Dennis Cole

Career

Cole began performing in his native Detroit and moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s. His bleached-blond, athletic look of a quintessential California surfer earned him the attention of physique magazines. He worked as a model and stuntman before making the transition to acting. He co-starred with Rod Taylor in the TV series Bearcats! (1971) and played Lance Prentiss on the TV soap series The Young and the Restless (1981–82).

Cole made guest appearances in numerous television series, such as Medical Center, Police Story, Charlie's Angels, Vega$, The Feather and Father Gang, The Eddie Capra Mysteries, The Love Boat, The Streets of San Francisco, Fantasy Island, Three's Company, * Divorce Court*, and Murder, She Wrote. Cole's film career included roles in Cave-In! (1983), Wheels of Fire (1985), Pretty Smart (1987), and the horror film Zombie Death House (1987). Cole's last television appearance was a 1998 episode of Pacific Blue.

Personal life

In 1976, when Cole guest-starred on Charlie's Angels, he met actress Jaclyn Smith. After a 19-month courtship, the couple wed. She was his second wife. Their marriage lasted from 1978 to 1981.

Joe Cole, his only child, by his first marriage, to Sally Bergeron, was shot dead in 1991 at age 30 during a home-invasion robbery in the Venice section of Los Angeles. That crime remains unsolved. After the death of his son, Cole became an activist speaking against violence on television. He worked with the Nicole Brown Charitable Foundation to raise awareness for victims of crime, and with the American Cancer Society, Arthritis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and other charitable organizations.

Later years

Dennis was a regular celebrity attendee at the annual Madden Derby Eve party hosted by Anita Madden in Lexington, Kentucky. Dennis was Anita Madden's escort for this event for several years.

Cole performed as the Narrator in a production of Blood Brothers and as King Marchan in the first national tour of the musical Victor/Victoria. While working on a national tour of Victor/Victoria, Cole was injured and spent three years recovering.

Cole relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1999, where he became a real-estate broker and opened his own real-estate company with his third wife Marjorie Cole,

Death

Cole died at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on November 15, 2009, aged 69, from kidney failure, and was buried at the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

References

References

1. Hevesi, Dennis. (November 23, 2009). "Dennis Cole, 'Felony Squad' Actor, Is Dead at 69". [[The New York Times]].
2. "Actor-turned-Activist Dennis Cole Dies in Florida".
3. Kilday, Gregg. "'Felony Squad' actor Dennis Cole dies". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
4. "Dennis Cole". [[TV Guide]].
5. McCall, Cheryl. (November 13, 1978). "Charlie's Last Available Angel, Jaclyn Smith, Says Yes to Dennis Cole, No to a Hyphen". [[People (magazine).
6. Newcomb, Roger. (November 17, 2009). "Dennis Cole has passed away at age 69". We Love Soaps.
7. "Primal Scream: Henry Rollins Speaks". EdWeb Project.
8. (November 11, 2009). "Actor Dennis Cole dead at 69". [[Daily Breeze]].
9. "Dennis Cole escorts host Anita Madden". Lexington Herald Leader.
10. "Dennis Cole Busted. Wait -- Who's Dennis Cole?".