After Dinner Speakers: David Soul, Andrew Motion, Carl Fogarty

b. David Solberg, 28 August 1943, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Under his nom de theatre, this handsome blond was a folk singer before trying his hand at acting. In 1966, he combined both talents with 30 appearances on US television's Merv Griffin Show as a masked vocalist ("The Covered Man") before less anonymous roles in Here Comes The Bride, Streets Of San Francisco and Encyclopaedia Britannica Presents. He is, however, best remembered as "Ken Hutchinson' in Starsky And Hutch. A spin-off from this 70s television detective series was the projection of Soul as a pop star via a recording career which began with 1976"s "Don't Give Up On Us" - composed and produced by Tony Macaulay - at number 1 both at home and in the UK. Though a one-hit-wonder in the USA, Britain was good for another year or so of smashes which included another chart-topper in "Silver Lady" (co-written by Geoff Stephens). Most of Soul's offerings were in a feathery, moderato style with limpid orchestral sweetening and sentimental lyrics. His name remains synonymous with the mid-late 70s, although in the 90s he earned praise for his film and theatre work on the international market.