I Think I Love You
David Cassidy, Former
Teen Idol and 'Partridge Family' Star, Dies at 67
6:02 PM PST 11/21/2017 by Mike Barnes , Lauren
Huff
He emerged from the 1970s ABC show as a
recording star and concert sensation, singing on hits like "I Think I Love
You" and "Come On Get Happy."
You are Always on My Mind
David Cassidy, who made hit records and girls swoon in the 1970s
as the young star of ABC's The Partridge Family,
has died. He was 67.
Cassidy died Tuesday, according to his longtime rep. He was
reported to be in a Florida hospital suffering from multiple organ failure.
"On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we
announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David
Cassidy," his rep, JoAnn Geffen, said in a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter. "David died surrounded by
those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped
him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him
these many years."
In February, the entertainer revealed that
he had dementia and would no longer appear in concert in an effort to focus on
his health and "enjoy life." He had fallen on stage and forgotten
lyrics during a show in Agoura Hills, Calif.
"When friends of yours or family members begin to say to you,
'Remember, I just told you this two days ago' and there's no memory of it, that's
when I began to be very concerned," Cassidy said on Dr. Phil.
Cassidy's Partridge Family costar
Shirley Jones paid tribute to her friend in a statement to THR: "Long before he played my son on The Partridge Family, David Cassidy was my stepson
in real life. As a little boy, his sweet sensitivity and wicked sense of humor
were already on display, and I will treasure the years we spent working and
growing together. I will also find solace knowing that David is now with his
dad. My heart is with David’s daughter, Katie, his son, Beau, and with Shaun,
Patrick, and Ryan, whom I know are deeply missing their brother today. Thank
you for the enormous outpouring of affection you have offered our family at
this difficult time."
Let it Shine
His brother, Shaun Cassidy, paid tribute to his brother with a
series of tweets on
Wednesday: "When I was a little boy and my big brother would come to
visit, the first call of business would be a punishing pillow fight. During the
battle, he would regale me with hysterical stories of our father, often
culminating in his taking a giant leap off my top bunk ... I tried to catch him
of course. I always tried to catch him. But I never could. Now, I will carry
him, along with all of the funny/sad/extraordinary days we shared, none more
filled with love than these last few at his side."
Cassidy had numerous personal problems in the
decades following his breakthrough on television, ranging from substance abuse
and drunk-driving arrests to bankruptcy.
The adorably handsome New York native rose to fame playing
singer-guitarist Keith Partridge on Screen Gems' The Partridge Family, which aired for four seasons on
ABC, from 1970-74.
The show centered on a suburban family that had
a band comprised of a widowed mom — played by Shirley Jones, Cassidy's
real-life stepmother — and her five kids: Cassidy (the oldest), Susan Dey,
Danny Bonaduce, Suzanne Crough and Jeremy Gelbwaks/Brian Forster.
Each episode had the family doing a song.
Cassidy actually played guitar and sang and Jones provided backing vocals, but
the rest of the "band" was faking it.
Cassidy and Jones performed on The Partridge Family's
debut single, "I Think I Love You," which reached No. 1 on the
Billboard Hot 100 in November 1970 just as his new show was catching on. The
single sold more than 5 million copies, and The Partridge Family went on to
release eight albums.
Darlin’
Cassidy also fronted five solo albums, and his
vocals also powered such hits as "Cherish;" "Come On Get
Happy," his show's signature tune;" "I Write the Songs;"
"The Last Kiss;" and "Lyin' to Myself."
He became a huge concert draw and one of music's
highest-paid acts, selling out such venues as the Houston Astrodome, Madison
Square Garden and Wembley Stadium. A stampede at one of his shows in London
resulted in the death of a teenage girl in 1974.
In 1996, Cassidy was still such a force that he
headlined the $75 million EFX show at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.
"I played in concerts all over the world, in stadiums and in
coliseums and huge outdoor arenas," he said in 2010.
"When I went all over the world, they called it World War Three. There
were hundreds of thousands of people. What happened was that parents would
bring their kids. The parents would be outside waiting for them. Actually,
there were more people outside, cars and parents waiting for their kids to find
them. There was such chaos and madness in those days."
In 1978, Cassidy was nominated for an Emmy for starring on an
episode of NBC's Police Story in which he
played a narcotics cop who goes undercover at a high school. It served as the
pilot for the series David Cassidy — Man Undercover,
which lasted just 10 episodes in 1978-79.
Cassidy was born on April 12, 1950, in New York City, the son of
singer-actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. After his parents divorced,
his dad married Oklahoma! star Jones in 1956,
and they would have sons Shaun, Patrick and Ryan.
In January 1969, Cassidy appeared on Broadway in the musical The Fig Leaves Are Falling. It lasted just four
performances, but it led to a screen test. Cassidy signed with Universal and
appeared on episodes of Ironside, The F.B.I., Marcus Welby, M.D., Adam-12 and Bonanza.
Bernard Slade, who created The Partridge Family,
did not realize Cassidy could sing or play when he auditioned him; he figured
his good looks were more than enough to justify bringing him on board.
But then Cassidy — who played in blues bands and
was a big B.B. King fan — snuck in a lick or two of Hendrix.
In 1972, seeking to shed his bubblegum image while The Partridge Family was still on the air, he
posed nude for Annie Leibovitz for a startling Rolling
Stone cover story that revealed he liked to get stoned.
Cassidy replaced Allen Fawcett as the star of the Tony-nominated,
Gail Berman-produced Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway in 1982, and he also appeared
on stage in London's West End.
Later, Cassidy was a regular on the ABC Family series Ruby & the Rockits and showed up on such TV
series as The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Ben Stiller Show, Malcolm in the Middle and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He also was a
contestant on Celebrity Apprentice in 2011;
he got into a spat with Richard Hatch and was the first to be fired.
His memoir, Come On, Get Happy: Fear and
Loathing on The Partridge Family Bus, was published in 1994.
Cassidy was married and divorced three times, to actress Kay Lenz
(White Line Fever), Meryl Tanz and Sue Shifrin.
Survivors include daughter Katie Cassidy, who plays Laurel Lance/Black Siren
on Arrow.
David Cassidy and Donny Osmond
so sad to hear of the passing of david
cassidy... he was always so kind to me - such a pleasure to have had him on my
show... sending love and prayers to his family... R.I.P. friend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/tsFkNiJ…
1 day ago · Twitter
I’m very sad to hear about David Cassidy.
There were times in the mid-1970s when he would come over to my house and we
even started writing a song together. He was a very talented and nice person.
Love & Mercy to David and his family.
1 day ago · Twitter
So sorry to hear about David Cassidy's
passing. Godspeed. pic.twitter.com/JpKs2VN…
23 hours ago · Twitter
I grew up in an era before even cable TV, when
The Partridge Family was already in reruns. David Cassidy's Keith was one of my
favorite TV characters. He was legit funny AND he could sing. The man
entertained me during my childhood and even years later: youtu.be/6b5pNPBHilw
1 day ago · Twitter
My uncle David Cassidy has sadly passed away
tonight... & in the process of mourning I can't help but thank God for the
joy that he brought to countless millions of people! I don't think I'm alone in
saying that we will all miss him. God Speed!
1 day ago · Twitter
#DavidCassidy. You were so sweet to me and you
left us too soon. To me and millions of us you were forever young. RIP. pic.twitter.com/3JcjvKi…
1 day ago · Twitter
My thoughts and prayers are with the family
and loved ones of David Cassidy ... part of a musical legacy via his role as
"Keith Partridge" that brought music and laughter into the homes of
millions ... 🎼🙏🕊️ pic.twitter.com/tgj1IXk…
23 hours ago · Twitter
Sad to learn David Cassidy has died. Like his
father Jack he had great talent, and a complicated life. Condolences to his
wonderful family.
