts, Linc and Julie, pioneering a unique approach to law enforcement that emphasized non-violence and blending into the counterculture.
call sheet
Michael Cole, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III, Adam Greer, Bobby Darin, Estelle Harman, Deborah Walley, James Arness, Bud Ruskin, Kevin Costner, Giovanni Ribisi, Omar Epps, Claire Danes, Shelley Funes, Mickey Mantle, The Mod Squad, ABC, Tyler Perry Studios, Police Academy, Return to Oz, Gunsmoke, Get Christie Love!, Police Story, Wonder Woman, Beyond Westworld, Fantasy Island, CHiPs, Murder, She Wrote, ER, MGM, Rolling Stone, Betty Ford Center, The Mod Squad, The Bubble, Picnic, Mr. Brooks