| DENNIS COLE |
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Page 1 of 2 DENNIS COLE  1940 – 2009 He looked like he was plucked from the surf of a Southern California beach. But Dennis Cole was born and grew up in Detroit (b. 1940). However, he knew Hollywood was in his future. By age 18 he had already taken courses in singing, acting, and dancing---even becoming a dance instructor at the local Arthur Murray Dance Studio. There was also no denying his good looks and hunky body. At age 20, his picture would grace some of the men’s physique magazines that were popular in the early 60s.  In 1960 he married Sally Ann Bergeron. They moved to Hollywood where he began a career as a stuntman. They had one son Joey born in 1961. In 1965, his handsome physique would help land him his first TV role as spoiled rich boy Duke Spalding in a one-year NBC soap opera “Paradise Bay.” The show was created by Ted Corday (“Days of Our Lives”) and also starred Marion Ross and Keith Andes. Dennis was involved in a controversial story line: (White) Duke would fall in love with (Latina) Rosita. And prejudice would rear its ugly head. The role gave Dennis plenty of air-time and he learned his craft.  He got his next major break immediately on ABC’s prime-time 1966 cop show “Felony Squad.” It was perhaps his best-known role---young rookie Det. Jim Briggs who partners with the older Sgt. Stone (Howard Duff). The half-hour show was very popular for 2 years on Monday nights. When they were moved to Fridays, the show floundered and was canceled by mid-season (January 1969). But Dennis Cole was now a TV star. In the Fall of 1969 he signed on to the splashy NBC- TV series “Bracken’s World"-a soapy drama about the behind the scenes goings-on at fictional Century Studios. Dennis played stuntman Davey Evans. The show was probably ahead of its time and never caught on. By the second season, it was revamped, leaving out some of the regulars including Dennis. The series limped on for another half season and was canceled. |