Keith Partridge, the Original Hannah Montana

[Brian Damage]

While there are countless child stars today, few have ever reached that uber-idol status that fills arenas for songs sung by their TV persona. Today's teens and tweens think of "Hannah Montana", the teen idol played by Miley Cyrus. Parents of those teens remember who did it first. David Cassidy was the superstar of the 70's, or rather it was Keith Partridge of "The Partridge Family".

First to answer the question of "where is he now?", David Cassidy is still acting and singing on small tours in the US and Europe. Most recently, Cassidy has acted in "Ruby and the Rockitts", and has had several single episode roles on television shows. In the summer of 2010 he will be on tour in California.

Even though David Cassidy has made 31 albums in total, he'll likely always be remembered for the hits he had as Keith Partridge. At 19 years old David was cast as the 16 year old lead singer of the traveling family band with his step-mom, Shirley Jones, playing his mom on TV. Sound familiar "Hannah Montana" fans?

The show was an immediate hit due largely in part to Cassidy's stage presence, voice, and of course, that gorgeous hair. Keith Partridge was the typical California kid of the 70's with a single mom trying to support her family. Every member of the family was a part of the band, but it was clear from the start that frontman Keith was a star. Soon Cassidy was booking tours around the world, but as Keith Partridge.

The deluge of fame lasted four full blown years with no end in sight. Then it happened. On May 30, 1974 a crowd waiting to get in to a concert at London's White City Stadium started to stampede. Over 650 people were injured and a 14 year old girl was pronounced dead later due to injuries sustained in the stampede.

It was gone as fast as it had come. David Cassidy was so affected by the tragedy that he quit the show, essentially ending it, and stopped all touring. At the age of 23 playing a 17 year old, Cassidy told The Spokesman Review that "they never let you grow up." Cassidy had been slipping away from the show, doing a nude photo shoot and ultra-revealing interview admitting to drug use in Rolling Stone magazine.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...d_cassidy.html

[caro]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

W
The deluge of fame lasted four full blown years with no end in sight. Then it happened. On May 30, 1974 a crowd waiting to get in to a concert at London's White City Stadium started to stampede. Over 650 people were injured and a 14 year old girl was pronounced dead later due to injuries sustained in the stampede.

It was gone as fast as it had come. David Cassidy was so affected by the tragedy that he quit the show, essentially ending it, and stopped all touring. At the age of 23 playing a 17 year old, Cassidy told The Spokesman Review that "they never let you grow up." Cassidy had been slipping away from the show, doing a nude photo shoot and ultra-revealing interview admitting to drug use in Rolling Stone magazine.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...d_cassidy.html

Can I object to this? David never quit the show. The show was slipping in the ratings the third year and everyone knew going into the fourth year it would be the end.
David was getting to old to be a teen idol and he used the girl's death as an excuse to stop touring.
Why are you fueling this guy's pathetic mythology.

david got the job because his father gave him his and Shirley's agent and this agent thought it would be a good gimmick to have them on the show together.

Speaking of Jack (I know Miley would never treat her father this way) this is the latest from the fundraising that was being done for " a star for Jack". I don't think David likes to spend money on anything but racehorses and women.

Michelle Montour has worked hard to keep this cause alive. Jack's family dropped the ball. Please read the following.


The Star Update
Many people have been asking me on myspace and also on my personal facebook page - what is the status.

So, I am going to be honest and let everyone know. I know there will be scuttlebutt on the discussion boards out there by people who have always had a negative outlook on this task. Their opinions are theirs and what they have done or not done to help or hurt this is ultimately not important. So, chat away.

The issue we faced was a family that overwhelming said they wanted this star. Verbally, we had no problem at all. We were promised help. Now, the family could not pay for it outright (ethics rules for the star) but they could donate items for auction or help so money could be raised without their flat-out writing a check. We were promised that.

That didn't happen.

We received a few, unsigned items from one brother (after a lot of work on our part). We were promised help and donations from another but never received anything. One donated a small signed item but did sign other things - that were purchased by us and often out of our own pockets. The other graciously signed items but, again, they were items purchased by members of the committee. There was a lot of overhead and we were nickel and diming - and not a pace that would add up in time. We asked for more help and explained why, it was promised but never delivered. There was also a family shift that didn't support fan relations and we received even less help. The committee did everything we could. We spent weekends and money out of our own pockets promoting this campaign at Epcot Center and even at tables at festivals. We have worked so hard - even when some of us had health issues. We looked for alternative funding but finally realized that the responsibility needed to go where it belonged.

We handed this matter back to the family. I was tolf by a member of the family (directly) that it would be taken care of. That is the last we have done with it. It was handed back to them.

The hardest part of getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is getting accepted - especially posthumously. It saddens and, yes, even disgusts me that it could not be done. At the fight many of us - committee members and supporters alike - had to go through in orde to just hand it back over. The potential was there. It could have been done. Just a few large items and it would have been done. So many of you had reat ideas but I'd been told that the family would not be willing to do certain things.

I pray that the family can gather the money to make this a reality and hanve sincerely wished them luck in doing so. The potential for making this happen is still there. We could still see Jack get his star. But the responsibility is with his family and friends now.

So, I do apologize for my inability and the committees inability to make this happen on our own. The star is not a lost cause but has changed hands. Pray and send your positive vibes that we will see Jack on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
http://www.myspace.com/astarforjack