The teenage hearthrob who set Glasgow pulses racing on his 1974 visit
April 29, 2020
By Ann Fotheringham
www.glasgowtimes.co.uk
David Cassidy signing autographs in Glasgow, May 1974.
HE MIGHT have been one of the world’s most beautiful men but teenage heart-throb David Cassidy failed to turn many heads when he arrived in Glasgow in May 1974.
The Evening Times reported: “Pop star David Cassidy got a lukewarm reception when he flew into Glasgow Airport today as part of his British tour.
“Only a handful of fans turned up to welcome their idol, who is giving an open air concert at Shawfield Stadium tonight.”
The article continued: “And for those who waited to see the star of the television series The partridge Family, there was disappointment, for he disembarked from his aircraft – a scheduled flight from London – about 200 yards from the main building where his fans were waiting. The American star then got into a waiting limousine and sped out of the airport on his way to the Albany Hotel.”
Earlier on the journey, at Heathrow Airport, he had kept his head firmly buried in a newspaper as he was approached by photographers.
“You can take as many pictures as you like, but I’m reading my newspaper,” was all he said, without looking up.
Even when signing autographs, Cassidy made sure his face was turned away from the cameras. When he reached the aircraft the star, wearing a denim suit and dark glasses, smothered his face with the newspaper as the photographers made one last effort to get a good picture.
The actor and singer remembered his Glasgow arrival very differently in a later interview, however.
“I can remember flying into Glasgow in 1974,” he said. “I had my own plane back then – and I remember doing an interview with the BBC before going on to do the concert at Shawfield Stadium. There were thousands of girls at the airport, but as we left the BBC to go to the stadium I was amazed to see girls lined up all along the streets, waving at me from both sides of the road.”
Cassidy also made a trip out to East Kilbride during his visit to Scotland, although Lanarkshire schoolkids were not allowed to leave classes early to go and see him. Instead he was met by civic representatives before launching the town’s ‘spruce up’ environmental operation.
The fans were out in force later on, when 11,000 people flocked to Shawfield to see him in action.
Cassidy played Scotland a total of nine times between that first gig in 1974 and his last, in 2008 at the Clyde Auditorium.
He was born in 1950 and shot to superstardom in the 70s as a singer (his hits included Could It Be Forever) and as part of The Partridge Family in the popular sitcom. He sold more than 25 million copies of his hits and as squeaky clean Keith in the TV show won legions of fans.
In his personal life, however, Cassidy struggled to find happiness. He lost a huge part of his fortune due to bad financial advice and after a fan died at one of his concerts in 1974, he retired. After a struggle with drink and drugs, Cassidy was diagnosed with clinical depression.
In the 1980s however, he made a comeback, starring in musical theatre and in Las Vegas shows.
He was married three times and had a son and daughter, Beau and Kate. Cassidy died, aged 67, in 2017.
