David Cassidy on the Web
From teen idol to pop music survivor
October 7, 2004
By Ray Hogan
www.greenwichtime.com
The Partridge Family" may have ended 30 years ago, but David Cassidy has been tied to his role as Keith Partridge for the extent of his professional life.
But rather than fall into a rut, Cassidy has parlayed that fame into a remarkably sturdy career.
The tour that brings him to the Palace Theatre tonight comes amid a very busy time. He is juggling three projects: his own tour, performances of the theatrical presentation, "The Rat Pack Is Back!," a show he co-created, and serving as executive producer of VH1's "In Search of the Partridge Family," where hopefuls try out to fill the roles of the musical family originally played by Cassidy, Danny Bonaduce, Shirley Jones and Susan Dey.
"Perseverance, good fortune and talent," is how he explains his longevity. "You've got to be able to roll with it ... I never tried to be an oldies act. I didn't want to go backwards. I want to go forward."
He attributes his work ethic to his father, actor Jack Cassidy, who died in a fire in his West Hollywood, Calif., home in 1976. "Just because you become very successful, you don't lose the desire to work," he says. "My father was a great role model."
With 22 albums, Cassidy enjoys being able to make every concert different. Like many musicians his age, his love of music sprang from seeing The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He says he tracks his musical evolution with a 20-minute acoustic set during his concerts.
"I have a lot of material to choose from," he says. "Ninety percent is made up of songs people will know."
When Cassidy was cast as Keith Partridge for the show that began in 1970, he was asked to play a role that was younger than he was. He quickly became one of the largest teen idols of that decade. Songs from "The Partridge Family" were not only hits but exhibited a curious staying power. "I Think I Love You" and "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted" have become cross-generational kitsch.
In addition to his 22 albums, Cassidy has starred on Broadway in the original "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Blood Brothers" (with brother Shaun) and in London with Sir Laurence Olivier. In 1996, he went to Las Vegas to star in "EFX" at the MGM Grand. Under his creative direction, it became the most successful production in Las Vegas; Cassidy is credited with bringing in more than 1 million customers. In 1999, he teamed with writer-producer Don Reo to create "The Rat Pack Is Back!" which plays at Mohegan Sun Wednesday through Oct. 24 (Cassidy doesn't star in it).
He's also keeping busy with "In Search of the Partridge Family." He wasn't originally interested in the reality-based recasting of the show, but realized the best way to protect the show would be to get involved.
"When they asked me if I would give my blessing to it, the first words were 'Please don't do it,' " he says. "My care is ("The Partridge Family's") legacy and its integrity. When you hear something that tends to lack credibility like a reality show, my heart says I'm not going to do this if it's about exploitation."
He came around after learning that the creators of the show involved Emmy winners, and when the producers told him that his inclusion in the project was essential to properly capture the essence of "The Partridge Family." Jones and Bonaduce are also on board with "In Search of the Partridge Family."
Says Cassidy: "The premise of 'The Partridge Family' is a very good one. It inspired an awful lot of people. The idea that, I've heard this from so many people now telling me what it was about, families can have conflicts but resolve them. The conflict was mild but very genuine by the end of the show. You can have disputes, beat each other over the head with a pillow, but at the end of the show you loved each other."
Cassidy says his current concerts rival those of the 1970s, when he was at his height as a heartthrob. Female audience members throw bras and panties on stage.
"Frankly, I always thought my profession is pretty insignificant," he says. "But since 9/11, I view all the trivia we do -- trivial in the world, a distraction -- as being really much more important to the fabric of our lives than ever before. There's something to be said about letting go -- about screaming and laughing -- as a diversion. Go out and lose what's going on in our lives for a few hours."
what: David Cassidy
where: Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford
when: Tonight, 8
price: $27-$62
