Celebrating the Legacy of the Dreamy David Cassidy on His Birthday
Heartthrob David Cassidy, once one of the most popular teen icons of all time, would have been 74 today (April 12). A major crush (and probably still is) for many teenage girls around the world, he appeared on several popular TV shows such as Bonanza, The Mod Squad and Adam-12 before he rose to such fame on The Partridge Family.
Just the mere sight of the Partridge Family star could send ladies of all ages into a swoon thanks to his lustrous shag, gleaming grin, and a lean frame accented by snug shirts and hip-hugging bell-bottoms. And when Cassidy strapped on a guitar (which he really did play) to lead his TV family in such peppy love declarations as “I Woke Up in Love This Morning” and “I Think I Love You,” every girl who tuned in hoped he’d someday sing them only to her. The son of actor Jack Cassidy and stepson of Shirley Jones — who also played Mama Partridge on the series — proved a natural actor in addition to his musical skills, guest-starring in many of the decade’s TV hits and scoring a series of his own, David Cassidy — Man Undercover, in 1978.
David Cassidy would have been 74 this year
Everett Collection
The Partridge Family was a huge hit and propelled the stars to the highest level of fame, both from their acting and singing. Sadly, things went a bit downhill for Cassidy after the show ended in 1974, as he struggled to maintain the same level of fame and eventually turned to alcohol and drugs to cope.
Scott Garfield/ABC/Everett Collection
In the ’90s, he had a resurgence on the Las Vegas stage with a few popular shows there, including “The Rat Pack Is Back!” and “At the Copa.” Cassidy wrote, produced, and acted in several television shows and went on tour. Unfortunately, he continued to struggle with substance abuse issues and was arrested several times for DUIs, and went to rehab several times as well. In 2017, he announced that he had dementia, but later said that was false and that he was actually suffering from alcohol poisoning. Ultimately, he died that same year due to liver failure.
Cassidy married three times and is survived by his children, daughter Katie and son Beau.
If you’d like to read more about the legacy of David Cassidy and the Partridge family, we highly recommend the book When We’re Singin‘ written by author Johnny Ray Miller.
1972
January 2022
1972 was a year packed with everything from “American Pie” to Ziggy Stardust What’s not to love?
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