David Cassidy’s peak may have been in the 1970s, but his death struck a chord with fans around the world, including many celebrities who grew up on his music.
The former teen heartthrob died Tuesday after being admitted to a Fort Lauderdale, Florida-area hospital and suffering organ failure, according to his publicist, Jo-Ann Geffen.
The singer was 67. He rose to fame playing Keith Partridge on the 1970s sitcom “The Partridge Family.”
Some famous fans took to Twitter in tribute to Cassidy.
Danny Bonaduce, his onscreen brother from “The Partridge Family,” said, “I have known, loved, and admired David Cassidy for 48 out of my 58 years. … This loss is huge.”
Shaun Cassidy, David’s half-brother who had a successful entertainment career of his own, tweeted a story and photo from their childhood together.
“Very hard to #GetHappy right now,” “Star Wars” star Mark Hamill tweeted Wednesday along with a photo of him and Cassidy. “My condolences to his family, loved ones & the millions who idolized him around the world. #RIPDavidCassidy.”
Wilson Phillips singer Carnie Wilson called Cassidy “one of my first TV crushes.”
” #DavidCassidy has passed away,” she wrote. “It’s terribly sad. My love goes out to his family…especially his brother Ryan, my friend. Love you.”
Her father, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, recalled hanging out with Cassidy in the mid-’70s and trying to write a song together. He called the singer “a very talented and nice person.”
Other former teen heartthrobs, including Rick Springfield, also offered their condolences.
Cassidy counted among his admirers everyone from journalist Katie Couric to director Kevin Smith.
“I grew up in an era before even cable TV, when ‘The Partridge Family’ was already in reruns,” Smith tweeted. “David Cassidy’s Keith was one of my favorite TV characters. He was legit funny AND he could sing. The man entertained me during my childhood and even years later.”