David Cassidy on the Web
David Cassidy: 'I Nearly Died'
June 11, 2009
By Jeanne Wolf
http://www.parade.com
David Cassidy catapulted to fame in the '70s with a little help from The Partridge Family. Now, after a long run in Vegas followed by some TV guest spots, Cassidy is returning to primetime in Ruby and the Rockits on ABC's Family Channel.
The sitcom about the family life of musicians is a real-life family affair for Cassidy. The former teen idol co-stars with his half brother, Patrick, and the sitcom's creator and executive producer is his younger brother, Shaun.
Parade.com's Jeanne Wolf says it's a family show, but since it's a lot like David's real life, it's not always PG-rated.
Keeping it in the family.
"It's the first time all of my brothers and I have worked together. I wanted to go back to how television shows used to be, where parents could sit and watch with their kids and actually be entertained and laugh. Shaun is a successful producer/writer now and he agreed with me, so we put it together with Patrick and I playing brothers."
It's not all good, clean fun.
"This show has real heart, but it also pushes the envelope. My character is living the rock star life and performing at the Totem Pole Lounge six nights a week, where there's a no drink minimum. You'll see me at the race track, smoking cigars, drinking and gambling, and palling around with showgirls like Bubbles and Bambi. So it's a little edgy."
No fame training required.
"I understand the rock star deal having been one and still going out strapping my guitar on and performing. Now, I probably do 30 or 40 dates a year and I get to relive how I felt at 19 when I played in some really bad bands. But the guy I play is into himself and his stardom in a way that I wasn't. So I kind of based him on a few people I know who I won't mention."
Cutting down on the wardrobe budget.
"Sadly, I actually used my own outfits from concerts in the mid '80s. Even sadder, I guess, is that I have kept them. But I have all that memorabilia, all my gold records in a couple of storage places. And so I went back into the storage and pulled out the clothes, tried them on. It was hysterical."
Maybe he'll produce on-screen daughter Alex Vega's CD.
"You just fall in love with her. We all know she can act but she's also a really good singer. We were supposed to lipsync on the show, but Shaun had the idea to try it live. So about five minutes before Alexa went on he was like, 'Would you mind singing live?' And she did. When you see it, you'll be amazed."
Why he left Las Vegas.
"I know some people were surprised because I was a big deal there. But in six years I did over 2,700 shows there, eight to ten shows a week, 50 weeks a year. Finally, I made a decision to work a little less. I hurt my foot really bad, which made it easier to leave. I just have much more of a balance to my life now, as opposed to just working. I think at some point you need to make that decision and rethink your priorities."
The Sin City performance that could have been his last.
"I nearly died twice after I replaced Michael Crawford in EFX. When you're performing with $60 million of hardware, sometimes things go wrong. One night, I accidentally fell through a trap door. If I hadn't been grabbed by stage hands I would have fallen 65 feet down to a concrete floor and I'm sure I would have died."
What he cares about most.
"I've always had a love for horses since I was really young. When I was 5 years old, the only thing that made me happy was when they'd take me out and give me pony rides. I bought my first horse when I was 15. I always loved racing and I started studying about breeding and I've been doing it now for 30 years, so I have some credibility. Thoroughbred racing is really my true passion. I'm living my dream."
Advice for the young David.
"I would tell him the same thing that my dad told me when I played Madison Square Garden in 1972. And those words never ever left me: 'talent will survive.' And he went on, 'Some day, all of this will be gone. But you will survive as I have survived. I guarantee it's gonna be difficult because you're so successful and so identified with being a teen idol and a sex symbol.' He was right. When you get those labels you have to prove yourself and you have the talent to do it."
