David Cassidy on the Web
David Cassidy!
July 27, 2009
www.abc4.com
He's still got it!
70's pop idol and icon, David Cassidy, returns to television on ABC Family's new comedy "Ruby & the Rockits!"
"Ruby & The Rockits" premieres Tuesday, July 28th at 6:30pm MT on ABC Family.
In "Save The Last Dunce For Me," Ruby joins the student social committee and helps plan a father-daughter dance. David and Patrick argue about who should escort Ruby to the dance. Ruby wants her father David to take her, and Patrick agrees to host the dance. Jordan works on a song expressing his frustration with the way Ruby has changed the Gallagher household. The family panics when it looks like David might not show up in time for his dance with Ruby, but arrives just in time - and performs much to their dismay. Viewers will see a "Rockits" music video flashback of "Chunnel of Love," on "Ruby & the Rockits," airing Tuesday, July 28, at 8:30-9:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC Family.
"Ruby & the Rockits" is an ABC Studios half-hour multi-cam comedy executive-produced by Shaun Cassidy and Marsh McCall. "Save the Last Dunce For Me" was written by Shaun Cassidy ("Invasion") and Marsh McCall ("Carpoolers") and directed by Asaad Kelada. Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids"), Patrick Cassidy ("Smallville"), Katie Amanda Keane ("Eli Stone"), Austin Butler ("Zoey 101"), Kurt Doss ("Role Models"), and David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") star. Alexa Vega sings the series' opening title song, "You Are Where I Live," which was written by Shaun Cassidy.
ABOUT ALEXA VEGA
Alexa Vega has been acting since the age of four when she landed the role of Burt Reynolds's daughter in the acclaimed television series, "Evening Shade." She became known worldwide in 2001 with her role as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids trilogy. Vega also made her Broadway debut in 2007 when she played Penny Pingleton in the Tony Award winning Broadway version of Hairspray. She was last seen in the rock musical movie "Repo! The Genetic Opera".
Ms. Vega has appeared in the films Twister, as the young Helen Hunt, Little Giants, Nine Months, Ghosts of Mississippi, Deep End of the Ocean, Sleepover, and State's Evidence. Her television credits include "Ladies Man," opposite Alfred Molina, "ER," "Chicago Hope," and the lead in the Lifetime feature, "Odd Girl Out." She was most recently seen starring in the HBO film, "Walkout" and has just completed filming the independent film, The Beautiful Ordinary.
ABOUT DAVID CASSIDY
David Cassidy returns to series television in "Ruby & the Rockits," in which brother Patrick co-stars along with Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids"). It was almost four decades ago that David rose to stardom in another family show, "The Partridge Family," and became the biggest TV and performing phenomenon in history. His brother, Shaun Cassidy, became the next internationally recognized teen superstar and has come to be one of the most successful and respected television creators, producers and writers. "Ruby & the Rockits" is a true family affair with Shaun at the helm and youngest brother Ryan as production designer. The show debuts on ABC Family on Tuesday, July 21 at 8:30PM. "This is the first time that all four of us have ever worked together. It has been our dream and desire to do this for many years," said David.
From television to recording and record-breaking concert tours, from Broadway and London's West End to Las Vegas production shows, David Cassidy has made his mark and been lauded with nominations and awards in each arena. David has certainly proven that it is talent, creativity and tenacity that keep people coming to shows, turning on the television, and buying his recordings.
Hailing from a family of actors, mother Evelyn Ward and father Jack Cassidy, his fate as a performer was essentially seeded at a young age. It was by coincidence that he wound up starring with stepmother Shirley Jones in "The Partridge Family." When ABC cast DAVID CASSIDY as its juvenile star in what became an astonishingly successful series, one of the most spectacular careers in the entertainment industry was launched. Before the end of 1970, the year that "The Partridge Family" premiered, David had the #1 selling single of the year and record of the year, and garnered multiple Grammy nominations and won a Golden Apple Award. Over the next five years, membership in his official fan club exceeded that of Elvis Presley and the Beatles.
Those were only the first of many records David broke in his long and constantly evolving career. He became the first personality to be merchandised globally. His likeness appeared on everything from posters to lunch boxes, comic books, toys, cereal boxes and almost anything else imaginable. His concerts sold out in the largest arenas and stadiums in the world which led him to be the world's highest paid performer by the age of 21. He broke box office records at Melbourne's Cricket Grounds, London's White City Stadium, Houston's Astrodome and New York's Madison Square Garden. To date, his records have sold well over 30 million copies worldwide and have been recognized with over 24 gold and platinum recordings including four consecutive multi-platinum LP's.
David was responsible for seven chart-topping Partridge Family singles including "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted," "I Woke Up In Love This Morning," "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," and of course, "I Think I Love You", the best selling record of 1971. As a solo artist, David has had hit singles including "Cherish," "Could It Be Forever," "How Can I Be Sure," "Rock Me Baby" and "Lyin' to Myself." His 2004 CD, "Then and Now," was in the Top Five and reached platinum status.
Despite the superstardom he has enjoyed as a singer, songwriter and producer, David still thinks of himself as an actor first. His credits, from the phenomenal success of "The Partridge Family" also include the telefilm "A Chance to Live" the highest rated "Police Story" in its seven year history, which earned him an Emmy nomination as Best Dramatic Actor.
Never one to rest on his laurels, he went to Broadway where he starred in the original production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Ironically. brother Patrick starred in the same show in the same role on a national tour in 2005.
London beckoned to David, and he starred next at the prestigious West End in "Time" with Sir Laurence Olivier. In 1994, he once again broke box office records in the stunning and highly lauded production of "Blood Brothers" on Broadway, working for the first time with Shaun. The subsequent tour of the United States and Canada was also SRO.
Despite the peaks and valleys of his professional and personal life, David has always been able to regenerate his success by keeping his perspective and acute sense of humor. "I'm an optimist. I mean, you have to be with my career," he laughs. "I've never gone out and changed my style to suit the times. I have always stayed true to myself by using the work ethic my father instilled in me, to strive for the best musically, theatrically, as well as in producing and writing. He taught me to be fearless about revealing the frailties and strengths of the human experience. Bringing that human element to my work is the most important thing I can do as an entertainer."
In 1996, David took on his next challenge and moved to Las Vegas to star at the MGM Grand in the $75 million extravaganza "EFX." Under David's creative direction and by entirely re-vamping the show, it became the most successful production in Las Vegas. The MGM acknowledged that he was singularly responsible for bringing over 1 million paid customers to see "EFX". Within four months of opening, the show was voted "Best Production Show" in Las Vegas, and David was voted "Best All Around Performer" and "Best Singer." In 1999, David was again named "Best All Around Performer," "Entertainer of the Year" and "Show Star of the Year" for "The Rat Pack Is Back!", the first original production paying tribute to the legendary quartet, which he created and produced with Emmy Award winning writer-producer Don Reo. The musical played to sold-out audiences first at the Desert Inn, then at the Sahara Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Simultaneously, David and Reo created "At the Copa," which David wrote, co-produced and in which starred. He returned to performing in concert subsequently and continues to tour worldwide.
In addition to performing, producing, writing and recording, David's passion and avocation lie with the thoroughbred horses that he breeds and that race throughout the country. David lives in Florida with his wife, songwriter Sue Shifrin-Cassidy, and their 18 year-old son Beau.
