DAVID BRUCE CASSIDY
From television to recording
and record breaking concert tours, from Broadway to Las Vegas production
shows, television sitcom creation and producing, writing and directing
both television and live theatrical productions, David Cassidy has made
his mark and been lauded accordingly. Hailing
from a theatrical family including mother Evelyn Ward, highly respected
stage and television star
Jack Cassidy,
and Academy Award winning stepmother Shirley Jones, his fate as a performer
was essentially seeded at a young age. It was by coincidence that he
wound up starring with Shirley Jones in the astonishing success "The
Partridge Family," which launched one of the most
spectacular careers in the entertainment business.
In 1970, the year the
show premiered, David skyrocketed to the top of the charts and the show
became a phenomenon, as did its young star. He had the #1 selling single
of the year, and garnered multiple Grammy nominations and won a Golden
Apple Award. Over the next five years, his official fan club grew to become
the largest in history, exceeding those of Elvis Presley and the Beatles.
Those were only the first of many records David broke in his long and constantly
evolving career. He became the first personality to be merchandised globally.
He broke box office records in the largest arenas and stadiums in the world
which led him to be the world's highest paid performer at the age of 21.
To date, his records have sold over 35 million copies worldwide and have
been recognized with eighteen gold and platinum recordings including four
consecutive multi-platinum LP's. David was responsible for numerous chart-topping
singles including "Doesn't
Somebody Want To Be Wanted," "I Woke Up In Love This Morning," "Breaking
Up Is Hard To Do" and, of course, "I Think I Love You," "Cherish," and "Rock
Me Baby," to name a few. He continued to act, earning an Emmy nomination
as Best Dramatic Actor for the telefilm "A Chance to Live," the
highest rated "Police Story" in its seven year history.
And then
came his introduction on Broadway, which opened a whole new world for him.
He starred in the original production of "Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" to rave reviews and successful box
office response. On London's prestigious West End, he starred in "Time" with
Sir Laurence Olivier, and in 1994 he once again broke box office records
in the stunning production of "Blood Brothers," which sold out
throughout the United States and Canada.
In 1996, David opened at the MGM
Grand in the $75 million extravaganza "EFX." Under
David's creative direction the show was entirely re-vamped, and became
the most successful production in Las Vegas. The MGM acknowledged that
he was singularly responsible for bringing over 1 million paid customers
to see EFX. Within four months of opening, the show was voted "Best
Production Show" in Las
Vegas, and David was voted "Best All Around Performer" and "Best
Singer." In 1999, David was again named "Best All Around Performer" in
the Review Journal's Best of Las Vegas. He was also chosen City Life's "Entertainer
of the Year" and was dubbed "Show Star of the Year" by Gaming
Today.
In 1999 David partnered with award
winning writer-producer Don Reo to create "The
Rat Pack Is Back!" which played to sold-out audiences at Las Vegas'
legendary Desert Inn and then at the Sahara Hotel & Casino, receiving
both critical and popular acclaim.
Simultaneously David and Don Reo wrote
and produced "At
the Copa" in
which he starred the following year at the Rio. The show incorporated a
Broadway musical production with that of a star's headlining concert. The
result was a non-stop, high-energy 90-minute thrill ride with music spanning
the last half of the twentieth century, as well as new tunes written by
David and performed by the largest big-band orchestra in Las Vegas.
After
a 15 year absence, he then returned to concert stages across the country
and the world. "I've never gone out and changed my style to
suit the times. I have always stayed true to myself by trying to sing and
write about the human experience." That honesty is naturally compelling
and, in general, it's what people want to see. Bringing that human
element to my work is the most important thing I can do as both a producer
and an entertainer."
Off stage, David is equally committed.
He and his wife, songwriter Sue Shifrin-Cassidy, were instrumental in
the 1994 Rebuild LA campaign, composing the effort's anthem, "Stand
and Be Proud." Their song "Message to the World" was donated
to help the children in Kosovo, and led to Sue's formation of KidsCharities.org,
in which David played a very active role. David and Sue have a son,
Beau, born February 8, 1991.
As if that weren't enough, David breeds and races thoroughbred horses,
a passion he has had since his youth.
Biography text courtesy of Davidcassidy.com.
Used with permission.
Photo courtesy of Rolling Stone.
