Happy birthday, David Cassidy! The late television star and rock musician would have been 71 years old today (Monday, April 12).
Cassidy rose to an almost unfathomable level of fame thanks to his role as Keith Partridge on “The Partridge Family.” He played the oldest son of a family trying to make it in the music business during this show that aired from 1970 until 1974.
According to Biography.com, the actor and musician was born in New York City on April 12, 1950. His middle name was Bruce. Both of Cassidy’s parents worked in the entertainment industry. His father, Jack, was a singer and an actor. His mother, Evelyn Ward, was also an actress.
David Cassidy met Shirley Jones – the actress who played Keith’s mother on “The Partridge Family” – during the 1950s. It was in 1956 that she married his father.
“The Partridge Family” had its debut in 1970 with both David Cassidy and Shirley Jones rising to fame thanks to the show. Not only was the show a hit, music from it, including the song “I Think I Love You,” propelled them to even greater popularity.
However, it was David who attained a level that few can match. For example, he received approximately 30,000 letters per week during his run on the classic television show.
Even crazier, there was once a plot to kidnap the actor while he was at the height of his fame. The threat was taken very seriously by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as law enforcement in Los Angeles. Officers even came to get David Cassidy and protected him pretty much around the clock until the threat went away.
You can watch ‘The Partridge Family’ perform “I Think I Love You” on the show below.
David Cassidy Continued Career After Show, But Never Reached Success of ‘The Partridge Family’ Again
After “The Partridge Family” aired its last episode in 1974, David Cassidy’s star began to dim. He tried another television show, according to Biography.com. This was titled “David Cassidy – Man Undercover” and it debuted in 1978. However, it would last for only one season.
During the 1990s, Cassidy found some success on the Las Vegas stage. His shows “EFX,” “The Rat Pack Is Back!” and “At the Copa,” were popular. He was working as a writer and producer at this time as well, in addition to performing on stage. He also toured. One of his last television roles was on a 2013 episode of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in 2013.
David Cassidy married three times during his life and fathered two children – a daughter named Katie and a son named Beau. Sadly, he battled substance abuse issues during his life. He faced DUI charges and went to rehab for his issues.
It was during 2017 that the actor and singer announced publicly that he had dementia, but he later recanted this statement. Later that year, on Nov. 21, he died in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. His cause of death was liver failure.
David Cassidy will always be remembered as that handsome young Partridge Family son and singer. Considering how much people still love the show – and his music – that’s not a bad legacy to have left behind.
