A Love Story, A Family, and a Stage That Changed Everything
I still remember the moment it all began—complicated, unexpected, and somehow inevitable. I was up in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, working on a film. Back then, movies took months to make, and I was there for what felt like forever—six, maybe nine months. That’s when he told me, “You’re married.” And he said, “I know… but I’m getting a divorce.”
Every single day, he called me. Those calls became a rhythm, something I began to depend on. Then one day, he said it—“I’m divorced.” I could hardly believe it. And then came the promise: “As soon as you get back, we’ll get married.”
When I finally returned, life seemed to move quickly. We both joined a show together on the Harvard campus—a small theater production, but a meaningful one. I can’t even recall the name of the play now, but I’ll never forget what happened there. In the middle of that experience, he turned to me and said, “We’re going to get married here.” And we did. We had a matinee performance that day, got married afterward, and then went right back to perform again that evening. It was chaotic, beautiful, and deeply romantic—two people in love, doing what they loved, side by side.
But life, as always, wasn’t that simple.
He had a son—David. And I remember the day of our wedding, when the phone rang. His ex-wife called, upset, worried, and hurting. David was struggling, and she blamed the situation, understandably so. Looking back, I think that moment—and everything surrounding it—left a lasting impact on him.
David was such a sensitive boy. Deeply emotional, perceptive. And in many ways, his father wasn’t always there for him. He was young, constantly on the road, living a fast life. In truth, he ended up being more present for our younger sons than he ever had been for David. That imbalance… I think it affected him more than anyone realized.
And yet, when we worked together on The Partridge Family, none of that pain showed in the way he treated me. He was wonderful—kind, professional, and so talented. I adored him. Truly. He was also incredibly sweet with his younger brothers, always gentle and caring.
What’s funny is how it all came together. I had already been cast in The Partridge Family when the producers approached me and asked, “How would you feel about your stepson, David Cassidy, being in the show?” I said, “Why not? He’d be perfect.” He had already done Broadway, worked with his father, and he could sing beautifully. I believed in him completely.
The day he came in for the screen test, I happened to be on set. He turned around, saw me, and said, “What are you doing here?” And I smiled and told him, “I’m your mama.” His face—shock, disbelief—“No!” he said. And I laughed, “Yes.” I told him, “You’re going to be great.”
And he was.
That moment didn’t just shape a television show—it shaped our lives. We became a family, not just on screen, but in a complicated, imperfect, and deeply human way. And through it all, there was love—messy, unexpected, but very real.