David Cassidy dies aged 67

Partridge Family legend David Cassidy has died aged 67 from organ failure – after suffering complications while battling dementia.

The musician and actor was hospitalized several days ago in Florida and was surrounded by his family when he passed away.

The 70s icon revealed his dementia diagnosis earlier this year and he last performed at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York in February and spoke about its effect on him.

 

David Cassidy is in a coma and is suffering from multiple organ failure, according to reports. He is pictured here in 2016 

The star’s publicist JoAnn Geffen confirmed his death. “On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David Cassidy. David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years.”

Over the weekend Cassidy’s family revealed he was  ‘near the end’ after being placed in an induced coma.

The 67-year-old Partridge Family star and singer was rushed to hospital in Florida three days ago.

A source told TMZ that his condition was ‘grim’ and his doctors were desperately seeking a kidney transplant

Now sources say it’s too late and his family are preparing for the end.

‘There’s really no issue anymore for a transplant. It’s futile,’ the source said.

Doctors have reportedly summoned Cassidy’s son and ex-wife back to the hospital for what could be their final farewells.

Cassidy’s has been in failing health for the last two months.  

Cassidy is widely known for his starring role as Keith Partridge on the 1970s series The Partridge Family.

In February, the star revealed he was battling dementia after he fell on stage during a concert in Los Angeles. His mother, actress Evelyn Ward, and his grandfather also had the condition. 

The 67-year-old Partridge Family star and singer was rushed to hospital in Florida three days ago and his condition is said to be 'grim'

The 67-year-old Partridge Family star and singer was rushed to hospital in Florida three days ago and his condition is said to be ‘grim’

Cassidy is widely known for his starring role as Keith Partridge (center, back) on the 1970s series The Partridge Family

Cassidy is widely known for his starring role as Keith Partridge (center, back) on the 1970s series The Partridge Family

The star was rushed to hospital in Florida three days ago. The actor is pictured above as Keith Partridge in the mid-1970s

The star was rushed to hospital in Florida three days ago. The actor is pictured above as Keith Partridge in the mid-1970s

Fans were concerned for his well-being when he struggled through the gig in February.

He stumbled on stage and forgot some of his words, prompting fears he had started drinking again. 

He told People magazine after the gig: ‘I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming.’

His mother the actress Evelyn Ward struggled with dementia until her death at 89 in 2012.

‘In the end, the only way I knew she recognized me is with one single tear that would drop from her eye every time I walked into the room. … I feared I would end up that way,’ Cassidy said.

Fans were concerned for his well-being when he struggled through the gig in February (above)

Fans were concerned for his well-being when he struggled through the gig in February (above)

Fans were concerned for his well-being when he struggled through the gig in February

Fans were concerned for his well-being when he struggled through the gig in February

In February, the actor revealed he was battling dementia. His mother and his grandfather also had the condition. He is pictured during one of his last stage performances in March 

In February, the actor revealed he was battling dementia. His mother and his grandfather also had the condition. He is pictured during one of his last stage performances in March 

Cassidy (top right) is pictured with the rest of the cast of the Partridge Family in 1970

Cassidy (top right) is pictured with the rest of the cast of the Partridge Family in 1970

‘I want to focus on what I am, who I am and how I’ve been without any distractions,’ he added. ‘I want to love. I want to enjoy life.’ 

Video emerged of the one-time teen heartthrob over the that showed him slurring, taking long breaks, telling rambling stories and even falling over at one point.

He told the audience he will no longer be touring.

While he vowed to make the show his last, he struggled to stay on his feet and play the guitar. 

Issues in Cassidy’s personal life have been well-documented over the last few years.

He has filed for bankruptcy, divorced from third wife Sue Shifrin, has had multiple arrests, eye surgeries and went through a stint in rehab. 

At the end of February, he sat down with Dr. Phil to discuss his diagnosis.

Dr. Phil told the singer that it appeared as though ‘there were times’ that Cassidy was ‘losing’ his place during the concert, to which Cassidy agreed.

‘And then you said at one point ‘I can tell you’re not gonna listen so, I’m just gonna leave,’ and you did slip off the stage at one point,’ Dr. Phil said.

Cassidy replied, ‘Not really slipped. No.’

But Dr. Phil told the singer, ‘well, you slipped on the stage’.

‘If you noticed I’m one of the few people who still have monitors in front,’ Cassidy stated, before Dr. Phil said the monitors are in place of using an ear piece. 

The musician added: ‘And when you have spotlight in your eyes and you have five eyes surgeries as I’ve had… And I’ve talked a lot about it. You’ll see me there, I tripped on that.

‘But I certainly wasn’t intoxicated and it has nothing to do with why I’m leaving.

‘…certainly my dementia has a, has contributed to the reason why I don’t want to go out and I don’t want to hear, ‘Well, he looked like he was drunk or he looked like he was’ – I, I wasn’t.’

As a singer, Cassidy (pictured circa 1970) has sold more than 25million albums 

As a singer, Cassidy (pictured circa 1970) has sold more than 25million albums 

Cassidy (pictured in London in 1972) rose to fame on television, but quickly became a worldwide sex symbol 

Cassidy (pictured in London in 1972) rose to fame on television, but quickly became a worldwide sex symbol 

LEADING UP TO CASSIDY’S DEMENTIA REVELATION 

Cassidy’s comments followed videos taken by fans of the singer struggling to remember words to some of his old hits at small venue concerts in southern California earlier this month.  

At one point, he appeared to fall off the side of a small stage before climbing back up.

Cassidy, whose hits Cherish and I Think I Love You had teenage girls swooning in the 1970s, has struggled with drinking and financial troubles in recent years.

In 2015, he had to auction his Florida home after a bankruptcy filing. 

He was arrested three times for drunken driving between 2010 and 2014, and was ordered to rehab as part of his sentence in 2014.

Cassidy appeared in several stage shows after his career as a solo singer declined. 

He played an aging former teen heartthrob in the short-lived 2009 TV comedy ‘Ruby & the Rockits’ and was a member of the ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ reality TV show in 2011. 

Cassidy has now said he is struggling with the memory loss disease and revealed his mother and his grandfather also had the condition.

Cassidy shared what he told his son, 26-year-old Beau Cassidy, about not wanting to succumb to the disease as his mother did.

‘I want you to promise me you’ll find a way to let me go and don’t let me live like that,’ the entertainer told Dr. Phil of what he said to Beau.

The singer, who has sold over 25 million albums, also shared the moment he realized he needed to see a doctor due to him experiencing his first symptoms of the brain disease. 

When friends of yours or family members begin to say to you, ‘remember I just told you this two days ago’ and there’s no memory of it that’s when I began to be very concerned,’ Cassidy tearfully said.

Dr. Phil then asked if that’s what caused him to go and get checked out by a doctor.

‘Oh my God, yes,’ Cassidy replied. The actor said he was diagnosed about two-and-a-half years ago.

During the interview set to air Wednesday, Cassidy also discusses his current relationship with his family and his fear of being a burden to them. 

His mother, the actress Evelyn Ward, struggled with dementia until her death at 89 in 2012. 

DAVID CASSIDY’S LIFE IN SHOW BUSINESS

David Cassidy is a retired actor and musician best known for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970's musical-sitcom The Partridge Family

David Cassidy is a retired actor and musician best known for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970’s musical-sitcom The Partridge Family

David Cassidy is a retired actor and musician best known for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970’s musical-sitcom The Partridge Family. 

The 67-year-old was born in New York City to the singer and actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward, but because of his parents fame, he spent his childhood being raised by his grandparents in West Orange, New Jersey. 

He had so little contact with his parents, in fact, that he had to find out from a neighbor in 1956 that the couple had been divorced for more than two years, but never told him. 

Jack Cassidy later that year remarried signer and actress Shirley Jones, and later David’s three brothers were born – Sean in 1958, Patrick in 1962 and Ryan in 1955. He moved in with that half of the family in 1968 once he’d received his high-school diploma and worked a part-time job while he tried to break into show business. 

Within a year he had signed with Universal Studios and moved to Los Angeles after appearing on Broadway in 1969. He starred in the show The Fig Leaves are falling, which closed after four shows. 

But a casting director who saw the show liked Cassidy, and asked him to do a screen test.   

He then played a series of small roles in shows such as Ironside, Adam-12 and Bonanza before taking his first lead role as Keith Partridge.

Partridge signed with Universal Studios and moved to Los Angeles in 1969. After playing a series of small roles he eventually landed his first major job as Keith Partridge (pictured). Eventually he convinced the music producer to allow him to be the lead vocal for the musical-sitcom 

Partridge signed with Universal Studios and moved to Los Angeles in 1969. After playing a series of small roles he eventually landed his first major job as Keith Partridge (pictured). Eventually he convinced the music producer to allow him to be the lead vocal for the musical-sitcom 

He later broke out and started working on solo albums. Cherish was his first single, and it reached number nine in the United States, number two in the UK and number one in Australia and New Zeland

He later broke out and started working on solo albums. Cherish was his first single, and it reached number nine in the United States, number two in the UK and number one in Australia and New Zeland

In the show his mother, Shirley Partridge, was portrayed by his actual stepmother Shirley Jones. 

Though he was cast by producers who didn’t care if he could sing, shortly into production he convinced them to make him lead singer for the series’ recordings. 

‘I Think I Love You,’ became a quick hit, allowing Cassidy to break out and start working on solo albums. He produced his first single, Cherish, later that year, which reached number nine in the United States, number two in the UK and number one in Australia and New Zealand. 

At the time he wanted to be a rockstar, but eventually settled on teen idol.

In 1972 Cassidy sold out two 56,000 person shows at the Houston Astrodome in Texas, and sold out Madison Square Garden in one day, causing riots. 

In 1974 he stopped touring and acting in the Partridge Family and decided to concentrate on recording and songwriting. He released three well-received solo albums with RCA in 1975 and 1976. 

Despite being successful and highly paid, in 1980 he admitted to being broke, and he took small roles here and there in Broadway productions and television shows for a number of years. 

Years later in 2011 he was a contestant on the Celebrity Apprentice, and was the first to be fired. Since then he’s been had a regular touring schedule, appearing in concerts across the US and UK.  

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