The early 70s brought us a unique mix of simplicity, charm, and unforgettable talent, and The Partridge Family captured it all. David Cassidy’s incredible voice and undeniable charisma made him a household name, while Susan Dey’s relatable charm won the hearts of fans everywhere.
With its sharp writing, solid acting, and wholesome vibe, the show became a beloved part of television history. But even die-hard fans may have missed some fascinating details hidden in plain sight. Let’s take a nostalgic dive into the secrets and surprises that make The Partridge Family even more unforgettable!
The Partridge Family was a lighthearted sitcom about a widowed mother, Shirley, and her five children who formed a pop band and toured the country in their iconic colorful bus. Packed with catchy tunes and heartfelt moments, it became a cultural phenomenon of the 70s.
Partridge family wasn’t so fictional after al
Did you know The Partridge Family was loosely based on a real pop band? Yep, the show drew inspiration from The Cowsills, a family music group that made waves in the late 1960s. The original plan was for the actual Cowsills kids to star in the series, but let’s just say acting wasn’t their thing. Plus, they were a little too old for the parts. So, the producers scrapped the idea and created their own fictional musical family instead.
Here’s a fun twist: at first, Shirley Jones was the only cast member slated to sing. But when the producers got their hands on David Cassidy’s demo tracks, they realized they had a superstar in the making and gave him the mic too.
And get this — the Partridge Family wasn’t just a fake band on TV; the music made such an impact that they were actually nominated for the 1970 Best New Artist Grammy. Imagine that — a fictional band going up against real musicians! (The Carpenters ended up winning, but still — what a story…)
Why David Cassidy couldn’t face the public
The fame that came with The Partridge Family was a double-edged sword for many of the cast members, especially for David Cassidy. While the role as Keith Partridge skyrocketed him to teen idol status and made him a pop sensation of the 1970s, it also came with pressures that would eventually take their toll.
Cassidy went from being the charming TV son to a superstar whose every move was scrutinized – the mass hysteria around him was dubbed “Cassidymania”.
”I never went out in public after the first three months. It was too ridiculous. It’s not like that for celebrities anymore. Audiences are more sophisticated. They can see stars over and over on video, so they’re more human, more accessible now,” Cassidy said in 2017.
The audition that made David Cassidy a teen idol
Did you know David Cassidy almost didn’t get to sing on The Partridge Family?
The network knew he could carry a tune, but they weren’t focused on that — they just wanted actors. Cassidy, who already had dramatic roles on shows like Bonanza and Ironside, had to audition multiple times just to land the part.
After the pilot was sold, he auditioned again — this time for record producer Wes Farrell — to prove he had what it took to bring the Partridges’ music to life. Luckily, he nailed it, and the rest is history.
”When I started singing on the show, it was a whole other thing,” Cassidy shared.
Danny Bonaduce’s secret weapon
Did you know Danny Bonaduce, the wisecracking middle kid from The Partridge Family, had a secret talent (and a bit of a mischievous streak)? While he sometimes struggled during script readings because of dyslexia, Danny had an eidetic memory – meaning he could memorize not just his lines but everyone else’s too.
This impressive skill didn’t always win him points with his castmates, though. If someone forgot their line, Danny was quick to jump in and remind them – whether they wanted the help or not. Talk about knowing your role…and everyone else’s!
Autographs on flesh & riding elephants
Danny Bonaduce wasn’t immune to the whirlwind of fame that The Partridge Family brought. Overnight, he became a teen heartthrob, and it’s safe to say he had his fair share of admirers.
“We had 21-year-old girls hanging around our house all night,” his mother, Betty, shared with People magazine in 1992. “I was the witch who wouldn’t let them in.”
But Danny didn’t seem to mind at the time. From his suburban Los Angeles home, he had a front-row view of fans eagerly waiting for him outside.
“They’d open their shirts and have notes written on their bodies – ‘DANNY, WE LOVE YOU.’ I put my autograph on a lot of flesh,” Danny revealed to The Age.
By the time the show ended in 1974, 14-year-old Danny had a $350,000 fortune in the bank. Life was a blur of fame and rubbing elbows with other young stars, including a 16-year-old Michael Jackson.
“I spent my childhood on jet planes and with mayors. I didn’t play baseball, but I did ride on an elephant. I missed out on football, but I flew on the Concorde. I totally lucked out,” Danny recalled.
David Cassidy’s contract nightmare
David Cassidy’s rise to fame as a young star came with a tough reality behind the scenes. While his image was raking in cash for companies like Columbia Pictures, David wasn’t seeing much of it.
His contract didn’t include royalties, and he had no say in how his name and image were used, even though fans were paying to be part of his fan club. It wasn’t until his manager realized he’d signed the contract when he was just 19 — not the legal age of 21 — that they could make a change. With this legal loophole, they were able to renegotiate his terms, giving him a piece of the profits and a weekly salary that matched his fame. Before that, he was only earning $600 a week.
Being a teen idol wasn’t all fame and fortune — it came with the downside of being taken advantage of at a young age.
The guardian who helped Susan Sey
At just 18 years old, Susan Dey catapulted to TV stardom as Laurie Partridge on The Partridge Family. From 1970 to 1974, she played the smart and sweet older sibling, but her off-screen life was just as eventful as her on-screen one.
Did you know Susan wasn’t the producers’ first choice to play Laurie? Olivia Newton-John was actually in the running for the role. Fast forward a few years, and in a twist of fate, when Grease was casting, the producers initially wanted Susan for Sandy. But, as we know, Olivia ended up landing the role. The universe sure knows how to throw some curveballs…
According to a 1972 article, it was pure luck that decided it all. Screen Gems producer Paul Witt couldn’t find the right Laurie in Hollywood, so he ventured to New York to search for fresh faces. One look at Susan, a slim, graceful high school junior with wide eyes and an undeniable charm, convinced him she was the one for the part — despite her lack of dramatic training. What she lacked in musical talent, she more than made up for with charm, humor, and a natural presence. After a few high school plays, Susan was ready to shine.
Though Susan modestly claimed, “thousands can do the part,” she landed the role. During the filming of the early episodes, because she wasn’t yet 18, she had to live with a guardian. After interviewing several candidates, 23-year-old Jane Joyce, a college graduate and Laurie’s stand-in, was chosen. Not only did she help Susan with her on-screen duties, but she also assisted her with homework by mail and made sure Susan stayed on track with her education.
Susan Dey’s time on The Partridge Family wasn’t all glitz and glamour, even though she was the down-to-earth, relatable teen idol. While she even appeared in tampon ads aimed at her audience, life behind the scenes had its challenges.
During her time on the show, Susan struggled with an eating disorder, revealing the darker side of rising to fame at such a young age.
But Susan was also incredibly hard on herself when it came to her performance on the show. She referred to herself as “awful” in the first season, never feeling able to fully relax or feel like she was doing herself justice.
“The thing was – I couldn’t let go. All that stiffness came through on the screen,” Susan told The Star Press.
From crush to cold distance
At first, Susan Dey formed strong bonds with several of her castmates. For a while, she even stayed with her co-star Danny Bonaduce. It’s also well-known that Susan had a huge crush on David Cassidy throughout the entire run of The Partridge Family. However, after the show ended, it seems Dey wasn’t eager to stay connected to the series that made her a star.
After the show wrapped in 1974, Susan moved on to other TV roles, including a prominent part in L.A. Law in 1986.
“By then, she and David had grown apart, and nowadays they were completely out of touch, which hurt David tremendously,” Shirley Jones, who played Shirley Partridge on the show, wrote in her memoir.
“I was also hurt that out of everyone on the show, only Susan consistently refused to take part in any TV reunions of The Partridge Family.”
Maybe the answer lies in a 1972 newspaper article, where Susan Dey opened up about her early years on The Partridge Family.
”I wasn’t prepared for the dishonesty and politics involved in making a show. And it’s been hard for me to put my foot down and say no.”
The co-stars Shirley Jones couldn’t stand
Shirley Jones, with her warm personality and versatility as an actress, was no stranger to success. With a career that spanned Broadway, film, and television, she earned an Academy Award in 1960 for her role in Elmer Gantry. However, it was The Partridge Family that solidified her status as an iconic TV mom and beloved figure to audiences everywhere
In her autobiography, Jones shared some candid insights about her time on the show. She revealed that she got along with most of her co-stars, except for Dick Clark and Ray Bolger.
Despite a few bumps along the way, Shirley enjoyed working with young talent like Jodie Foster, and she fondly recalled how the entire cast predicted that Farrah Fawcett, who guest-starred on the show, would eventually become a huge star.
The Farrah Fawcett photo
Farrah Fawcett’s brief cameo in The Partridge Family (Season One, Episode Two) was nothing short of iconic! She effortlessly set a new standard for beauty — just look at the picture of her with Danny, and you can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking.
