In this country Policemen and detectives have always figured strongly on television for years we have been fed with a diet of Z Cars, Jack Warner, Inspector Barlow, Sweeney and many others. Every American series like Hawaii Five O, Kojak, Streets of San Francisco, Ironside, etc, have always featured one star, and has then been backed up with a whole host of supporting actors.

Then Kojak appeared on the scene, which introduced a new, more realistic series. The lollipop sucking, New York cop may have appeared tough and ugly to most men, but women liked his magnetic personality.

William Blinn's conception for a new series was that it was going to be centered on two characters, which would be modern and unconventional. He wasn't going to reproduce something that had already been done in a different way.

His idea was accepted and the producers realised that everything depended on their being successful in finding two very talented actors who would not only have individual appeal in their own right, but would also work together and compliment each other.

When the go-ahead was given to make a pilot episode, the search was on to find the right characters to star in the leading roles. The first one to be signed was David Soul. His experience in numerous series, for instance Here Come The Brides, Cannon, Ironside, Star Trek, Owen Marshall, and a specialized educational series called Encyclopedia Brittanica Presents, also his athletic abilities made him the ideal choice for the role of Kenneth Hutchinson.

The producers took one look at his audition and were convinced that Paul Michael Glaser was the perfect partner for David. He was slightly shorter, but stockier. His dark curly locks were a complete contrast to David's blonde hair.

Paul was very enthusiastic, while David was thoughtful and more enigmatic. But the most important was that they both became close friends and buddies immediately they started working together. They had met eight years before, but didn't keep in contact very much because they were always working in different films or TV series.

David Soul described the relationship between them when he visited London recently as one of complete trust. "He knows he can always count on Paul and visa versa.

Every episode is treated like a major film. The scriptwriter's idea are put down on paper and then delivers every word that David and Paul should speak before they start shooting. David and Paul go through the script with the director they discuss every single scene and line. Sometimes they are not happy with what they are supposed to say then they don't hesitate to say so and very often come up with an alternative that everyone agrees is just right for that particular scene.

As the series progressed the preparation for each episode became more important because the relationship between Starsky and Hutch relied tremendously upon a slight look, a raised eyebrow, or even a deadpan expression.

They've got some tremendously talented actors like Antonio Fargas who plays Huggy Bear a mine of information about what's happening amongst the criminal world in the city. And Bernie Hamilton plays their long-suffering Captain.

In the US the series ran from the 10^th September 1975, to the 15^th May 1979.

Here in England the pilot was televised on the 23^rd April 1976, and the series ran from the 30^th April 1976 to the 28^th October 1979.