‘70s Teen Idol Remembered as Fans Mark What Would Have Been His 76th Birthday

David Cassidy was honored by fans 76 years after his birth. The beloved actor and singer, who rose to fame in the 1970s on the hit TV show The Partridge Family, died in 2017. But nine years later, fans paid tribute to him on social media on his April 12 birthdate.

In a comment on Cassidy’s Facebook fan page, one fan wrote, “Happy Heavenly Birthday, David! I grew up listening to your incredible voice, watching you on The Partridge Family and being a member of your fan club. You will always be remembered and a part of our lives. “

“Listening to David this morning… Such a beautiful young man and voice – simply engaging,” another wrote. “You will never be forgotten.”

“Ever since I became a fan, I celebrate his birthday every year,” a third fan wrote.

“Still watching The Partridge Family, where David will forever be 22. Wonderful memories. We remember you, David, on your birthday,” another fan added.

Another Facebook post revealed that Cassidy would be remembered on his birthday during a church service near his childhood home in West Orange, New Jersey. “David was baptized, attended bible study classes, was lead soloist in the junior choir, and was a congregation member of Holy Trinity Church,” the post read.

Cassidy was bigger than the Beatles at the height of his fame

Cassidy was born on April 12, 1950, to actors Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward. In 1970, he was cast on The Partridge Family alongside his then-stepmother Shirley Jones.

Cassidy’s real singing voice was heard on the made-for-TV hit songs “I Think I Love You,” “Doesn’t Somebody Want to be Wanted,” and “I Woke Up in Love This Morning.” By the time The Partridge Family ended in 1974, Cassidy was one of the biggest teen idols in the world, traveling the world on a stadium tour.

In the A&E documentary David Cassidy: The Last Session, Cassidy’s co-star Danny Bonaduce revealed, “His fan club was bigger than the Beatles’ and Elvis’s put together.”

Cassidy relished in the adulation—at first. In a  1972 interview with Rolling Stone, he shared, “There’s one song I do, ‘I Woke Up in Love This Morning,’ and I find a little place where I can sort of point to [the fans]. And they each think I mean them, and I do. Whew, I can’t wait. Let me get out there. Let me do it!”

“It’s a high going out on that stage. You look around, and it’s all there for you, people loving you like that,” he added.

RELATED: 1970 No. 1 Hit Ranked One of  the ‘Top Love Songs of All Time’ Was by a Made-for-TV Band

His final years

Cassidy ultimately suffered from burnout and stepped away from the spotlight for a bit in the mid-1970s. He later returned to acting and to his music career.

In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Cassidy said he didn’t like being pigeonholed with the “teen Idol” label. “I always back away from labels, as I think it inhibits your creativity and your opportunities,” he said. “Don’t call me a heartthrob. Don’t call me a sex symbol. Call me a writer, a singer, a producer, an actor. Tell me I’m bad, tell me I’m lousy. But don’t call me that.”

Cassidy died of organ failure on Nov. 21, 2017. But he entertained fans right up until his death. In one of his final interviews before his passing, Cassidy, 67, appeared on the Children of Song podcast and revealed his plans for retirement.

“Well, 49 years is a long career,” Cassidy said. “‘Believe it or not, because I traveled so much but only for work, I’m going to take a long trip, vacation, and actually see some of the places I thought were great.”

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