Heroes

We were greeted with sad news this morning, one of my heroes, David Soul, from the Starsky and Hutch fame passed away this morning. He was Hutch.

Starsky and Hutch that ran from 1975 to 1979 defined my childhood. I was between the ages of 7 to 11 years old. To me it was the simpler of times. Television only had 2 channels. I watched it in black and white. It was just a little later in 1979 I saw it in colour. What was more important was that it was a family event. Everyone sat down together, glued to the television. Getting lost for that few minutes into the world of car chases and crime.

Watching television as a family thing and we frequently wait to be called normally by my father to watch our favourite programme. Especially around 8.00 pm before our bedtime at 9.30. The rule is always that we finish our homework first. We will have dinner around 6.30 or 7.00 pm and proceed to complete our homework. Before that I will have immersed myself with other series, normally a Western such as Gunsmoke or Have Gun Will Travel. During weekends there was Rin Tin Tin, Lassie or Lone Ranger. Previously there was always series involving smart animals like Run Joe Run. Or a rerun of old series like National Velvet.

Almost all the series are American. It was only later we had other English series such as Fawlty Towers, or It Ain't Half Hot Mum and a little highbrow humour like Yes Minister or later Yes Prime Minister. There was also some Canadian series, my favourite was Wayne and Schuster.

There's just so many that defined my childhood, so when a childhood hero dies, it hits a little bit, reminding us of our own mortality. We wish some would just live on forever, but that tend not to happen. Starsky and Hutch drove this iconic Ford Gran Torino.

A most conspicuous and improbable vehicle for undercover detectives but well there you go. I even used to have this model car from Matchbox. Can't remember where I kept it now. I don't give my toys away. So, it's still there somewhere.

Imagine, I was 7 when I started watching it and now, I am 55. 48 years have passed yet I can remember everything vividly. Even Huggy Bear a supporting character. Loved watching Huggy Bear. The banter between David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser was fun to watch.

What a way to start 2024. Farewell Ken Hutchinson aka Hutch.