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‘The Partridge Family’: David Cassidy Spoke on Father’s Career Struggles During Show’s Success

In the prime of his career, David Cassidy was one of the biggest stars in the country. It was his role as Keith Partridge on “The Partridge Family” that skyrocketed him to fame.

However, his fame brought some grief to one member of his family. That family member was his father.

According to MassLive.com, Cassidy’s father, Jack Cassidy, was an actor. No matter how hard he worked at his craft, Jack could never reach the level of fame his son attained. And, while Jack did help inspire David Cassidy, the son didn’t have the best comments to make about his father.

MassLive.com reports that David referred to Jack Cassidy as “extremely narcissistic and self-involved.” Jack’s marriage to Evelyn Ward ended in divorce when David was 31 years of age. David had reached his stellar level of success before he was 21 years old.

On the other hand, Jack was nowhere close to that level of success even later in life, according to MassLive.com. Jack did see some success during the 1970s on television. He had roles on “The Andersonville Trial” and “Columbo” during that time. But, again, these roles brought him nowhere close to the level of fame his son reached thanks to “The Partridge Family.”

Sadly, David Cassidy became very aware of how his father felt about their different levels of success.

“I know it killed him that he was so talented and had worked so hard and (fame) seemed to come so effortlessly for his wife, Shirley, and for me,” Cassidy reportedly said. “Emotionally, he was very manic depressive and in those days they didn’t recognize it . . . and he was also an alcoholic and that’s a bad combination . . . a very bad combination.”

‘The Partridge Family’ Actor David Cassidy Was Close to His Brothers

Even though he was more famous than his father, David Cassidy believed his father had what it takes to be very successful in Hollywood. However, that success never came.

“He was a wonderful actor and singer . . . all of that creative talent, genius (and) he had one foot in and one foot out of reality and that became very painful for him and for the people who loved him,” David reportedly said about his father, Jack.

According to MassLive.com, David Cassidy had a pretty “strained relationship” with his father, Jack.

Even though his relationship with his father wasn’t the best, David Cassidy did have positive relationships with his half-brothers. His half-brother’s names are Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan Cassidy.

“We are one. They are my best friends, along with my wife,” David Cassidy reportedly said, according to the article.

David and Shaun even got the chance to work together in 1993 in the show “Blood Brothers” on Broadway.

“Probably one of the highlights of my life was being on Broadway with my brother Shaun,” David Cassidy said. “It was so successful instantly for the both of us and it changed my life and his . . . It took me to the next plateau and people saw me as not just a pop star but as an actor and as a draw for ticket sales.”