Remembering David Cassidy: A Teen Idol's Legacy

In this heartfelt tribute episode, we celebrate David Cassidy on what would have been his 75th birthday, exploring his extraordinary journey from television heartthrob to versatile performer. We take you back to those magical Friday nights when families gathered around their TVs to watch The Partridge Family, transforming a young actor into the defining teen idol of a generation.

Our conversation reveals surprising details about David's career—from his unexpected singing role on The Partridge Family (originally planned for studio musicians) to his groundbreaking Vegas show "FX" where he overcame his fear of heights through hypnosis. We share personal stories of meeting David and attending his concerts throughout the Chicago area, discovering that we unknowingly followed the same David Cassidy concert circuit for years before ever meeting each other.

Beyond the poster-worthy smile and hit records, we explore David's substantial talents as a performer with impeccable comedic timing and acting abilities. His work ethic was legendary—filming Partridge Family episodes during the week while flying across the country to perform sold-out concerts on weekends. We discuss his struggle to break free from his teen idol image while staying connected to the fans who adored him, and how he continued performing right up until his final days.

Whether you were among the millions of fans who plastered his pictures on your bedroom walls in the 1970s or discovered his talents later, this episode celebrates a multi-talented performer whose legacy deserves to be remembered as far more than just a teen heartthrob. Share your own David Cassidy memories with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or at ShaunSquadSociety@gmail.com!

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:00

Again going way too soon. Mega talent that most of the world didn't even understand or appreciate. He could sing really. He could sing like nobody's business. And the talent? Like they said, he had a great acting ability. His comedic timing was really good.

Speaker 2 0:22

I think he was looking more towards being an actor than a singer anyway, but he was multi-talented.

Speaker 1 0:27

Very multi-talented.

Speaker 2 0:29

Yeah, we're all missing him now, especially because we just had his birthday.

Welcome to Shaun Squad Society

Speaker 1 0:33

Yeah, and thank goodness that he was here. He was the gift that God gave the world and thank goodness that his family shared him with all of us. Welcome to the Shawn Squad Society podcast with your hosts myself, cindy, doris and Madonna, where we invite you to share in our enthusiasm and reminisce about all things Shawn Cassidy, from his teen idol days to his recent adventures back on the road again.

Speaker 3 1:19

Please join us for the stories and memories that connected us to those happy days that helped create the Sean's Squad Society podcast.

Speaker 2 1:28

Hey, so today I want to talk about one of my favorite Cassidys Sean. No, the other one, the other one, david. How do you pick a favorite? But maybe you know the ones closest to your heart.

Speaker 1 1:43

I guess, yeah, I guess, yeah, and the one who started it all right yeah he was definitely the trailblazer of the teen item kingdom of the Cassidys.

Speaker 2 1:54

Right, yeah, when I hear his name I just my heart feels warm, and unfortunately Dame's not with us this month, but she will be back next month.

Speaker 1 2:04

Yeah, and today is a great day to talk about David Cassidy, because we're kind of celebrating his life and his legacy, his memory, because he did just celebrate what he didn't celebrate we did. We just celebrated what would have been his 75th birthday.

Speaker 2 2:24

Yes, I'm sad he's not here. It's too bad that was tragic.

Speaker 1 2:27

It was just a tragic loss for everyone who remembers growing up in the 70s and watching TV anytime in the 70s.

Speaker 2 3:10

You saw David Cassidy on the Partridge Family. I remember that it's the first show besides the Brady Bunch that was like important to me.

Speaker 1 3:23

Oh see, it didn't have any importance to me, I just wished I were them. I wanted to be the Partridge family person, ride around on a bus, wear groovy looking outfits and pretend to play instruments and sing. Who couldn't?

Speaker 2 3:41

do that. I just liked the show because they were singing on it. Who couldn't do that?

Speaker 1 3:44

I just liked the show because they were singing on it. Yeah, there was a lot of singing on the show and of course I love that kind of genre Right. So they had good, good songs, great music Wes Farrow did a great job of putting that show out.

Speaker 2 4:00

Everybody knows his history basically.

Speaker 1 4:10

Probably can't tell you something you don't already know, but we've never really done an episode on just him. We never did an episode on David Cassidy and it's his birthday month and we did Sean and David. Yeah, we did the Partridge family.

Speaker 2 4:17

We did Sean and David together as teen idol brothers and then we did a Partridge family episode with everybody involved, but not just David.

Speaker 1 4:26

So here we are the one and only David Cassidy. I mean, what better way to honor him in the month of April?

Speaker 2 4:35

Yeah, All right. David was born April 12, 1950, and he passed away November 21, 2017. Can you believe that's?

Speaker 1 4:46

almost 10 years ago. That's almost 10 years ago. Time just goes by so fast and he was gone way too soon, way too soon. April 12th 1950, in New York City, david Cassidy was born, and the world would never be the same. Who knew that this guy would just be the biggest teen idol in the history?

Speaker 2 5:17

of teen idols. Yeah, because when you look up teen idols, his name is there.

Speaker 1 5:22

Yeah, it's like you look up teen idol and it says David Cassidy, exactly.

Speaker 2 5:28

There's his picture Right there, right there.

Speaker 1 5:31

Fan club that beat Elvis Presley and the Beatles, and the Beatles Come on. This man single-handedly just took over the early 70s. Girls didn't know what to do Now. I was a little too young. Me too I didn't jump on that boat. I did watch the Partridge Family and I remember going oh that guy is really kind of cute.

Speaker 2 5:57

Yeah, me too, but I was 9 and 10 years old I think I was the age of Tracy on the Partridge Family. That's the difference between David Cassidy and I. Yes, I'd be like his little sister.

Speaker 1 6:09

Right, me too. So you're like, oh, he's kind of cute, but you're not like hanging his picture on your bedroom wall.

Speaker 2 6:17

No, but you admire him.

Speaker 1 6:20

Right and then, as time went on, I remember, you know, the reruns. It seems like it never went off the air. The reruns would come on in the mid 70s and the late 70s and that's when I started recognizing the cuteness, the real cuteness, of David Cassidy.

Speaker 2 6:42

Like the, I See why girls were going crazy as you get into your teenage years, mm-hmm.

Speaker 1 6:47

Yes, you're realizing, you're looking at it in a different way, but by then Sean had come on the scene, so that adoration was aimed at Sean. So I didn't aim it at David, because David had long since gone out of that world. So it was aimed at Sean.

Speaker 2 7:08

But I was able to appreciate what the hysteria was all about Right right and I had friends that knew, you know that liked him. The girl in the neighborhood swore she was going to marry him. I was like, oh okay, that's pretty extreme.

Speaker 1 7:21

But okay, yeah, until you swore you were going to marry Sean and then all of a sudden it's not so extreme, it's like, oh, but I am. She was just crazy, but I am going to do it.

Speaker 2 7:33

Yes, she was just crazy, so I know what she went through, yeah but you know those?

Speaker 1 7:39

oh my gosh the magazines, oh my gosh the lunchboxes. Every single thing he was on, every bit of thing that had his face.

Speaker 2 7:50

But I wasn't into buying all that stuff back then Me either. I was seven years old. Seven, eight, nine, ten. I didn't really think about that. It wasn't like for me, Like I didn't think, oh, I should buy that.

David's Teen Idol Phenomenon

Speaker 1 8:02

And this is nothing against those of you out there who were eight, nine years old and were in love with David Cassidy and your mom took you to the shows God bless you and bought you all of the merchandise it just I think at that age I wasn't mature enough to be that way. Yeah, I was more into still playing with Barbie. Yeah, that was just my life and how I was back then.

Speaker 2 8:29

So we enjoyed our Friday nights. We watched Partridge Family and Brady Bunch.

Speaker 1 8:33

Yes, everything that was on ABC TV on Friday nights we watched it, yeah, and it was so cool. And you know the kind of sad thing that the network not the network but at least the TV show. Partridge Family yeah, they made tons of money on David and his likeness yes, that whole battle where you know he didn't get any of it.

Speaker 2 9:02

hardly I don't think you know. Back then you read your contracts, but your manager should have Right.

Speaker 1 9:07

And they didn't know about syndication royalties, merchandise sales and all of that. So he just signed his basic contract, got his money and everything else went down.

Speaker 2 9:21

Maybe that's when royalties started. You know, with the merchandise and all that, Maybe that's when royalty started. You know, with the merchandise and all that, Maybe that's when it started.

Speaker 1 9:26

Yes, I think he kind of was one of the original trailblazers for that, to get that into awareness, because he didn't make hardly anything of what he should have made.

Speaker 2 9:41

But I think he did take them to court eventually to get some of that back. Yeah, yes, I think he did take them to court eventually to get some of that back. Yeah.

Speaker 1 9:45

Yes, I believe he did, and he did, you know, kind of a segue. He had a lot of the merchandise but there was an earthquake and he lost a lot of his memorabilia Really His personal stuff, in that earthquake in the mid-'90s, it said. But the concerts they sold out. We all know he left the Proctor family set on Friday, flew around the country or the world, you know, isn't that crazy?

Speaker 1 10:15

Did a concert and came back and I was reading a little article and they said nobody was a better sport than David Cassidy on that show. They said the whole cast was such a pleasure to work with. Yeah, because who was it that I was reading? It wasn't Wes Farrell, but the person that come from Room 222. David Jalif. No, the writer, oh, the writer. And he said that show was a train wreck. They fought and they just fought and he said he comes over to the Partridge family and it's so pleasant. He said even David Cassidy, who had just come off a tour, he'd come in on Monday, happy, ready to work, such a pleasure to work with. And they all worked.

Speaker 2 11:08

He had a good work ethic from his dad.

Speaker 1 11:10

Yes.

Speaker 2 11:11

Yes.

Speaker 1 11:11

And he had this great comedic timing. You know he was okay. Truth be told, I thought David Cassidy's personality was Keith Partridge's personality. That's just how good he acted.

Speaker 2 11:27

How good of an actor he was, and I think he was a happy person by nature.

Speaker 1 11:32

Yeah, but he just wasn't Keith Partridge, he dumped down Keith Partridge.

Speaker 2 11:38

Yes, he was in his 20s, I think already, when he played Keith Partridge, but he was like playing a 16-year-old or a 17-year-old and they said he dumbed him down.

Speaker 1 11:46

He just made him a little dumb. He did, and a lot of it was probably the playoff of Danny. Yeah, because they paired up David and Danny really quick.

Speaker 2 11:57

It was mainly Danny's show. Danny was the comedic relief, yeah, and David was the the straight man relief.

Speaker 1 12:08

Yeah yeah, and David was the straight man, Cute, cute guy, yeah yeah. So they just said how great of a pleasure he was to work with. And so you know, we all know and loved the Partridge family and he left that show and a little bit later he had a show called David Cassidy man Undercover which was a prequel to Police Story. But David Cassidy man Undercover only lasted like a season.

Speaker 2 12:34

Yeah, I may have watched it, but back then I wasn't into police shows too much.

Speaker 1 12:38

I know I didn't watch it. I don't remember that it was even out. I didn't know that it existed.

Speaker 2 12:46

But I think after the Partridge family he kind of laid low for a while to get his identity back and all that. I mean most of us know his whole story Right, we all know this. His parents were Jack Cassidy, Evelyn Ward. Did you know that when he was born, when they made the announcement when he was born, it was kind of written up like a Broadway, A stage bill kind of yeah, no, I didn't know that I would love to see it.

Speaker 2 13:11

It's so cute. How yeah the production and everything was. The theme was that.

Speaker 1 13:17

Oh, that when David was born. I'm going to have to find that.

Speaker 2 13:20

Yeah, it's very cute. I don't know where it is, but it's very cute, that's very cute.

Speaker 1 13:23

I don't know where it is, but it's very cute. That's very cute. I'm going to have to look for that. But yeah, he was raised in Orange County. What? New Jersey, Orange County, New.

Speaker 2 13:30

Jersey by his grandparents, by his maternal grandparents.

Speaker 1 13:33

Yes, so you know that part of his life we all know.

Speaker 2 13:43

After the Partridge family and everything he kind of did lay low, like you said. Well, back up though because when he was remember back in New York when he was three years old, Did you hear that story? When he went to go see his dad in the play he was in the wings, yeah, and filming it. I think it was called Wish you Were here. I think that was the play. And David said that's my daddy, oh. And he said, from that point on, he knew what he wanted to do in his life.

Speaker 1 14:07

Okay yeah, stage acting was in his blood. He just wanted to do that for sure. He lived in New York a little while with Jack and Shirley too.

Speaker 2 14:19

Yeah, he did. And then Shirley and Jack moved to California, right, but I think David followed soon after and remember Jack signed him up with their manager, ruth Ahrens. Yes, and then he went on some jobs I think he had Marcus Welby and things like that.

Speaker 1 14:35

Yeah, he did, like everybody did, medical Center, marcus Welby, he was even on emergency. He was on the circuit. Yeah, he did get your was on the circuit. Yeah, he did the Get your Face on these Shows because they were the big shows of the early 70s, late 60s.

Speaker 2 14:51

And his hair was shorter. I mean, I thought he was a good actor, you know, when he was in those, and then all of a sudden he got this script for the Partridge family, so he thought he would just play there for a little while to get a job.

Speaker 1 15:04

Yes, and you know he can sing. Well, they didn't know. At first, though they didn't hire him to sing Well, and that's kind of funny because I did read just yesterday I was reading up a little bit more and they said that they did know he could sing. They hired him because they knew they were going to use his voice.

Speaker 2 15:22

Well, they didn't know that. Then they had another, the backup singers. Remember that first episode?

Speaker 1 15:28

Yes, they had the studio musicians.

Speaker 2 15:31

The studios, yes, the studio guys. And then I think Shirley told them you know he sings. And then they brought him into the studio and they're like, yeah, he does sing and their history was made, that's the original story, but yesterday I read a conflicting story.

Speaker 1 15:46

Really, they knew, oh, that he could sing and they were going to use him to sing.

Speaker 2 15:52

Yeah, that wasn't the story I heard. There's different stories out there.

Speaker 1 15:55

The original one that I know and I think most people know, is they originally planned to use the studio musicians?

From Shaun to David: Our Fan Journey

Speaker 2 16:02

Yeah, and he was going to lip sync and he was going to lip sync with the rest, which he did. So I think they brought him on early on Right To do the actual singing, because I only remember a few songs from the first album where it was the studio.

Speaker 1 16:16

Yes.

Speaker 2 16:17

People. Yes, because he did sing on the first album.

Speaker 1 16:20

That having a ball is certainly not David. No, that is full studio music.

Speaker 2 16:25

Point me in the direction of Albuquerque, that's him.

Speaker 1 16:28

Yes, that's him for sure. It was only a couple. Yeah, so yeah. And then you know, he did a few shows after the Partridge family and he kind of laid low he did.

Speaker 2 16:40

And then he came back. Being a teen idol is hard. You know it is, and you know that girl dying at his concert.

Speaker 1 16:46

That's what put him over.

Speaker 2 16:48

Yeah, he was sad with that.

Speaker 1 16:50

That was in England. It's very devastating.

Speaker 2 16:52

Yeah, I would be too, I mean if I was a singer and you know she had some kind of a heart condition and it just happened with all the excitement. And what can you do?

Speaker 1 17:01

Well, I thought there was a mad rush for the stage and she got kind of trampled.

Speaker 2 17:06

Well, it's a combination. She had some kind of condition and I think the yeah, all the stress of the concert and people moving around, yeah, and the poor girl didn't make it and that really did mess up David and he said I'm out.

Speaker 2 17:21

Yeah, but he did talk to her parents and I think he handled it very well. Yes, but it did kind of put a—I think that might have been his last tour anyway. Yeah, I think it was so. He said—people thought he was retiring. You know, you see different interviews. They think he's retiring. He says I'm not retiring, I'm just not touring anymore. He wasn't retiring, right. He kind of did retire, though, because he kind of laid low for a while.

Speaker 1 17:44

He laid low, he did. He probably went into hiatus.

Speaker 2 17:48

You have like a image. But he said that's not really me Right, so he had like an image issue.

Speaker 1 17:54

I was exactly, and I was guilty of that, I'm telling you. He just he played the role so well that you think, oh, this is how this guy is Right, but he wanted to be a.

Speaker 2 18:06

He liked rock and roll and Right.

Speaker 1 18:09

He liked the Jimi Hendrix?

Speaker 2 18:11

Yeah, I think he was one of his favorites.

Speaker 1 18:13

That's what he wanted to be. Yeah, and you know he kind of broke out his real himself on Rolling Stone. He let everybody know this is me Naked, you mean?

Speaker 2 18:25

Oh well, Got to make that point some kind of way. I think his dad was not very happy with that either, but you know he was trying to get out on his own.

Speaker 1 18:33

Exactly, don't think I'm this bubble gum, nice straight-laced image kid off of this show. That's great that I do the show, but this is me, and then boy oh boy was that him, yeah, well, yeah, I was too young to appreciate that too.

Speaker 2 18:53

Yeah, I never saw that article, didn't know it, didn't even know about it, didn't know about it, no, and then he went on to record his own albums, right you know, and they had a little bit of an edge to it, but I still enjoyed it. It wasn't Partridge Family, but I still enjoyed it.

Speaker 1 19:09

I think the first album I got and it was late 80's. It could have even been 1990 or 91,. Old Dog, new Trick. Yes, I do like that one.

Speaker 2 19:19

Yeah, that was the first one that I remember getting on a cassette and playing it in the car yeah, I got it on the cassette and I played it in the car. That's exactly what I did. I think there was another one called Didn't you Used To Be?

Speaker 1 19:30

Didn't you Used To Be? And then I stole that phrase. So anytime I see, like anybody well, we all know everybody says that, didn't you used to be?

Speaker 2 19:49

But then, after he put that album out, every time I would see somebody from the day I'd go, didn't he?

Speaker 1 19:53

used to be yeah, he played off of that pretty good. Yeah, he did, he did. Those are the two I remember, didn't you used to be? And Old Dog New?

Speaker 2 19:58

Trick, right, right, and then he started touring again. Yes, yeah, that's what we want to talk about, because that's when you and I started getting involved with him.

Speaker 1 20:06

So now, okay, now we've lived through our Sean Cassidy hysteria yes, we did, and we have more appreciation for this talent of David Cassidy.

Speaker 2 20:19

Oh, but let me back up, though, because we went from David Cassidy to Sean right.

Speaker 1 20:24

Yeah, we did so.

Speaker 2 20:25

We knew about David Cassidy he did all this work and T-Naito. So one day I'm watching American Bandstand. That was a popular music show back then, the Clarkson American Bandstand.

Speaker 1 20:38

He brought on anybody who was popular and put them on the show.

Speaker 2 20:43

So he has Sean on one day. I don't know who Sean is. Yet when David came out, I really didn't look into who his whole family was, besides Shirley and knowing his dad, jack, I didn't know the kids. American Bandstand comes on and Dick Clark introduces Sean Cassidy. I'm like Sean Cassidy, david has a brother, he's blonde hair. I'm like Sean Cassidy, as in, david has a brother, yeah, and he's blonde hair. And I'm like, oh, what's going on here? I went into a tizzy. I was like what is going on?

Speaker 1 21:14

You went into the same tizzy I went into. Mine happened in January of 77 when the Hardy Boys came out. Hardy Boys yeah, I don't remember that.

Speaker 2 21:25

yet I just saw him on that American Bandstand singing the Do-Run-Run.

Speaker 1 21:31

Wait, wait. Sean Cassidy has a brother, and it was David Cassidy. What?

Speaker 2 21:39

I was standing in the living room and it came on and I freeze sometimes when I see Sean because I just can't believe what I'm seeing. So I'm standing up in the living room just watching this with my mouth hanging open, like David Cassidy has a brother and gorgeous and everything. And he was singing and I just fell. I just fell over, so that started.

Speaker 1 21:59

Sean. Yeah, that's how the Sean mania started for us.

Speaker 2 22:03

So we loved David but we were too young, right. But we watched from afar and whatever, right. Then we went through our Shawn phase. Shawn came on the scene, teen idol, you know, we were fully into that.

Speaker 1 22:16

Oh, we were 100% Magazines, concerts. We did exactly what the girls before us did what David did.

Speaker 2 22:21

Yes, oh, we did. This was our time. Oh, we did it. This was our time, oh, my goodness, with Sean. Yeah, yeah, so we did our Sean thing too, but Sean was around for what three, four years, yeah, and then we got out of high school, we went on with life.

Speaker 1 22:34

Moved on. And then I remember it was the 80s you didn't hear too much about At least you didn't hear too much about, at least I didn't too much about either of the Cassidys. I mean, sean did a little bit on General Hospital and I watched that, but you didn't hear too much. And I remember 1990 coming along yeah, and if you know that, you know music TV shows like MTV and VH1 were huge. Yes, vh1 did a Partridge family reunion. Bring the bus out. Yes, and it was 20 years later. Wow, even though it didn't seem like it to me, but they were doing this. Let's bring the bus out 20 years, get back on the bus. And so they had David Cassidy riding around and it was on VH1, on the Partridge.

Speaker 1 23:33

Family bus and they were talking about all of this stuff, I thought how fun is that?

Speaker 2 23:37

Yeah, that was fun.

Speaker 1 23:38

How cool is that? And that resurfaced David Cassidy. Then you had David Cassidy behind the music. They had an entire behind the music episode on David Cassidy. I mean, he was back, he was making his comeback. And that's when I started really appreciating a little bit more the not the teen idol David Cassidy, but the more musician actor. Not the teen idol David Cassidy, but the more musician actor, Right. But I just couldn't help myself from saying but it's still David Cassidy, it's David Cassidy, and I would go kind of crazy.

Blood Brothers and Touring Days

Speaker 2 24:17

Yeah, the first time I saw him actually goes back to 1981. He was in Chicago for Little Johnny Jones. In the early 80s yeah, 81. I remember I was still a senior in high school and I heard that it was a commercial on TV. I think we played it with one of our other episodes of him being on Little Johnny Jones, and I thought, well, that'd be fun, that'd be kind of fun to go see David Cassidy in the show.

Speaker 1 24:43

Well, that's kind of funny because I didn't know you didn't know and I would have gone because I was going to theater. Back then I was doing a lot of theater, going to see plays and stuff and see I had never been to a play, never been.

Speaker 2 24:58

Oh yeah. So a girlfriend of mine from high school said I'll go with you. So we got dropped off there and I really don't remember too much of the show because I was just thinking, wow, david Cassidy's on the stage there. That's pretty cool yeah.

Speaker 1 25:12

You know, I never.

Speaker 2 25:13

In Chicago. There he is. I'm like, wow, that's cool. So you know, it was a great show. And then afterwards I just asked the usher, where can you go to meet him? And he said just go down the hall. There's a red carpet. Just stand there by the other people. He just told you, as a matter of fact. I was like what? Yeah, a matter of fact. I mean it kind of blew me away, but I kind of didn't believe him either. So I said to my friend well, let's just go down there and see what happens, because you know he's probably not there. So we did go down there and he came out. He was still in his stage makeup, I remember, because he had mascara on or something and we met him.

Speaker 1 25:47

Yeah, well, I could see them doing that. Because number one, that usher probably didn't have a clue about?

Speaker 2 25:55

Well, because these days you pay for one of those meet and greets, right, right?

Speaker 1 25:58

And back then, like you said, it was just the early 80s, so the Partridge family was off a little less than 10 years, probably eight years Right, and that usher was probably like I don't know who a Partridge is.

Speaker 2 26:12

He had no clue. It didn't matter to him. He was a young usher so he didn't know David was a teen idol.

Speaker 1 26:17

He wasn't a hysteria mob of 20 or 25-year-old women.

Speaker 2 26:23

No, it was mostly adults like husband and wife who enjoyed the theater. That's mostly what was down there.

Speaker 1 26:30

So that's why he said yeah, you just go down there, yeah.

Speaker 2 26:33

So me and my friend just went down there and stood with everybody else there was maybe 15, 20 people down there. You know just a small amount, yeah, and yeah, I got my picture with him and got an autograph and it was great and I left. I'm like, wow, that was pretty neat. I had no idea I would have gone. For sure you could have went. Yes, we went together. Yeah, and that was just the start of it. But then which? Where did you see him first?

Speaker 1 26:59

I saw David Cassidy first for the very first time. Live in Chicago, Danny Bonaduce had a radio show and he was doing a luncheon. Luncheon with David Cassidy because David had come to town to do Blood Brothers Okay, Without Sean 1994. 94, because Sean stayed back and he was starting.

Speaker 2 27:23

American Gothic Right. So they were in New York before with their run in New York Right. Then it got transferred over to Chicago. They started a tour.

Speaker 1 27:32

It did the New York and then they did a touring production of it and Petula Clark came, david came and Sean didn't come and Sean didn't. And I was a little upset because I was just getting tickets. I was looking into getting tickets to go to New York to see Blood Brothers oh really and I called the theater and they were like well, sean Cassidy is ending his run. I'm like, are you kidding?

Speaker 1 27:58

And they're like no, the show is about to start a tour and I'm like, okay, well, so I said I'll see it in Chicago. I bought my ticket, ready to go see Blood Brothers. Danny gets on the air one day, and by then I know Danny, I had already met him, kind of become friends with him. He oh, I'm going to have a lunch with David Cassidy and you know his radio show was. The studio was in the John Hancock Center. Okay, on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building, downtown Chicago, was a restaurant that overlooked the city of Chicago and that's where he was doing his meet and greet luncheon.

Speaker 2 28:39

Well, didn't David have a fear of heights? Well it was. I don't go up there.

Speaker 1 28:44

I never saw him by the window. Okay, so he, danny, got some listeners, like 10 listeners or whatever and I called them up. I said, danny, look, I'm not playing this. Be the 15 caller game. I'm going to meet David Cassidy. And so he goes okay, doris, we're going to get you in. Do not, do not come down to the studio, don't do it, don't cause a scene, don't come down here. So he got me my two tickets and I got in and it was the 27th of September, and guess whose birthday that was? It was Sean's birthday.

Speaker 2 29:21

And see, I didn't know that Danny was having this luncheon Right, because I would have went. You didn't listen to.

Speaker 1 29:28

The Loop. No, not really. It wasn't our demographic, it was more a male rock and roll station.

Speaker 2 29:34

We were more listening to WLS Correct, the Common Pop Station, which is more pop. Yeah, more listen to WLS Correct, the.

Speaker 1 29:38

Common Pop Station, which is more pop. Yeah, however, partridge Family, danny Bonaduce, I had to.

Speaker 2 29:45

Yeah.

Speaker 1 29:45

I was like this guy come to Chicago. I got to know him, yeah. So he came, and David came and I'm sitting at the table. This is so cool. It's like the luncheon is like any other luncheon. You go to, like the round tables, four, five, six people at a table, yeah, and then they have the radio stuff set up in front of the room, like at a wedding, when they have, like the DJ table set up.

Speaker 2 30:15

Yep.

Speaker 1 30:16

And so I'm sitting there and it's not time to go on the air yet and I look over to my left and here comes David, Sue and Bo, and Sue is carrying Bo in her arms and I went, David, Like I was like in heaven, I couldn't believe it. And then everybody looked up and started cheering and everything, and he made his way to the front and they had the broadcast and they were talking. Everybody who went to that luncheon got to meet David, talk to him. Everything spent time and Danny gave them two tickets to the show. Okay, so David, during the I remember, during the broadcast David said anybody here going to the show? And I said I'm going twice and he goes, really, You're going to go twice. I said I would go a hundred times if I could and Danny goes, yeah, she would.

Speaker 2 31:16

She would do it. That's funny because I went twice too. Yes, and I did go on that day, september 27th, because I knew it was Sean's birthday. It was important to get tickets for that specific day, so we were there together, but we didn't know. We didn't know each other, and this was the start of us going to events together where we didn't know each other.

Speaker 1 31:36

That was actually. It wasn't, Because we were at Chicago Fest seeing Sean on the exact same day in 1979. You're right, but we didn't know each other.

Speaker 2 31:46

We didn't know yet, but we were there In the rain.

Speaker 1 31:49

In the rain. Yeah, maybe here in Chicago and we were showing each other our pictures. We have some like the pictures are almost so close, like we weren't far from each other.

Speaker 2 31:59

Oh, yeah, no, so that was the first place we were together. Yes, right, because you couldn't go to the amphitheater show Right In March of 78 when Sean was there. Right, but you did get to go to Navy Pier.

Speaker 1 32:11

I went to the Navy Pier show I said I'm not missing it, I don't care, because he also after the amphitheater he did the Alpine.

Speaker 2 32:18

Valley show which I got to go to but you didn't get to go. I couldn't go to that, you couldn't go to that.

Following David's Path Together

Speaker 1 32:22

So there was no way and something Nemi said, 1979 is it? If I don't see him, I'm not Because you could tell the music was like dying down, right, and you know room service. I mean, I'm sorry, wasp wasn't going to be a big moneymaker, nope. So you just kind of said you better go now or you're not going to go, true, true. So I went, yeah, and that's how you and I didn't know each other, but was the first time we were together.

Speaker 2 32:59

We were following the same trail. We were, yeah, we were.

Speaker 1 33:03

We were at what was then called the Schubert Theater the same night for David Cassidy and Blood Brothers, and we didn't even know each other.

Speaker 2 33:12

Yes, and then I went to a second show in October. I don't know if you went in October.

Speaker 1 33:16

I went in October like the third or something.

Speaker 2 33:19

I think I was the fourth. I go back and look at my ticket, but that's when I got to meet him. He came out in the lobby after the show and it was funny I was getting his autograph now. Remember I met him back in 81, a little johnny jones, yes. So here I am at blood brothers in 94 and he's signing somebody's autograph and he's, and he looked over, he goes, looked over and he goes, you look familiar. He says is your name Sandy? And I said no, it's Cindy. But you're close and I'm thinking could he have remembered me from back in 81? 13 years ago, 13 years, wow. I don't know if he remembered me, but that was kind of strange. He said that and we had a nice talk and it was great seeing him.

Speaker 1 34:00

And yeah, I'll always remember that. Yeah, the lunch at the Hancock Center, that was because I've never been married. But at that point, when it happened, that was the happiest day of my life. Meeting David Cassidy, that was the beginning of my quest to meet all of the Cassidys. That's the beginning of my quest to meet all of the Cassidys I had in my head. I had already manifested in my head that I was definitely going to meet Sean. I just didn't know how, when or where Right, and when I did, I was going to meet everybody else along with me.

Speaker 2 34:33

Because that was our great opportunity right At Blood Brothers we could meet both of them Right, Sean and David. That would have been my epic picture of David and Sean. So I was kind of let down because Sean wasn't there, but it wasn't going to stop me from meeting David.

Speaker 1 34:49

Right, Exactly. Oh, I knew it. And that little red-headed Danny Bonaduce was not going to ruin my opportunity. I said you will, Danny, it's going to happen. So just give me the tickets and concede, Right. So he gave me two tickets and my sister and I went and I was oh it was, it really was the happiest day of my life. Up at that point, up until that point, yeah. And then you know, he started then doing. He was touring Tours.

Speaker 2 35:21

And we were like, okay, so what other show did we go to together? We went to House of Blues.

Speaker 1 35:28

Okay, before House of Blues we were at the Wisconsin State Fair together. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that too. We went to the Wisconsin State Fair and didn't even know we were at the same concert.

Speaker 2 35:40

I was there too, and I was standing at the stage and some girl asked me oh, can I go with you to meet him? I'm like I'm going to meet him. I didn't know about it, but somebody thought I was going to meet him, but I did not meet him at that show.

Speaker 1 35:52

And that show was delayed a long time.

Speaker 2 35:55

I think it rained too. It was raining too, it was outside and he seemed very aggravated.

Speaker 1 36:00

That wasn't one of the better shows because his mood wasn't, you know, the best, but we were there. Then came House of Blues in downtown Chicago. Yeah, I think we were standing next to each other.

Speaker 2 36:13

It was standing room only we were at the front. We were both at the front of the stage it was general admission standing room.

Speaker 1 36:19

You had to stand, so we were both at the front and I was more like to the center of the stage and you were a little bit to the right of me.

Speaker 2 36:28

I was on the right side of the microphone. Yes, we were right next to it, Right next to it. So we're following this trail. And then I think in Aurora there was another concert with a meet and greet.

Speaker 1 36:38

There was this Paramount Theater show that came along. Yeah, now we're on this David Cassidy tour. Yeah, we're seeing them anywhere and everywhere we can.

Speaker 2 36:47

Well, we're adults now, right yeah. So we're thinking hey, we can go to whatever we want, and we missed it.

Speaker 1 36:52

We weren't old enough in the 70s. So now here we are, we're catching up and Sean's not touring.

Speaker 2 36:58

Sean's not touring.

Speaker 1 36:59

He's doing TV shows.

Speaker 2 37:00

He's doing the writing.

Speaker 1 37:01

Yeah. So here we are, and I befriended a lady at that show because I wanted to meet David Cassidy, but I couldn't afford the meet and greet.

Speaker 2 37:13

The meet and greet right.

Speaker 1 37:18

And me and my sister had tickets to go to the meet and greet after I don't know Listeners. If you guys don't know me, cindy and my other co-hosts, they may know this about me. But once I put my mind to something, I make it happen.

Speaker 2 37:33

Yeah, me too. I started doing that. I was pretty shy when I was younger, but doing Cassidy stuff kind of gave me a little edge.

Speaker 1 37:36

So I was determined that I wanted to go to this meet and greet. So there was a lady sitting next to me and I talked to her. I was real nice to her and she said hey, I got this extra ticket for this meet and greet. Would you like to go? I'm like, oh my God, are you kidding me? Of course I want to go and she invited me as her guest and to the meet and greet. Well, Cindy, you tell the rest.

Speaker 2 38:05

Yeah, it was across the street from the theater actually, right. So we go upstairs and there's a big room you waited in and he's supposed to show up, so everybody's waiting for him, and then he shows up with a bunch of his people surrounding him and he walks through this crowded room shaking hands, everything. And we were supposed to, or it was assumed, that he would sit at a table and sign autographs for us, but instead he kind of went around the room once and then he left.

Speaker 1 38:30

But tell about the lady who was being interviewed.

Speaker 2 38:35

There was a lady there interviewing some of his fans, and so she chose me and she chose the girl that you were with. Yes, and the girl you were with had this big old hat decorated in David stuff Construction that she had on, yeah. So she got interviewed. First I didn't know you were with her, and then she interviewed me and I actually have a copy of the videotape of the interview. Oh, what do you like most about them? You know the usual questions they ask, but didn't realize I was there with you and lo and behold, on my video you're walking behind me.

Speaker 1 39:12

So last year you're looking at this video for whatever reason? Yes, and you paused it right there.

Speaker 2 39:21

And you went, wait a minute, I didn't even know you yet and there you are walking behind me in this interview. It was hilarious. It was hilarious.

Speaker 1 39:28

So there we were together.

Speaker 2 39:30

We were following each other and didn't know it.

Speaker 1 39:32

Didn't even know it, yeah.

Speaker 2 39:34

And I caught you on video.

Speaker 1 39:35

It was destined that we were going to connect. It was destined that we were going to connect, obviously, oh, obviously, for 20, 30 years, we're following each other around.

Speaker 2 39:46

But, yeah, we didn't cross paths until Sean came out again. So, yeah, and we went to his shows, or I think we were talking about it beforehand, about these shows of David, and you're like, yeah, I was at that one too.

Speaker 1 39:59

Yeah, what a coincidence it beforehand about these shows of David and you're like, yeah, I was at that one too. Yeah, so there was one, and we have a lot of outdoor summer festivals here in Chicago and there was one at an outdoor summer festival and I saw David there and singing dance, having a great time, and you didn't go to that.

Speaker 2 40:18

I wasn't at that one. And then there was another one where he was covering for Davy Jones, who had just passed.

Speaker 1 40:23

Yes.

Speaker 2 40:24

And I went to that one and I didn't go to that one. So we kind of missed here and there, but for the most part we were on this David Cassidy path thing.

Speaker 1 40:35

So there it was. We were destined, and you know that's like the 90s, early 2000s. I know the House of Blues was 2004. Oh was it. Okay, I only know, because I started my job, that I have now that summer, like the week before, I saw David at the House of Blues.

Speaker 2 40:57

So what was his last concert out here then? Cover for Davy Jones Fest for 4th of July. I believe Something like that.

Speaker 1 41:06

Well, we know he was here in his final days because he was recording his songs. My Father Taught Me album here in Chicago, 2017, september.

Speaker 2 41:16

2017, september, he was in town recording.

Speaker 1 41:20

And I remember I turned on WGN News one morning and they said we have David Cassidy. I went wait what David is in town. And you know us how we don't know something until it's over, and so I'm standing out. If I would have known, I would have been at the GN Studios for sure. Yeah, but he was in town promoting.

Speaker 2 41:42

He was in town. He came to town a few times, because he did come to town one time and he was on the Oldies Channel.

Speaker 1 41:48

Yeah, 104.3, remember that 60s.

Speaker 2 41:51

Magic 104. So he was on there one day and I remember he was talking about baseball. It was the year that the White Sox won. Oh, in 05? Yes, it was the year the White Sox won. Because I called in to talk to him and he said do you like baseball? And I said yes, and I said the White Sox. And he's like, oh, I'm going to the game, you want to go with me. And I'm like what Heck? Yeah, I'll go with you. So I thought, well, I wasn't planning on it, but I think it was that night. So I wanted to go. But you know, after you get off the phone and they're like we didn't know, david Cassidy was going to say that, but we'll give you some tickets. So that's what they did. You couldn't go with him, but they gave you some tickets to the game, to the game, and that was the year that the White Sox won the World Series.

Speaker 1 42:38

Yeah, that was 2005. Yeah, Okay, yep, because I remember him being on that station the day of the House of Blues show and he was kind of promoting Sam.

Speaker 2 42:50

Oh, okay, yeah, you know, we went through so many things, we don't even know the dates of all of them anymore. Yes, because there was so. So actually three times I've talked to him, yeah.

Speaker 1 42:58

Yeah.

Speaker 2 42:58

But it was enjoyable every time. He always was nice to all of his fans and he had a smile on his face.

Speaker 1 43:07

He was very touched at the Paramount Theater show the Meet and Greet, where he walked in the circle around the room. He was moving fast, I got to tell you. But when he got to me I stopped him in his tracks and I said, david, wait a minute. I got to tell you, but when he got to me I stopped him in his tracks and I said, david, wait a minute. I got to tell you this. I have loved the entire Cassidy family ever since I heard Shirley Jones sing on the movie Oklahoma as a little girl and I watched Jack Cassidy do the Circus of the Stars host that.

Speaker 1 43:39

I have been a fan of you and your entire family.

Speaker 2 43:42

Oh, so you had to talk to him. That's good.

Speaker 1 43:44

Yeah, nobody else did. But I stopped. I told you when I want something. And he kind of he was like, oh, that's so sweet, and he put his hand on my cheek and then he continued to.

Speaker 2 43:53

Yeah, what's the round about? There was a crowd there, there was a crowd there, and my sister actually pulled them out at the end of it. So, yeah, then he left, so unfortunately he did not stay to sign autographs.

Speaker 1 44:03

So I got to talk to him twice. Oh, the House of Blues show. I had on a strapless dress, so it was a summer dress, but it didn't have straps, it just zipped up and it was like more of a halter top. And I'm standing there dancing and jumping around and my sister reaches over and nudges me and says pull your shirt, pull your dress, pull your dress. And David goes why, why?

Speaker 2 44:30

Why did you do that I?

Speaker 1 44:32

missed that. I didn't hear that.

Speaker 2 44:35

I was like, oh my God, David Cassidy saw my dress. You were going to flash him and he wasn't going to mind. No, he won't mind, he wouldn't mind at all. He's from the 70s, free spirit, you know all that stuff. Yeah, he was part of that whole revolution.

David's Musical Talent and Legacy

Speaker 1 44:49

So, yeah, that, oh my gosh, those were great, Great memories, that whole time where we kind of did the later part of David Cassidy touring.

Speaker 2 45:00

Yeah, that was great. That was still great. Even though we missed the beginning of the Teen Idol, we were able to be part of the later part of his career. Yeah, which he did do. He toured until he passed.

Speaker 1 45:11

Yeah.

Speaker 2 45:12

In 2017.

Speaker 1 45:13

And then, okay, we would be remiss if I didn't mention this he did the biggest show almost in Vegas history FX, yes, at the MGM Grand. Now again, I wanted to go to that show and I was determined to go, and the year I was determined to go was the year Rick Springfield was doing it.

Speaker 1 45:38

Because David started touring again. Oh, he did it from November 96 to December 98. He did it two years. Okay, now remember I told you I saw him, like in 04 at the House of Blues. So he's back out on the road. He left FX to Rick Springfield. Yeah, so I saw it without David.

Speaker 2 46:02

Oh, and I never got to see that either. I would love to have seen that. It's a big production, huge.

Speaker 1 46:08

Oh, you know a fun fact On the Partridge family the episode when they went to King's Island and David looked like he was going to throw up most of the show. Danny was provoking it. He lit the rides. Yes, that was for real. Ah, so I just learned that David Cassidy went to a hypnotist before starting production of FX to get over his fear of heights. Really, because he had to fly across the arena in a spaceship. Really, that's how big this production was, wow. So when David at the end of that episode if you guys aren't there you watched the end of that episode and they showed the outtake clips and they showed David looking like he's going to throw up on that roller coaster. It's for real. It's for real.

Speaker 1 47:02

He was truly, truly afraid of heights. They were not needle thing. That went all the way to the top and David walked back and said I'm not getting on that. And he didn't get on it.

Speaker 2 47:13

That's all for real, yeah, hated heights. He was funny sometimes, that's for sure. So glad we got to at least be a part of David's career and what he did.

Speaker 1 47:24

Yeah, you know, again going way too soon. Mega talent that most of the world didn't even understand or appreciate. He could sing really. He could sing like nobody's business. He could sing really, he could sing like nobody's business. And the talent like they said, he had a great acting ability. His comedic timing was really good.

Speaker 2 47:48

I think he was looking more towards being an actor than a singer anyway, but he was multi-talented.

Speaker 1 47:53

Very multi-talented.

Speaker 2 47:55

Yeah, we're all missing him now, especially because we just had his birthday.

Speaker 1 47:59

Yeah, and thank goodness that he was here. He was the gift that God gave the world and thank goodness that his family shared him with all of us.

Speaker 2 48:11

He had three wives and two kids, and Katie Cassidy and Bo Cassidy are his children. And then he was married to Kay Lenz, meryl Tans and Sue Schifrin. So that was his personal life, bo being the youngest.

Speaker 1 48:27

His mom is Sue and Katie.

Speaker 2 48:30

He didn't marry her mom Right, and let's not forget his three brothers, Sean Patrick and Ryan, His three brothers, and Sean is the reason we're doing this podcast today.

Speaker 1 48:42

So, and Patrick and Ryan are both gems themselves. Shirley Jones oh, what an American treasure, yes. And, of course, the late Jack Cassidy.

Speaker 2 48:55

Well, this was so much fun talking about David today I could talk all afternoon. Oh my goodness, we could do trivia. We did Partridge Family trivia before we know everything about it. I mean, we followed all of that.

Speaker 1 49:07

If it's Cassidy, I could talk about it. Yes, it was great and we hope you guys enjoyed it. Hey, why don't you guys join us in this conversation? Let us know your favorite memory of David Cassidy. If you met him, if you talked to him on a call in on a radio show, if you ran into him on the street somewhere, drop us a line at SeanSquadSociety at gmailcom, or leave us a comment on our social media pages Instagram, facebook and.

Speaker 2 49:43

YouTube. Yeah, we'd love to hear your comments. What were your stories of David Cassidy, or any Cassidy, any Cassidy? We love all of them. Thank you from the bottom of our teen dream hearts Keep on crushing, always believe in magic and have a peaceful Sean-tastic week.

Speaker 3 50:01

And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, instagram Thread and subscribe to our new YouTube page.

Speaker 1 50:09

Make sure to keep in touch with us at our email seansquadsociety at gmailcom.

Speaker 2 50:21

The Sean Squad Society podcast, including past, present and future versions, and its contents are owned and controlled by the Sean Squash Society. The podcast is written, produced and recorded at the Borden Studios and the views and opinions are solely those of the Sean Squash Society podcast. We may think we are always right, but we may get things wrong from time to time, so we assume no responsibility for errors of submission of content.