The Good I Saw In David Cassidy-Jaybeau
I was sad to hear about popular 70’s icon David Cassidy’s illness a few days ago. Tonight it was reported that he passed.
I met him a few years ago during one of his shows at the Hatch Shell. On stage, he did a great show. In person one on one with me, he was very kind and personable.
Over the years he’s experienced, like many celebrities the challenges that come with enormous fame and money. In Philly I worked with David’s Partridge Family co-star Danny Bonaduce who of course played the hysterical Danny Partridge.We became great co-workers and work friends. I got to talk to Danny about his four-year run on a network TV hit. I told him, “do you realize that you were the first Michael J. Fox and Kirk Cameron: the child actor that got to perform all of the adult lines and spar with the adult cast members?” Danny said “yes, I did all that.” Danny as a radio DJ in Philly, because of his TV fame became enormously popular very fast. He backed up his recognition with real talent. He was hysterically funny on the air and in front of the TV cameras. He gave the audience a peek of what it’s like to be a former network child star.
But not all of it was fun. Danny once told me that during some very low points years after The Partridge Family ended, he hit bottom. He was broke, could not get work and was living with his mother in Philly. One day he got one call that changed his life and helped get him back on his feet. David Cassidy was on tour and offered Danny a job doing stand up comedy as David’s opening act. Shocked and grateful, Danny said to Cassidy “You’ve never seen my act!!”
Cassidy said “yes, I have. You’re hired.”
David Cassidy, you will be missed-
