What The Cast Of The Partridge Family Looks Like Today

For four groovy seasons, viewers tuned in to "come on, get happy" with "The Partridge Family," the classic sitcom about a family pop band. Mom Shirley Partridge and her brood of five dealt with both the headaches of show business and relatable family issues such as teen crushes, school woes, and new braces. To the delight of many a teen girl, the show also featured one of the most iconic heartthrobs of the '70s: David Cassidy, the real-life stepson of TV mom Shirley Jones. 

"The Partridge Family" was paired with "The Brady Bunch" on ABC for a popular Friday-night lineup. However, just as "The Brady Bunch" was supposedly jinxed by the addition of Cousin Oliver, the network's decision to shift "Partridge Family" to Saturdays spelled the beginning of the end. The clean-cut Partridges were now up against the blue-collar Bunkers of "All in the Family," and America was ready for sitcoms that were more controversial than corny. Even if the timeslot hadn't changed, Cassidy intended to leave and expand his music career beyond bubblegum pop. 

Sadly, a number of cast members have left us since the show ended in 1974. Cassidy died in 2017, reportedly of complications related to alcoholism. Dave Madden, who played manager Reuben Kincaid, passed on in 2014, and Suzanne Crough, who played little sister Tracy Partridge, died the following year.

Other core members of the "Family" are still with us. Some are still active in the industry, while others have retired or moved on to other interests. Let's take a look at where they are today. (We won't blame you for humming "I Think I Love You" as you read this.)

Shirley Jones was already a star by the time she signed on to "The Partridge Family." Named after Shirley Temple, the Oscar-winning actress and singer was best known for her movie musicals, including "Oklahoma!" and "The Music Man," though she won her Academy Award for the film "Elmer Gantry." 

Following the cancellation of "The Partridge Family," Jones continued acting in a steady string of film and TV appearances, including "General Hospital" and "Hot in Cleveland." Widowed since 2015, she lives in California, near her son, singer Shaun Cassidy. In 2025, he honored her 91st birthday on Instagram: "I've often felt like the sun spins around her."

Middle child Danny Partridge had a knack for getting into trouble — not unlike the actor who played him. Though Danny Bonaduce has made many acting cameos and had success on radio, his personal crises — struggles with drug and alcohol addiction, womanizing, his troubled second marriage, a tussle with notorious "Survivor" villain Jonny Fairplay — have tended to overshadow his work.

After becoming sober, Bonaduce remarried and led a far more low-key life in Seattle, where he hosted his own radio show. Health issues led to his retirement in 2023, and he moved to Palm Springs, Florida.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Susan Dey had never acted before being cast as teen daughter Laurie Partridge, but her natural charm soon made her a bona fide star. Yet fame also brought with it personal demons, including alcohol addiction and an eating disorder.

Once she worked through those issues, Dey was able to revitalize her career with her dynamic portrayal of attorney Grace Van Owen in "L.A. Law." Dey retired from acting in 2004 and now lives in upstate New York with her husband, Bernard Sofronski.

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

The original "Partridge Family" included Jeremy Gelbwaks as the youngest son, Chris Partridge. The young actor's time there was less than happy, though; Danny Bonaduce recalls getting into dust-ups with him. Gelbwaks left the show after the first season, reportedly because his family was leaving California.

Gelbwaks went on to study chemistry at Berkeley College and work in computer services before getting an MBA from Columbia University and going into management consulting. He lives in New Orleans, where he owns an artist management company. In other words, he became a real-life Reuben Kincaid!

Brian Forster, the second Chris Partridge, has quite the pedigree. His parents were both actors, his step-grandfather was Alan Napier (Alfred the butler on the 1960s "Batman" series), and his great-great-great-grandfather was Charles Dickens.

Surprisingly, Forster's post-Partridge years have been spent in various non-acting careers: teaching, race-car driving, and, most recently, working for a wine producer in Sonoma County. In a 2003 interview with cmongethappy.com, Forster admitted, "There's a part of me that really wants to be in show business," but added that he enjoys anonymity more.

Late in the series' run, producers brought in a new cast member: precocious four-year-old neighbor Ricky Stevens, who had musical ambitions of his own. It was a "Cousin Oliver" move that was received just about as well as the "Brady Bunch" character.

Rick Segall, who played Ricky, has enjoyed a long acting career since then, and keeps a sense of humor about his "Partridge" days. When a fan asked him on Instagram if he still keeps in touch with the surviving cast, he quipped, "No. They hate me," adding several ROFL emoji.