Shaun Cassidy biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Singer, actor, writer, producer. Born on September 27, 1958, in Los Angeles, California. A teen heartthrob during the 1970s, Shaun Cassidy has built a second career for himself behind the cameras. He was born into a show business family - his father Jack Cassidy and his mother Shirley Jones both had successful singing and acting careers.

Following his parents' footsteps, Cassidy became a singer at a young age. He started his first band when he was 11 and signed a record deal in 1975. The following year, Cassidy had a hit in Europe with "Morning Girl." His next single, "That's Rock 'n' Roll" was another hit overseas. Soon he was on his way to stardom as a teen idol - much like the success that his older half-brother David Cassidy had enjoyed earlier in the decade.

That same year, however, Cassidy's life was struck by tragedy. His father died in a fire at his Hollywood apartment on December 12, 1976. (His parents had divorced in 1975.) "The biggest disappointment in my life was that my father never got to hear me perform," Cassidy later told People magazine.

With 1977's "Da Do Ron Ron," Cassidy scored his first U.S. hit and developed quite a following with young teenage girls. He also landed a leading role on the television show The Hardy Boys Mysteries opposite Parker Stevenson. The two actors played Joe and Frank Hardy, the two teenage sons of an investigator who often acted as junior detectives themselves.

Teen Heartthrob Status

During this time, Cassidy became a huge pop star. His first two albums - Shaun Cassidy and Born Late - sold more than 5 million copies. His likeness appeared on countless other products, such as lunch boxes and posters, generating even more income for this teenage performer. At his concerts, Cassidy was often mobbed by adoring fans. He seemed to be able to keep all of this success in perspective despite his young age. "I've been around show business a long time and I know it's ephemeral. It's Disneyland. It's not the real world," he told People magazine in 1978.

By the end of the decade, Cassidy's music career was on the decline. He worked with producer Todd Rundgren on 1980's Wasp, which was his attempt at more serious rock sound. For the recording, Cassidy sang several cover versions of hits by other artists, such as David Bowie's "Rebel Rebel." The music buying public, however, was not interested.

Acting Roles

The Hardy Boys Mysteries was cancelled in 1979, but Cassidy quickly returned with Breaking Away, a sitcom based on the 1979 hit film about a cycling fanatic and his friends.