David Bruce Cassidy (born April 12, 1950) is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as Shirley Jones's eldest son, Keith Partridge, in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974. (Jones is Cassidy's stepmother in real life.) He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and still performs today.

Early life

David Cassidy was born at Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospital in New York City, the son of actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. As his parents were frequently touring on the road, he spent his early years being raised by his grandparents in a middle class neighborhood in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1956, he found out from neighbor children that his parents had been divorced for over two years and had not even told him.C'mon, Get Happy, p. 4

In 1956, his father married actress Shirley Jones, and three half-brothers were born: Shaun (1958), Patrick (1962) and Ryan (1966).