A lot. We already know two Wizard of Oz stars had small roles, and we know the legendary Johnny Cash played a gig with the family. But, did you know that two of the three Charlie’s Angels, one of the decade’s most popular shows celebrating sexy supermodels playing secret agents, made an appearance? Angels Cheryl Ladd and Farrah Fawcett stopped by.
Mark Hamill, the beloved Luke Skywalker, also guest-starred. There’s a long list of famous visitors including Jodie Foster, Howard Cosell, Rob Reiner, the late Louis Gossett Jr., Maureen Reagan (Ronald Reagan’s daughter), and Dick Clark (king of the charts).
David Cassidy Would Rather Be Rockin’
After the Rolling Stone exposé went over with little consequence, besides losing Coca-Cola and a getting a few execs uptight, Cassidy realized he was stuck with the TV show commitment. Letting it all hang out, the teen idol could have lost his job at ABC, and it would have been a break for him.
He barely had time to keep up with his schedule between playing sold-out stadiums on worldwide tours and taping episodes at home. And, frankly, he preferred a rock star image to a goody-two-shoes family entertainer. When he didn’t sign for season five, the show was over. There was no way he could keep up his recording and touring schedule, it had already been taking a toll on his health. Something had to give.
Susan Dey Wants Nothing to Do with Cast Reunions
Susan Dey, the actress who brought us, Laurie Partridge, has no interest in participating in cast reunions. When Shirley Jones was asked about it, she explained, “[Susan] and David had grown apart, and nowadays they are completely out of touch, which hurts David tremendously.”
Jones went on to say, “I was also hurt that out of everyone on the show, only Susan consistently refuses to take part in any TV reunions of The Partridge Family.” One can only hope that she’ll have a change of heart and join her former cast once again!
The Mystery of the Partridge Family Tour Bus
Each week, alongside songful, cheerful pleas, entreating us all to “get happy,” was that bus—that wonderful, colorful, iconic Partridge Family bus. It was the happiest thing on TV. At the C’mon Get Happy fansite, extensive research found that the bus was parked behind Lucy’s Tacos near USC for years, that is, until 1987 when the restaurant resurfaced their parking lot. There are several "copy-cats", so don’t be fooled. The original bus was a 1955 Chevrolet 6500 Superior.
The studio bought it from an Orange County, California school district for $500. The only problem is, a credible rumor says the Partridge Family bus was never parked behind Lucy’s Tacos. That one, a Chevy enthusiast claims, was a look-a-like replication. The bus behind Lucy’s was a 1957 Chevrolet tribute bus. This means that the fate of the original bus is an absolute mystery.
The Partridge Family Board Game
The TV show was a post-hippie pop sensation. On Friday nights Americans flocked to ABC. Day in and day out, Partridge Family hit songs played on the radio. People were wild about the happy TV family. Merchandise like lunchboxes, toys, and bubblegum trading cars pictured the cast members’ likeness.
There was a comic book series based on the TV show. There was a futuristic Saturday morning cartoon called Partridge Family 2020 A.D. So, it’s probably no surprise, there was a Partridge Family board game too. The object of the game was to be the first player to get back to the bus. Milton Bradley released the game in 1971. A collector’s item today, no doubt!