In Search of The Partridge Family, Episode 1: “Come on Get Happy!”

Back when I was a whole lot younger, there was a show on TV called The Partridge Family. The show revolved around a musical family – the Partridges – and their trials and tribulations, both on the road and at home. Shirley Jones starred as the ever-understanding yet hip Mom, and the cast included Susan Dey as the sweet but feisty Laurie, David Cassidy as the unwittingly sexy Keith, and Danny Bonaduce as the impishly adorable Danny. Dey went on to make a name for herself in television, starring in L.A. Law among other things; Cassidy became a real-life teen heartthrob; and Bonaduce, well, let’s just say he had some problems dealing with the after-effects of too much, too soon (in fact, you can see some of what he went through in RNO Editor David Bloomberg’s review of Bonaduce’s autobiography, Random Acts of Badness, a couple years ago).

Now, some 30+ years later, Danny Bonaduce has apparently turned his life around, and is back to host In Search of the Partridge Family, VH1’s latest reality/talent show that will ultimately select a cast for their revival of this TV classic. Imagine, an entirely new generation will finally have the chance to experience the joys of this show. Or so it seems! What it looks like, to me at least, is a low budget American Idol or Star Search with a little different hook. Hey, I love TV talent shows so, who better than to cover this one than me, right?

The show starts out with a variety of Partridge Family wannabes introducing themselves as “Keith,” “Laurie,” and “Danny.” The little “Dannys” are shown in mug shots, just in case we have forgotten the real Danny’s rather embarrassing brushes with the laws.

As is the custom on all TV talent shows, we must start at the beginning, which, as we all know, are the auditions, which were actually held in Orlando, New York, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles in July. They’ve hauled out the “Come on Get Happy” theme music and opening video of the family’s cool painted bus. Danny calls out, “Let’s open up those doors,” and we are off to the races. People have come from all over the country to give it a shot, and the promise of fame and fortune lures real-life mothers and daughters, as well as siblings who show us a bit of “sibling rivalry.” Before we meet these “Partridge wannabes,” however, we must revisit the original cast.

“America first fell in love with the Partridge family back in 1970,” Danny tells us in a voiceover. “The show centered on a widow who formed a band with her kids and traveled the country in a psychedelic school bus. The story was loosely based on the Cowsills, a real singing family from the ‘70s.” Danny credits the show with setting the tone and style for the ‘70s, and the show spawned a couple of hits, including “Come on Get Happy” and “I Think I Love You.” Ugh! Sorry, it’s just that I was listening to the Doors and Rolling Stones during this period and had very little tolerance for these tunes! But hey, it’s a new day.

We are treated to a “quick trip down memory lane,” and view a couple of clips of the originals as well as some of their album covers. Overnight, we are told, Susan Dey became a star and Danny became the most famous pre-teen troublemaker on television. Shirley Jones “broke the Donna Reed, married housewife tradition, and TV moms were never the same again.” Shirley tells us that she was the first working mother on TV. But it was David Cassidy, Shirley’s real-life stepson, who became a bonafide teen idol, causing young women to run, screaming down the street. Shirley tells us the producers were shocked at the David-mania. Young girls from the past (now in their 40s!) tell us David has “cute eyes.” We see a quick shot of David today, and Shirley tells us that “poor David” had to hide in his dressing room. “Amazingly,” Danny tells us, “The Partridge Family sold 25 million records.” That is amazing. We see a variety of “Partridge Paraphernalia,” and Danny tells us that, “You haven’t lived until your head is on a game piece!”

We meet some of the hopefuls who are lined up to audition. One kid has perfect Keith hair and another has dyed his hair red. One girl’s mother thinks she looks like Laurie. Shirley says that they want the people to be able to sing, act, and play an instrument.

Danny introduces Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein, who are responsible for writing the pilot of the new Partridge Family, and the casting director, “Emmy winner” Mary Jo Slater. The series’ music director is Tim Palmer and Carrie Ann Inaba is in charge of choreography. Danny tells us that to be a Partridge you have to be a “triple threat” – you have to look like a Partridge, sing, and act. Where have we heard that phrase before?

There is a quick thumbnail of some of the auditions. Participants must sing a song from the “Partridge” era, and, surprise, surprise, some are good and some aren’t! One woman in a retro, checked suit does a horrific version of Cher’s “Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves.” After the singing phase, the participants must endure a screen test or acting audition. One judge tells us that William Shatner would make a better Shirley than some of those who auditioned!

Bill Oakley reminds us that David Cassidy was the biggest-earning rock star in the ‘70s and the sex symbol of the time. We see a clip of David, and then some of the contestants talk about how they felt about watching David’s character. One guy describes him as “charming.”

The auditions are on, and we move quickly through a series of young men who really want to be Keith. A lot of these guys have “Keith” hair, but others just try to use their voices! We only get snippets of the performances, though, thus sparing us hours of torment! Several of the contestants have a chance to appear on camera, and one mother/son duo has an interesting story. Mom (Krissy Todd) gave her son (Leland Grant) up for adoption at birth, but he decided to find his birth parents, and finally met her last year. She auditioned for the show in Orlando, and urged her son to do the same in L.A. Now they are auditioning for the roles of mother and son on the show. Isn’t that special! Shirley jumps in at this juncture and tells us that she and stepson David didn’t have much of a relationship until the show but that, in working together, they got to know one another and they have been close ever since. David tells us he hated the audition process but liked doing the screen test.