Best known for playing Detective Ken ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson in the original 1970s “Starsky & Hutch” television series, actor/singer David Soul has passed away this week at the age of 80.

A post to the late actor’s official Twitter account states this morning, “David Soul—beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother—died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family. He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend. His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”

Here in the world of horror, David Soul is known for playing vampire hunter Ben Mears in Tobe Hooper’s Salem’s Lot, the original 1979 miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King tale.

Soul had previously appeared in one episode of the Richard Matheson-created supernatural anthology series “Circle of Fear,” and his other stops in the horror genre include appearances on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Hitchhiker,” as well as 1998 TV movie Terror in the Mall.

Other notable non-horror roles on David Soul’s resume include the TV shows “Here Come the Brides,” “The Yellow Rose,” “Star Trek,” “Casablanca” (1983), “Secret of the Sahara,” “Unsub” and “Murder, She Wrote,” and his film roles include Johnny Got His Gun, Magnum Force, The Stick Up, In the Cold of Night, Tides of War, and most recently, 2013’s Filth.

Soul’s IMDb bio notes, “Soul had a very successful singing career recording several albums, with worldwide number one hit singles including Silver Lady & Don’t Give Up on Us Baby.”

David Soul is survived by his wife Helen Snell and six children.