SYNOPSIS

Based loosely on the experiences of the real-life pop recording group, The Cowsills, Oscar-winner Shirley Jones and her stepson, David Cassidy, starred in this situation comedy about a family that made it big in the music business.

Shirley Partridge was just another widowed suburban mother with a houseful of kids, until one day the kids asked her to take part in an recording session they were holding in the garage - they needed another singer! The song they were recording was "I Think I Love You," and to everyone's surprise, they sold it to a record company. The song became a smash hit and the Partridge Family was soon off in a wildly painted old school bus to perform concerts around the country. The stories revolved around their exploits on the road and in their California hometown.

Besides Shirley and 16-year-old Keith, the band consisted of: Laurie (15); Danny (10), the freckle-faced con man of the family; Christopher (7) and Tracy (5). Reuben Kincaid was their fast-talking, child-despising agent. During the 1973-74 season, a neighbor's son, 4-year-old Ricky, joined the cast and sang as well. Simone was the family dog.

The Partridges' were heavily promoted in the real-life music industry and they caught on with several hit singles, including "I Think I Love You," which sold four million copies, as well as albums. David Cassidy became a teenage heart throb and also did very well as a solo act. Unlike the Monkees, the Partridges' were a little bit different in their make up - none of them were professional musicians and the backgrounds on their songs were in fact done by professional studio musicians with Shirley and David providing the only vocals from the "group"! Their success was as unbelievable on the record charts as on TV.

An animated Saturday morning sequel, The Partridge Family, 2200 A.D., ran on ABC from September 1974 to September 1975.