David Cassidy, at two different points of his career.
The late actor and singer David Cassidy — who became one of the leading teen idols of the ’70s as Keith Partridge on the TV show “The Partridge Family,” and with hit singles recorded both with The Partridge Family and as a solo artist — will be honored with a series of events in the town in which he spent much of his childhood, West Orange, July 30-31.
These events will include the installation of a historical marker in Cassidy’s honor at Colgate Park, where he played Little League baseball, and the co-naming of Elm Street, where Cassidy lived with his grandparents, as David Cassidy Way. Attendees will include Cassidy’s daughter, Katie Cassidy — an actress who has appeared in “Gossip Girl,” “Supernatural” and many other TV shows and films — and his son Beau, a songwriter.
The cover of David Cassidy’s 1972 album, “Cherish.”
Cassidy — who lived in West Orange in the 1950s and early 1960s, and started to develop his singing in the choir at West Orange’s Holy Trinity Episcopal Church — died in 2017, at the age of 67. “These prestigious recognitions will forever memorialize David Cassidy’s dynamic legacy and his popular talent, which at one point in his career garnered a fan club that surpassed that of Elvis and The Beatles,” said West Orange mayor Susan McCartney, in a press release.
“The Partridge Family” ran on ABC television from 1970 to 1974. Their most popular single, “I Think I Love You,” was a No. 1 hit and led to a Grammy nomination in the Best New Artist category.
The July 30-31 events are being coordinated by the Township of West Orange, The Downtown West Orange Alliance, and Cassidy fans Karen Ranieri and Barb Collentine, who organized a “David Cassidy Historical Marker 2-day Event” GoFundMe campaign.
Here is the schedule of events:
July 30, 10 a.m.: Dedication ceremony at Colgate Park at Cherry Street and Franklin Avenue.
July 30, 5:30 p.m. at The Highlawn: Gala dinner including a discussion of Cassidy and The Partridge Family by Johnny Ray Miller, author of the 2016 book, “When We’re Singin’: The Partridge Family and Their Music.”
July 31, 8:30 a.m.: Bus tour of sites significant to Cassidy’s childhood, plus a tour of the Thomas Edison laboratory complex.
July 31, 1:15 p.m. at West Orange Elks Lodge: Slideshow and question-and-answer session with photographer Henry Diltz, who has photographed Cassidy and countless other pop and rock stars, including Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson.
July 31, 5 p.m.: ’70s Dance Party on Franklin Street (in front of Washington Elementary School).
For information, email Ranieri and Collentine at davidcassidytributewalk@gmail.com or join the David Cassidy West Orange Historical Marker Facebook group.
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