The Partridge Family - Season 4, Episode 13 (87)

Title: Art For Mom's Sake

First aired: January 12, 1974

Synopsis:
Shirley has a new hobby, painting. The kids persuaded her to take lessons at an art school.

Her teacher, gallant and articulate Lorenzo Bernard, raves about her pics, but the kids see that they are not good. They don’t want to hurt Shirley’s feelings so they don’t tell her what they really think. But when Lorenzo offers to give Shirley individual lessons at the Partridges’ garden, the kids start thinking that maybe Lorenzo, a middle aged man, is a fortune hunter.

Reuben, who thinks that Shirley’s pictures are awful, proposes to show them to a specialist. He, Keith and Laurie ask for an opinion at an art gallery. The owner of the gallery tells them that he’s never seen anything as awful as Shirley’s picture. Reuben goes to Lorenzo’s school himself, pretending that he is interested in painting classes for his wealthy aunt. But after a conversation with Lorenzo he is sure that the man is not a fortune hunter, but he must have a strange taste in art because he really loves very amateurish Shirley’s paintings.

When Shirley’s works are to be shown at the upcoming San Pueblo Art Show, the kids have decided to do something. They don’t want Shirley to be hurt by other people's opinions. However, Laurie can’t tell her mother the whole truth, she only tells her that they are afraid that maybe some people will not like Shirley’s pictures. But Shirley has asked the members of her painting class for opinion, and everybody loved her paintings. During the art show the kids and Reuben do everything so that potential buyers and viewers do not see Shirley’s paintings.

When the show is nearly over Shirley discovers the truth. Lorenzo still genuinely believes that her pictures are true art. Shirley realises she was taking her painting too seriously. She decides that she will not give up painting but from now on it will be only for fun.
Written by Weronika Cyrynger

Songs:
I'll Never Get Over You

Cast:
Shirley Partridge - Shirley Jones
Keith Partridge - David Cassidy
Laurie Partridge - Susan Dey
Danny Partridge - Danny Bonaduce
Chris Partridge - Brian Forster
Tracy Partridge - Suzanne Crough
Reuben Kincaid - Dave Madden

Directed by: Ross Bowman

Written by: Bernard Slade, Michael Leeson

Guest Stars: Alan Oppenheimer as Lorenzo Bernard

Screen Shots: