Brooks on Books: C'mon Get Happy: Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus" by David Cassidy

My main reaction is sadness. I got really wrapped up in this memoir but felt really...sad after I read it. David Cassidy did not enjoy fame. He was miserable. He had deep-seated trust and insecurity issues relating to shoddy treatment by father Jack Cassidy (a real piece of work just in this narrative alone) and never recovered, succumbing to his demons and dying at 67 without ever finding contentment.

Here are some things you don't get in this book: Any mention of daughter Katie (They apparently reconciled just before his death, but in this 1994 book, she is nowhere to be found even though she was about 10 at that point). You also won't get details on The Partridge Family as a TV show. David talks a little bit about the cast members (Very little about all other than Shirley, Danny, and Susan) and the general production, but his real focus is on his musical career. The show made it all happen, but you don't get notes on specific episodes or anything like that here or info about which directors he favored. Don't come looking for anecdotes about sharing scenes with Richard Pryor, for example.

He was ambivalent at best about the series, which we discussed this season, for many years, but I don't think he is deliberate in snubbing it here. He just saw it as a job. I do believe he was genuine in embracing the series years later and appreciating the love the fans had for it. I just don't think he had all that much to say about it.

Another odd omission is his 1978 NBC series David Cassidy: Man Undercover. OK, that one didn't set the world on fire, but it's strange that the text sets up an explanation and then walks away. Cassidy writes about unretiring from acting, appearing in an acclaimed Police Story episode, and Screen Gems pondering whether or not to take a chance on him with an actual series. And then--nothing! He goes back into talking about finances and his second marriage to actress Kay Lenz. it's like someone came in and just plucked multiple paragraphs right out of the text. I haven't seen anyone else comment on this.

Here is what you do get in the book: Details about his business arrangements and the money he made and was screwed out of. You read about the insane touring schedule. You get a bit about his attempts to guide the musical direction of his career.

He seems honest about early drug use (not so revealing about later substance issues, maybe) and his romantic life. I had no idea that Meredith Baxter was the one that got away.

Some of the stuff he dives into is tremendous. There is a lot about the fan magazines, specifically those spearheaded by publisher Chuck Laufer, who had an empire based on exploitation of teen stardom. Laufer was very calculating, and Cassidy relates a conversation they had about Cassidy's inevitable decline--while Cassidy was still at his peak.

Cassidy's negative attitude about his fame is understandable and does not come off as whiny to me. he was unable to live a normal life due to the fan obsessions, and he wasn't able to enjoy the experience--not just because of the logistics, but because so much of it was out of his artistic control. He grew up as a rock and blues hippie but was molded into a pop idol, and he never felt right in the role. He does seem to have enjoyed performing, though.

The book really rushes after Cassidy leaves the show and retires from acting. He was a huge success overseas and continued to make music, but much of the rest of his life gets short shrift. There's a passing mention of his 1990 comeback hit, "Lyin' to Myself." I would have loved to read more about that. the man got MTV airplay, for crying out loud. Yet the 15 years or so before this book's publication are a blur.

On the podcast, we expressed our confusion about what happened between him and Susan Dey. Years after this book was released, it was said that Dey was irritated by the account of their relationship. however, even in the book itself--maybe it was edited later--Cassidy says he will always treasure her but has no idea why she wants nothing to do with him now. This is after he talks about a massive crush she had on him and how he had been clueless. 

He had treated her as a sister, or maybe more like a pal, telling her all about his life and exploits, never catching on about her feelings until Shirley Jones (who he really seems to admire) clued him in on it. David and Susan had an awkward encounter in which she confessed her love, he didn't feel the same but was afraid to turn her away and hurt her, and nobody ended up happy.

No one gets happy in this book except maybe the Screen Gems executives who made tons of money in the Seventies. It's a sad read. Cassidy does not get into all the details of his decline, but he seems honest enough about his issues that you don't have reason to doubt his accounts. He doesn't seem to have a ton of anger at specific individuals, though he doesn't have great feelings for Don Johnson and Elliot Mintz (!), and he even still seems to care for his dad. Overall, though, it was a rocky life up till 1994.

If you can handle the sadness and even bitterness, then you will be enthralled by his story.

(Apparently, Could It Be Forever?, another Cassidy memoir, is a "sanitized" version of this book. Despite the later publication date, it doesn't seem to be worth getting, but I am not certain of the differences.)

Brooks on Books: It's Not TV...It's HBO by Felix Gillette and John Koblin

This is a great complement to the Tinderbox oral history by James Andrew Miller, a great read that I write about here. I recommend both to anyone interested in the history of HBO. There's a lot of fascinating stuff about the prehistoric HBO days in Miler's book, and its massiveness means more detail in many places.

That said, It's Not TV might be the more enjoyable book. It is a broader view of HBO as a channel and programming source, whereas Tinderbox focuses on HBO as a business. There are other big differences, and maybe the most prominent one is the treatment of Chris Albrecht. The former HBO exec left after strangling a woman in the office, and Miller's book treads quite lightly on that incident and the corporate response (or lack thereof) to it. It's Not TV refers to it frequently, almost relishing in making sure we don't forget it when Albrecht is mentioned, and it also gives significant space and "the last word" of sorts to the victim. I will say that the oral history quotes Albrecht extensively. Just saying.

This one shares one big thing in common with the Miller book: It just isn't as fun after AT&T takes over. The whole HBO story just gets sadder at that point.

One interesting difference in approach is the creation of Nineties original sitcom Dream On. Miller focuses on the creators coming up with the idea but leaves out one of the most fascinating aspects, that Universal forced John Landis to "earn his keep" on the lot by coming up with a way to use that old library footage. This is particularly funny because It's Not TV is more from the ground up in general, while Tinderbox is focused on the suits who ran HBO and everything is usually coming top down.

I think It's Not TV is the more compelling read and the more cohesive one. It makes its points with more precision and with less effort, I feel, but I did enjoy each book. I wish each were more about the earlier days and less about the modern ones, but that's the way it is.

Promo Theatre: Automan and Masquerade on ABC

In this recently uploaded promo, Ernie Anderson tells us about the killer combo of Automan and Masquerade.

We talk about Automan right here.

After Automan, ABC is already trying to sex it up in an effort to promote the failing show. The swimsuits aren't enough. It's already time for a women's prison episode!

Produced by Glen A. Larson, Masquerade premiered in December and was gone by May. A notable cast--Rod Taylor, Greg Evigan, and Kirstie Alley--couldn't elevate the light spy series.

Top Ten #402

1) Benson finale: 40 years ago tonight, Benson and Gatling competed against each other in a race to determine the next governor, and it had an infamous (as infamous as Benson could be!) inconclusive ending.

As much as I wish this was some kind of David Chase situation in which the producers hoped to confound the audience, reports are that ABC asked for a cliffhanger and then canceled the series at the last minute.

2) Sonia Manzano: The former Maria on Sesame Street (last season's Best Show winner at the Battys) was honored this week by the Miami Film Festival.

3) Superman Day: Yesterday we celebrated the Man of Steel. I celebrated by picking up some free stuff at my local comic shop.

You know, I have said Christopher Reeve was "my" Superman back in the day, but that's not the complete story. My "comic book" Superman was that of Curt Swan, and my cartoon Superman was Danny Dark.

4) National Record Store Day: Another event yesterday was this now semiannual celebration of record stores. I popped into one myself but didn't see anything as exciting as this spectacular piece Laurie got me a few years ago:

GENIUS!

5) People Like Us: 50 years ago tonight, NBC aired this unsold pilot with Eugene Roche and Katharine Helmond. It is about a blue-collar family trying to make it. It's produced by Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe of MASH, and it also stars Grant Goodeve!

6) Clyde Kusatsu: The star of Dr. Strange appeared on the MASH Matters podcast, and I want to highlight it because I don't think Clyde Kustatsu makes the media rounds a lot!

7) Larry Holmes vs. Michael Spinks II: 40 years ago tonight, HBO aired this heavyweight championship fight live from Las Vegas. In a rematch from their 1985 bout, Spinks won a split decision to retain the IBF belt, and Holmes was not pleased with the scoring.

8) Billy Idol: Congratulations to the 80s music icon for his announced induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! I hope he greeted the news with a sneer.

9) Crazy About the Movies: Marilyn Monroe: Cinemax was never just Max After Dark. It also showed original documentaries like this one that premiered 40 years ago tonight.

10) R.I.P. Sid Krofft: 

Brooks on Books: My Turn Next by Bil Keane

Ok, this isn't so much a TV book, but since we talked about The Family Circus way back in our first season, the strip is a solid member of the BOTNSverse, and besides, I wrote about Wanna Be Smiled At? before. So why not a look at 1981'a My Turn Next, another paperback collection of Bil Keane's comic?

Note that this book comes to us "with hugs and kisses!" There is plenty of trademark cuteness in this set of panels, originally published in 1977. You see a lot of cute sayings, cute misunderstandings, and generally cute behavior.

However, some of the strips have a bit of an edge. Edge may be a strong word, but at least a bit of bite and certainly some truth. I find some of these are really funny. 

You have to admire when the panel talks a walk on the wild side and gets a bit risque:

Some of my favorite Family Circus sequences are when they go on vacation. My Turn Next! has a series of the Keanes hitting New York City. I love that whenever they go somewhere, the kids end up wearing t-shirts with the name of the destination and waving pennants with the name of the destination...while they're still on vacation! This family loves to travel.

But even a great trip to the Big Apple has its disappointments. Take this one, which really strikes me as funny.

Another thing I love is how often Bil and Thel have blank looks on their faces. The kids are expressive, emotional, often out of control. Yet their parents usually are the picture of impassivity no matter what's going on around them. If life is a Circus, these folks don't seem too excited by it.

These two are almost kind of edgy!

I like the sense of exhaustion in these ones:

And finally, just because, here's an example of a kid driving a parent to do something that will make the kid cry but restore her own sanity,

The MMC Podcast looks at "The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Dynamite"

Early this season, we discussed The Girl, the Gold Watch, & Everything, a 1980 movie that premiered in first-run syndication in 1980. We weren't enamored with it. In fact, though there is a sequel, not only do I know we will not cover it, I'm actually worried I'll never be able to talk Mike into covering any made-for-TV movie on the podcast again.

Don't worry, though, Watchaholics! Friend of the Show Steve Cloutier and his friends at The MMC discuss The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Dynamite in their latest episode. I think they're still Steve's friends even after he suggested that one. Actually, at the beginning and end of the pod, he thanks Mike and I for requesting it. Gracious nod to our podcast or subtle way of shifting blame? I think the former, especially since these folks at the MMC watch this kind of stuff all the time. After all, one of those "M"s stands for "Masochist."

At any rate, I can assure you that Steve is as fun when discussing dreck as he is something like, oh, say, The Rockford Files. The whole crew at least enjoys taking apart the second movie based on the original John D. MacDonald movie. I think.

The movie itself, like the original, is on YouTube. Here's a taste of each one before you head over and listen to the MMC:

Top Ten #401: Special "Can't help but feel let down after 400" Edition!

1) The Partridge Family: This week we presented a lot of pics from that fabled Bronze Age comic: The Partridge Family #4, or as I call it, The David Cassidy Merch Catalog #4.

2) Ed O'Neill: This national treasure turns 80 today!

3) Charlie's Angels: The Paley Center hosted a 50th anniversary salute to the show, and while I was not there, I believe they respectfully avoided using the word "jiggle."

4) Easter specials: In this timeline, sure, we celebrated the holiday a week ago, but 50 years ago tonight, CBS aired reruns of It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown; and Rikki-Tiki-Tavi. As someone who used to go by "Ricky," I heard a lot about that latter special when I was a lad.

5) Mr. and Mrs. Ryan: This Aaron Spelling pilot movie aired this date in 1986. It stars Sharon Stone and Robert Desiderio as--Well, let me quote Lee Goldberg's Unsold Pilots: "A rich Beverly Hills socialite with a cop for a husband. Joseph Mahler is their chaffeur, and if this sounds like Hart to Hart, keep in mind it was made by the same people for the same network."

Here's a clip from the movie:

6) Peabody Award nominations: The bad news is, Battle of the Network Shows was snubbed once again in the podcast category. The good news is, the excellent Pee Wee as Himself documentary was nominated (Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything was as well; I haven't seen that one).

7) A Touch of Scandal: This 1984 TV movie, repeated 40 years ago tonight, stars Angie Dickinson as a "comely council woman" whose campaign for attorney general is rocked by the reveal of photos of her "with a male prostitute who has now turned up dead." Could it be Fred Garvin?

8) Monday Night Baseball: The ABC sports series, moving over from NBC, kicked off 50 years ago tonight as the Yankees faced the Orioles in Memorial Stadium.

9) Family: The Aaron Spelling series (the one he actually thought was good) is back on Tubi for the third time, and I better start watching it again before it vanishes.

10) R.I.P. Robert Butler: The co-creator of Remington Steele was 95. BTW, the series was added to Hallmark Plus recently.