Former Teen Idol Shaun Cassidy Deeply Struggled After He Retired From The Spotlight

Sep 28, 2023

Shaun Cassidy is a former teen idol who used to dazzle fans with his amazing love songs in the 1970s. The star's 1977 song, "Da Doo Ron Ron," shot him to stardom, and he went on to appear in some minor screen roles like "The Hardy Boys" and others. His presence on the cover of Tiger Beat for nearly two years drove scores of young girls into a frenzy with his charismatic persona. 

Shaun enjoyed his years as a teenage idol with vast attention in his career. However, after he stopped being in the spotlight, he witnessed his older brother, David Cassidy, struggle with alcohol addiction before his death. Watching David's struggle impacted Shaun, prompting him to be cautious with his own life. Shaun shared his experience while speaking with Page Six in December 2021 and gave more insight into his life after leaving the spotlight.

Shaun came from a showbiz family, with his father, Jack Cassidy, and his mother, Shirley Jones, film and stage stars. Jack Cassidy had his first son, David Cassidy, with his former wife, Evelyn Ward. He later married Jones and had Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan. David was Shaun's eldest half-brother and pursued a career as an actor, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was famously known for his role as Keith Partridge in "The Partridge Family" in the 1970s. 

Per Oprah, Shaun looked back at his teenage fame and shared that it was a combination of thrilling, exhilarating, and terrifying experiences. The star then expressed his gratitude for his fans' support. He shared that there was a "special connection with someone if you're their first record or their first concert." He also explained that he could see "a 9-year-old emerge" in the eyes of a 42-year-old woman when they walked up to him.

Aside from expressing his appreciation for his fans, Shaun also credited his family for helping him through stardom since they were stars, too. Shaun's mother was 24 when she won an Academy Award. Shaun stated:

"So if I had any questions about how to manage something or if I was afraid of something or didn't quite know where to turn, they were there."

He continued that although his parents were stars, they never pressured him to go into showbiz and even "hoped that we wouldn't be in it." Shaun explained that after his older brother, David, went into show business, he and his younger brothers felt pressured, too. However, he was able to find another path in writing television shows and being a producer, which he has been doing for over two decades.

The "Hey There Lonely Girl" singer has been married three times. On Dec. 1, 1979, Shaun got married to Ann Pennington, with whom he had two children before their divorce on July 4, 1993. The former child star tied the knot with Susan Diol on May 7, 1995, and had one child together before divorcing on March 1, 2003. 

Shaun is married to Tracey Lynne Turner, whom he exchanged vows with on Aug. 28, 2004. They also have four children: Caleb Turner Cassidy, Roan Howard Cassidy, Lila Tracey Cassidy, and Mairin Cassidy. 

As reported by Oprah, the star revealed that his family was the most important thing he has achieved and that they were his dreams. He added, "They are the realization of my dream."

The "That's Rock 'n' Roll" singer shared with Page Six how he witnessed David struggle with alcoholism. He shared that he had seen it with other families, and "It’s so painful and nobody really has the right rulebook on how to manage it.” David passed away in 2017 from kidney and liver failure after struggling with alcoholism for years. 

Shaun also revealed that David had a different upbringing from him and his siblings. He shared that his experience with their father was different, and he also had a different mother and experience in his career. He continued:

"I loved and adored him and he was as funny a guy as you’ll ever meet. We did a Broadway show called ‘Blood Brothers’ together for a year and it was great working with him and very cathartic because we both felt connected to our dad.”

David realized he was struggling with dementia and substance abuse issues in the later years of his life. In 2012, after witnessing how severe his mother's dementia was, David raised awareness about dementia and Alzheimer's. He shared with the Guardian at the time, "Caregivers are my heroes now and I want to do my part to help.” 

Before he died in 2017, David revealed to People that he just wanted to be happy and have a great life. He also expressed his gratitude to those who supported him. He shared:

"Truly. To be that connected and supportive of someone it’s a very beautiful and emotional thing for me… everything, it has more meaning.”  

Shaun had to witness the disheartening struggle of David with alcoholism, and he channeled the pain into living a less complicated life. He is no longer a teen star but thrives in his career as a producer. 

Isn't it heartwarming to see Shaun Cassidy progressing in his chosen field despite letting go of stardom? What are your thoughts on his life away from what he was known for? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to other Shaun Cassidy fans.