Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Michael Cole Was The Last Original Surviving Cast Member of "The Mod Squad"

Actor Michael Cole, best known for his portrayal of Pete Cochrane, on the TV series The Mod Squad which ran on ABC from 1968 to 1973, passed away today at the age of 84. No cause of death was released.

Cole co-starred on The Mod Squad with Peggy Lipton and Clarence Williams III. He was also the last surviving member with Lipton and Williams passing away in 2019 and in 2021, respectively. Both Lipton and Williams died of cancer. All three symbolized the youth of the 1960s counterculture and now all are gone. 

His last acting credit was nearly 15 years ago. After The Mod Squad, Cole appeared on TV shows like Wonder Woman, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island and CHIPs while reuniting with Lipton and Williams in a Mod Squad TV movie in 1979. During the 1990s, Cole did a stint on the ABC soap opera General Hospital and did occasional guest spots on shows like Diagnosis Murder, 7th Heaven and ER. He also had a small role in the 2007 film Mr. Brooks starring Kevin Costner and Demi Moore. 

Cole came from a broken home, fathered two children by the time he was 20 and was homeless before trying his hand at acting. There was a certain intensity in his portrayal of Pete Cochrane and that intensity connected with a generation of TV viewers. R.I.P.

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