David Cassidy

David Bruce Cassidy (April 12, 1950 – November 21, 2017) was an American actor and musician. While he was best known in the United States for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical-sitcom The Partridge Family, he was an international success in his solo career as a singer. For a period, he was the highest-paid entertainer in the world.

After completing high school, Cassidy pursued acting and music. His career took off after he signed with Universal Studios in 1969, and he received roles in several TV series. Cassidy's major breakthrough came in 1970 with his portrayal of Keith Partridge on The Partridge Family, which brought him stardom and made him a 1970s teen idol. Cassidy also pursued a solo music career that led to international acclaim; his hit singles included "Cherish" and "How Can I Be Sure". Cassidy also acted in film, on television, and in musical theater.

David Bruce Cassidy was born at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital in New York City, the son of singer and actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. His father was of half Irish and half German ancestry, and his mother was descended mostly from Colonial British Americans, along with having some Irish and Swiss roots. His mother's ancestors were among the founders of Newark, New Jersey.

As his parents were frequently touring 'on the road,' Cassidy was raised in his early years by his maternal grandparents Frederick and Ethel Ward. They lived in a middle-class neighborhood in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1958, he learned from neighbor children that his parents had been divorced for more than two years and had not told him.

In 1956, Cassidy's father had married singer and actress Shirley Jones. They had three children together. David's half-brothers are Shaun (b. 1958), Patrick (b. 1962), and Ryan (b. 1966).

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.