Michael Cole, Star of ‘The Mod Squad,’ Passes Away at 84

Michael Cole, the American actor best known for his iconic role as Pete Cochran on the television crime drama ‘The Mod Squad,’ passed away on December 10, 2024, at the age of 84. Born on July 3, 1940, Cole was the last surviving member of the original cast of ‘The Mod Squad,’ which aired from 1968 to 1973 and gained a significant following during the counterculture era.

Cole’s career in acting spanned over five decades, with his breakout role in ‘The Mod Squad’ being a pivotal moment. The show, produced by Aaron Spelling and Danny Thomas, featured Cole as a troubled youth turned crime fighter, a character that resonated deeply with the audience of the time. Apart from his work on ‘The Mod Squad,’ Cole appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including ‘The Bubble,’ ‘Chuka,’ ‘The Last Child,’ and ‘Beg, Borrow or Steal.’

In addition to his film and television work, Cole was active in stage productions, performing in plays such as ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.’ He also made guest appearances on popular TV shows like ‘Gunsmoke,’ ‘Wonder Woman,’ ‘The Love Boat,’ ‘CHiPs,’ and ‘Murder, She Wrote.’ One of his notable later roles was as the disturbed adult Henry Bowers in Stephen King‘s 1990 two-part TV miniseries ‘It.’

Cole’s personal life included three marriages and two divorces, and he had two children. He also sought treatment for a drinking problem in the early 1990s at the Betty Ford Clinic. Despite his personal challenges, Cole continued to act in various projects until later in his life, including roles in ‘General Hospital,’ ‘ER,’ and ‘Mystery Woman: At First Sight.’