David Cassidy was an American star who enjoyed fame in Hollywood and beyond for well over 4 decades. Until his death, he was an actor, a talented singer, and a songwriter. Dave was also a guitarist.
The Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) 2018 honored the late star alongside Don Rickles, Della Reese, and Bill Paxton, who also passed away last year.
David Cassidy Wiki
The singing actor is mainly remembered for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical sitcom The Patridge Family. David Bruce Cassidy is of German, Irish and Swiss descent. He was born on April 12, 1950, in New York, United States. His parents were also entertainment figures. His father, Jack Cassidy, was a well-known actor and singer, while his mother, Evelyn Ward, was also a well-known actress and dancer.
The singer and pop-rock star have three half-brothers – Shaun, Ryan, and Patrick Cassidy. His parents divorced in 1954 but kept it a secret until 1956 when 6-year-old David came across the truth while playing with his friends. As he grew up, David spent a lot of time with his grandparents, as his entertainer parents were constantly on tour. His maternal grandmother’s ancestors were among the founders of Newark, New Jersey.
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Career
Even as a teenager his attraction to art was obvious. Dave took a regular job while working part-time to improve his acting and singing skills. Soon he began taking impressive steps in the world of acting. His big breakthrough came with The Patridge Family, which lasted from 1970-1974. For this period David Cassidy was the rave of the moment. His fame spread from America to Europe and Asia.
With a great voice, charming looks, and great hair, Dave automatically became the ladies’ favorite. He certainly had many female fans who idolized him. The longer the show lasted, the more hits it produced. The Patridge family reportedly had an estimated turnover of $500 million. None of his work was as lucrative as the musical show of the ’70s.
Dave also appeared on several other television shows such as Iron Side, Adam-12, Bonanza, and others. Some of his popular songs are How Can I Be Sure, Daydreamer, Could It Be Forever, and Cherish. His then and now album has reportedly gone platinum internationally. In 1974 the album reached number 5 on the British album charts.
By the 1970s, Dave was so good that he literally outdid the Beatles; an important marker of success on the music scene at the time. During one of his concerts in London, a tragedy happened. A young girl lost her life in a mass exodus in which about 800 fans who attended the show were injured.
It is widely believed that the deceased actor never fully recovered from this incident.
David Cassidy Death And Net Worth
On 21 November 2017, David died of liver failure at the age of 67. It is publicly known that he fought a long battle with alcoholism. Before his death, the star also mentioned that he suffered from dementia.
His alcohol addiction led to him being arrested several times. The reports also revealed that Dave suffered injuries during a performance at one of his shows in Las Vegas, which added to his addiction to painkillers on top of all the other health challenges he was already deeply involved in.
At the time of his death, David Cassidy had an estimated net worth of $500,000.
The star, who earned a weekly salary of $600,000 from The Partridge Family, filed for bankruptcy in 2015. He was deeply in debt, which drove him in and out of courthouses.
He sold his luxury home in Fort Lauderdale for $2 million He bought the house in 2001 for $1.1 million. David Cassidy blamed his debt on his health crisis, which abruptly stopped him from taking more tours. Moreso, the decline in his royalties from the television show The Partridge Family TV in conjunction with some failed investments had a major impact on his income. In the latter part of his days, he was considered broke.
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Family – Mother, Wife, Son & Daughter
David Cassidy took after his parents in many ways. For one thing, he became a star and a serial divorcee. He was married three times and then separated. Kay Lenz was the first wife (1977-1983), Meryl Tanz the second (1984-1985), and Sue Shifrin the third (1991-2016). Dave also dated a former model, Sherry Williams.
David Cassidy is the father of two children – Katie and Beau Cassidy. Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy is the daughter of Dave and Sherry Williams. The actress had a difficult relationship with her father. Beau is, just like his father, a singer, and songwriter. His mother is the actress Sue Shifrin.
While David suffered from dementia before his death, his mother Evelyn also died of Alzheimer’s. Evelyn Ward was an actress and Broadway actress who took part in movies like The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mike Hammer, and Vacation Playhouse in the ’50s and ’60s. After her separation from David’s father, she remarried Elliot Silverstein. The 7-year marriage also ended in divorce in 1968.
