Michael Cole, Mod Squad and GH Alum, Dead At 84
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 Harlan Barrett, 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,” according to a press release. That life began on July 3, 1940 in Madison, Wisconsin. He never knew his biological father and was raised alongside his older brother by his mother in his grandmother’s home. His childhood was a bit rough, and the future star began 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 to make it in show biz.
Cole started getting acting jobs in the ’60s, and his fortunes changed drastically in 1968, when he became a household name (along with Peggy Lipton, later Norma Jennings on Twin Peaks, and Clarence Williams III, both of whom preceded him in death) for his role as Pete Cochran on The Mod Squad. 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 The Mod Squad, including appearances on Love Boat, Fantasy Island and Murder, She Wrote. Then, in 1991, he was cast as Harlan Barrett, whose daughter Julia, lived in Port Charles. Harlan was briefly involved with Tracy Quartermaine and was partners with Cesar Faison in a cartel that made life helll for Paul Hornsby. He was 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, guesting on series like Diagnosis: Murder, 7th Heaven and ER. His last acting projects 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.
Soap Opera Digest sends condolences to his family, friends and fans during this difficult time.
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