The Partridge Family - Season 4, Episode 9 (83)

Title: Heartbreak Keith

First aired: November 10, 1973

Synopsis:

Keith enrols in a Sociology course. A new, very attractive older student, Dory Kimmel, also takes part in it. Keith makes a special effort to work with just her on a paper. They meet and discuss their project at the Partridge’s house and Keith can’t take his eyes off Dory.

After she leaves, Keith tells his mother that he’s found true love and Dory is the one. She is different from any other girl he’s ever dated. Intelligent and mature, and he also feels mature while with her. Keith is certain that Dory is also in love with him, even if she hasn’t said anything about it. In his opinion, words are not necessary to know what she feels.

Dory is different from his usual girlfriends, so Keith is afraid to ask her to the movie or Muldoon’s Point, like he used to with others. Eventually, Keith asks her to go to a lecture. Dory tells him that she’s had the same idea. For Keith it’s a proof of Dory’s love for him. But after the lecture Dory doesn’t want to spend the rest of the evening with Keith. She is in a hurry to go home. When she leaves, another student tells Keith something everybody knows except him. Dory is married. The news completely stunned Keith.

Very unhappy, he confides in Shirley who asks him if it’s possible that he’s been wrong about Dora’s feelings. Keith is sure he hasn’t, after all he is an expert on girls. He thinks that Dory is in love with him, and unhappy in her marriage. Shirley tells him that he should immediately break up with Dory. Keith tries, but after conversation with Dory he is even more certain that she is crazy about him.

Shirley seizes the opportunity to speak to Dory face-to-face and the young woman is completely taken aback by her words. She likes Keith, but that’s all, she is madly in love with her husband. They have to find a way to make Keith understand he is wrong.

Dory invites him to dinner to meet her husband, and poor Keith at last realizes how he's been misunderstanding Dory’s feelings for him.

At home Keith pretends that he’s sacrificed his love for Dory’s happiness and marriage. He can’t tell anyone about his wounded ego and misery but the family sees through him and understands.
Synopsis written by Weronika Cyrynger

Songs:
I Heard You Singing Your Song, A Secret In My Heart (Ricky)

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: Charles Rondeau

Written by: Bernard Slade & Bill Manhoff

Guest stars : Brooke Bundy as Dory Kimmel

Screen Shots: