By Catherine J. Barrier
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| David Cassidy in Concert with Danny Bonaduce at the Keswick Theatre, October 23rd |
Dante Daniel Bonaduce, or “Danny” as 94WYSP morning listeners know him, was born in the Greater Philadelphia Area—in Broomall . His father was a veteran TV writer and producer, who later became jealous of his famous son, and Danny got his start in show business at age 2. At 10 years old, after his family had moved to the West Coast, Danny was cast in the role of the precocious, red-haired Danny Partridge, Keith Partridge’s younger brother, who was always “up to something”, often with the family’s manager, Reuben Kincaid, played by Dave Madden (who later became like a surrogate father for Danny Bonaduce). So David and Danny played brothers on The Partridge Family, but their “family kinship” extended beyond the set, and they still remain close. Over the years, they have helped one another, not just professionally but personally. This month, they join each other on stage at the Keswick Theatre for a very special kind of “reunion”.
The Challenge
As the host of 94WYSP’s The Danny Bonaduce Show (airing M-F 5:30 a.m.-9:00 a.m.), Danny has a rule: “Don’t surprise me on my own show,” but David didn’t know that when he was on with Danny on July 21. That morning, David challenged Danny; he dared him to do something that is going to make the upcoming concert at the Keswick Theatre later this month a unique evening indeed.
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| David Cassidy & Danny Bonaduce |
“The challenge was an on-the-spot thing,” said Bonaduce, who has several contract jobs with CBS—and elsewhere. He didn’t need to add anything to his busy schedule, such as learning to play the bass guitar, but David had dared him. “I never played an instrument in my whole life, but all I have to do is learn one song.” Danny is learning to play the bass for this concert but says doing so is harder than he thought it would be.
The Concert
David Cassidy and Danny Bonaduce will appear at the Keswick Theatre, an acoustically superb, renovated 1928 vaudeville house, located at 291 Keswick Avenue, in Glenside , PA
On hand will be David’s band: bass guitarist Frank Fabio, drummer Teri Cole, keyboardist Craig J., and guitarist Matthew “Sully” Sullivan.
“They’re amazing artists in their own right,” said Cassidy. “They teach master classes. We’ve been together 9, almost 10 years, and they’re my friends. They love the music. We have a great time, and we celebrate together with the fans. It really does mean something to them. They’re not just hired musicians.”
David Cassidy Then and Now
While Danny is originally from the Philadelphia
“I love Bucks County !” said David, who lived in New York
“One of my father’s favorite places on the East Coast was Bucks County ,” said Cassidy, who especially remembers the town of New Hope Bucks County —of all around New York and Pennsylvania
These days, family and work still keep David busy. In late September, his wife, Sue Shifrin, had just returned from London , and his son, Beau, had just gotten in from Boston
“Both my children are very talented and have a very good work ethic,” said Cassidy, who stresses to them that the important thing is to do a good job at what they do. “Talent is the only commodity that survives,” Cassidy tells them. “Don’t ever do a job [just] for the money.”
His daughter, Katie, has been doing Gossip Girl in New York
David will soon begin some network TV shooting, and has several upcoming concerts yet this year. He has also been spending more time in the Pennsylvania
“Horses have been my passion for years,” said Cassidy, who breeds and sells horses and now keeps some of his mares in Pennsylvania
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| David Cassidy in Concert |
“One thing age does is make one appreciate more,” said Cassidy. “If year after year of experience and going through personal disappointments, pain, and adversity teach you anything—and I’ve had my share of those—they teach you to appreciate things.”
C’mon Get Happy: Fear And Loathing On The Partridge Family Bus, is Cassidy’s 1994 autobiography in which he writes about his fame and the business side of his early career. A subsequent work, Could It Be Forever?: My Story was published in the
Danny Bonaduce Then and Now
“Most of the cool things in my life are connected to The Partridge Family,” said Bonaduce. “The Partridge Family was a much nicer family than I ever had.”
“I got all these awards for being Danny Partridge,” said Bonaduce. “I just got the right part at the right time.”
Things weren’t easy for Danny after The Partridge Family finished. He had only been making $400 a week for 26 weeks out of a year while on the show. Afterwards, he was out of work for 14 years. “I had no money; I never had any money,” said Bonaduce. Finally, broke and homeless at 28, he moved back to live in his mother’s guest room in Havertown. Soon thereafter, shopping at the King of Prussia Mall, he was stopped by a DJ who recognized him and began to ask him some questions. Impressed by Danny’s answers, the man had Danny meet with his boss, Charlie Quinn, the station’s General Manager, and Danny got hired on the spot. He soon had his first radio show. He’s been in radio ever since.
“Radio’s the real thing,” said Bonaduce, who has also written and hosted several reality shows and authored an autobiography entitled Random Acts of Badness. “I’d never quit radio, and I’ve never missed a show. I’ve only missed 4 days of work in 20 years—and I was in the hospital during those times. I just work. I love to work. Nothing against my fiancée [Amy], but my radio show is the most fun 4 hours of my day.”
“I put a lot of thought into my show,” said Bonaduce, who worked for the same radio company from 1990 through 2007, but who has done the morning show at 94WYSP for the past two years.
“I don’t lie on the radio—ever!” said Bonaduce. “I tell stories for a living, but I don’t endorse things I don’t believe in. The sponsors know it, and my listeners know it.”
Danny has been called the “Employee of the Year” by CBS every year. He constantly does live appearances. While his contract only calls for a handful a year, he did well over 200 last year.
One part of Danny’s morning show is “Life Coach”, a time when people can call up with problems. “I’ve made more mistakes . . . , and assuming that people learn from their mistakes, . . . what I say [advise] may not always be moral, or the best advice to follow, but it will fix the problem,” said Danny.
Danny has a genuine fondness for Philadelphia California
“You have no idea what the Declaration of Independence means to me,” said Bonaduce, who can see Independence Hall from his 24,000 square-foot home in Philadelphia and who lives down the street from Christ Church Independence
“I like the people here [in Philadelphia ] a lot more [than those in Hollywood Hollywood Philadelphia
David Speaks of Danny
“He’s always looked up to me.” Danny didn’t have a very good home life, and one morning during the [Partridge Family] show, Danny showed up with a black eye. “When you see a little boy like that in that state, . . . we had a very close connection.”
“Danny has humor and wit, and he’s brilliant,” said Cassidy. “I’ve always said that. I mean Danny was always the funny guy—even on the show.”
“Danny’s a very good human being; he really is—bright, intelligent, talented,” said Cassidy, who back in the early 1990’s took responsibility for Danny, who had been fired from his job and had been into substance abuse, by calling Danny’s parole officer and arranging to have Danny join him (David) on a concert tour. During that tour, David met with the general manager of a radio station to speak on Danny’s behalf, saying that Danny had been out on tour with him and was brilliant, having opened for David’s concerts with a comedy act. The general manager ended up coming to a show, saw Danny’s performance, and later hired him.
Danny Speaks of David
“David and I have a good relationship,” said Bonaduce. “I don’t go out of my way to book him on my show, but I’m always glad to have him on with me. I’m sometimes afraid of him. When I see David, I still see the old David. He was the important guy on the set. Sometimes I get nervous, star-struck.” Danny remembers the large number of girls always outside the studio, waiting for David. “‘I Think I Love You’ and ‘Let It Be’ came out the same day,” said Bonaduce. “‘Let It Be’ went to #6, but ‘I Think I Love You’ went to #1—and stayed there for 12 weeks or more. David still holds the records for selling out [concerts].”
Both David and Danny Value Their Loyal Fans
“My fans mean everything to me,” said Cassidy. “Without them, once one’s really successful, . . . the only way to survive is to have them be supportive. I’m blessed to have all the things that I have, and I’ve always basically been able to do what I’ve wanted—because of my fans. They’ve done everything for me. I need to do all I can to do good work for them.”
“You don’t eat without the listeners,” said Bonaduce. “I don’t put food on the table without them. I work for them.”
Getting Ready
“When this gig came up at the Keswick, and with Danny back on the radio [in Philadelphia
David explained that Danny had called him up a few days earlier to say that he was, indeed, learning to play the bass—and he even played a bit of the song for David over the phone. “He’s being very diligent about it,” said Cassidy. “It was a little odd, but it was great!”
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| TV "Brothers" and Good Family-Like Friends |
“This is going to be a very special, emotional show for me because of the years [behind its coming about]—and to see Danny actually play [the bass guitar],” said Cassidy. “We share this unique bond, and Danny loves the music; he really does. He’s got a good ear, and he can sing, although his voice is a bit raspy.”
“I hope people come—and the fans especially,” said Cassidy. “I think it’s going to be an incredible show.”
“It’s coming along well,” said Bonaduce. “I’m really doing this for David. I want [the concert] to go well for him, but David doesn’t know what I might do to his show. I haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet.” Danny, whose radio bosses will also attend the concert, indicated he would not be satisfied just to come out and play one song, so what he will actually do is still to be determined.
One thing is certain: this “Partridge Family reunion” is going to be one happy event.
* Photos Courtesy of JAG Entertainment
* Photos Courtesy of JAG Entertainment
© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier. All rights reserved.
FYI: Danny Bonaduce moved to Seattle after WYSP changed its format in August 2011. His Philadelphia house was then put up for sale.
FYI: Danny Bonaduce moved to Seattle after WYSP changed its format in August 2011. His Philadelphia house was then put up for sale.
