By the end of season four, Cassidy had had enough and was packing his bags. Network execs scrambled to find a replacement. But even the very pretty face of Rick Springfield, the future superstar rock star with the pop hit “Jessie’s Girl,” could not appease audiences.
Who knows how many more seasons we would’ve had if Cassidy stayed with the cast!
The Partridge Family Board Game
The TV show was a post-hippie pop sensation. On Friday nights Americans flocked to ABC. Day in and day out, Partridge Family hit songs played on the radio. People were wild about the happy TV family. Merchandise like lunchboxes, toys, and bubblegum trading cars pictured the cast members’ likeness.
There was a comic book series based on the TV show. There was a futuristic Saturday morning cartoon called Partridge Family 2020 A.D. So, it’s probably no surprise, there was a Partridge Family board game too. The object of the game was to be the first player to get back to the bus. Milton Bradley released the game in 1971. A collector’s item today, no doubt!
Shirley Jones Was Scripted to be the Partridge Family Lead Singer
Shirley Jones was chosen to play the widowed mom of five musical kids as well as the lead singer of the family group. But the way it turned out, David Cassidy did so well at auditions he was set up as a singer in the band. Shirley and David were the only musicians officially in the Partridge Family group.
The other children lip-synched and pretended to play instruments. None of the other players made the cut to play on Partridge Family albums. But Cassidy and his guitar featured prominently on the TV program and on albums.
Why Couldn’t Danny Bonaduce Remember His Lines?
Danny Bonaduce remembered every word of his lines. Unfortunately, he could not get them out in the correct order. Struggling with a persistent Dyslexia, Bonaduce was besieged with a tendency to say his lines incorrectly.
On the other hand, he possessed a photographic memory, so he recognized immediately if another cast member misspoke the script. His predilection to point these mistakes out was a constant irritation to the rest of the cast.
Altering David Cassidy’s Voice
While most of the cast lip-synched songs during The Partridge Family broadcasts, Shirley and David’s voices were recorded live. The only caveat is that during the weekly filming of the show, the recording of David’s voice was altered.
Audiences preferred a higher pitch than he could deliver, so they altered the recording to meet listener preferences.