David Cassidy Teen heartthrob from the 1970's, David Cassidy was born on April 12, 1950, in New York City, New York. Cassidy began acting prior to landing his most famous role on The Partridge Family, and appeared on such popular shows as The Mod Squad with Peggy Lipton, and Bonanza with Michael Landon. When Cassidy was cast as Keith Partridge on The Partridge Family, no one knew that he could actually sing, until he showed his vocal chops and stepped up to take on lead vocals for The Partridge Family recordings. Starring alongside his real-life step mom, Shirley Jones, as well as Danny Bonaduce and Susan Dey, Cassidy quickly became a teen idol, appearing on everything from the covers of teen magazines to lunch boxes.
The Partridge Family released ten albums as a group and Cassidy also released his own Grammy-nominated solo albums, making him one of the world's highest paid live entertainers at the pinnacle of his career. However, the sword of teen popularity that Cassidy was living by was double-edged – and when his character fell out of graces with the viewing audience, Cassidy’s career suffered. On one infamous episode of The Partridge Family, Keith Partridge’s shaggy locks were chopped off following a wild night of binge drinking – resulting in a decline in Cassidy’s fan club, which had grown so large that it eclipsed even Elvis Presley and The Beatles’ fan clubs. In 1972, Cassidy threw his fans for another loop when he posed nude for Annie Leibovitz in the May 11, 1972, edition of Rolling Stone magazine. At a David Cassidy concert in London in May of 1974, 650 of Cassidy’s fans were injured when the crowd crushed near the front of the stage, resulting in thirty hospitalized fans and one fourteen-year-old fan’s death. This was a turning point for Cassidy, who by this time had already resolved to quit both touring and acting on The Partridge Family. In addition to acting on the small screen, Cassidy has also starred in several Broadway musicals, including the original version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, playing the lead role of Joseph, which was later played by another teen heartthrob, Donny Osmond. In the mid-90s, Cassidy opened the 75 million dollar show EFX in Las Vegas, where he performed regularly to critical acclaim. Amidst the growing nostalgia for 70s shows such as The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family, Cassidy embarked on a world tour in 2001.
Cassidy's first wife was actress Kay Lenz, whom he married in 1977 and divorced in 1982. His second wife was South African athlete Meryl Tanz, whom he married in 1984. Cassidy married his third wife Sue Shifrin-Cassidy on March 30, 1991, and the couple had a son, Beau. Cassidy also has a daughter, Katherine, from a previous relationship. In 2005, Cassidy played the role of the manager to teen star Aaron Carter's character in the film Popstar, and the following year, he made a special guest appearance for BBC’s Children In Need, performing live. In 2005, Cassidy was ranked #1 on TV Guide’s list of TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols. He currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. YUDDY |
