‘The Partridge Family’ Star David Cassidy Dies At 67

David Cassidy has died at the age of 67, his family told Access Hollywood in a statement.

“On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David Cassidy,” his family shared in a statement on Tuesday. “David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years.”

David was best known for his role as Keith Partridge on “The Partridge Family.”

Over the past week, David has been hospitalized and in intensive care in Florida battling organ failure. His rep told Access Hollywood on Sunday that without a liver transplant, his prognosis was grim. 

In February 2017, David put his music tour on hold after revealing that he was suffering from dementia. His mother and grandfather both suffered from the same disease.

David had both a prolific and wide-ranging acting and music career through the years. His parents were also in the business, his father being actor Jack Cassidy and mother actress Evelyn Ward. 

His father helped him launch his acting and music career and his early works included, “Marcus Welby M.D.,” “Bonanza,” Adam-12″ and “Ironside.”

In 1970, David snagged the role of Keith Partridge, by far his most beloved role. He rose to fame on “The Partridge Family” and became a teen heartthrob in the 1970s with his boyish good looks, long hair and happy grin. The popular series ran for four seasons and also helped him grow his pop music career with his hit single, “I Think I Love You,” “Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted” and “I’ll Meet You Halfway.” 

David later launched a solo career and recorded dozens of hits. In the 1980s he released the single “The Last Kiss” with backing vocals from George Michael, and led to a massive tour in Europe for David. 

Outside of work, David had many ups and downs with his relationships. He married Kay Lenz in 1977, but they later divorced. His second wife was Meryl Tanz, a horse breeder. They married in 1984 but divorced shortly after. He had daughter, actress Katie Cassidy, in 1986, from a relationship with Sherry Williams Benedon, and a son, Beau, with third wife Sue Shifrin, in 1991. He and Shifrin divorced in February 2014.  

David’s life was wrought with challenges from the start. In an interview with Access Hollywood, David opened up about his struggles with alcohol, his difficult relationship with his father, actor Jack Cassidy, and trying to find fame again after the end of “The Partridge Family.” 

WATCH: David Cassidy: Inside His Rise & Fall From Pop Stardom

David described his existence as a young star as “lonely” saying that he had millions of fans who loved him, but he could never go out and lead a normal life. The more his fame grew, the more strained his relationship became with his father. 

“That became the difficulty of being so loved by all these people. The person I cared most about connecting with was distanced from me,” David told Access Hollywood. “I always felt like I was this close to having him cut me completely out of his life. The more successful and more famous I became, the more difficult it became for my father to accept me and to love me and to feel close with me. I think he felt jealous and competitive in some ways. “

David turned to alcohol and went through a very difficult time following the end of his hit show in 1974 and the death of his father. 

“There was some real dark years for me. I didn’t feel like I could find a real career again.” 

Despite the dark times, his work will live on as some of the most prolific in both music and television. 

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Former ‘Partridge Family’ Star David Cassidy Reveals Battle With Dementia (Getty Images)

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