Robert Urich ( December 19 , 1946 â `` April 16 , 2002 ) was an Emmy-winning actor , famous for playing private investigators on the television series Spenser : For Hire ( 1985 â `` 1988 ) and Vega $ ( 1978 â `` 1981 ) . Robert Urich ( December 19 , 1946 -- April 16 , 2002 ) was an American actor . He played the starring role in the television series Spenser : For Hire ( 1985 -- 1988 ) and Vega $ ( 1978 -- 1981 ) .