Celebrity Watch!: 11/21/17

David Cassidy, the star of "The Partridge Family" who morphed into a wildly popular 1970s teen heartthrob, died Tuesday in a Florida hospital where he was hospitalized for organ failure, People reported. He was 67.

The singer was rushed to a Florida hospital earlier this week, a representative said.

Cassidy was said to have been in failing health for about two months, suffering kidney failure an need for a liver transplant. Earlier this year, Cassidy announced he was in the earliest stages of dementia after a public stumble sparked speculation he was abusing alcohol again.

Cassidy was best known for his role of Keith Partridge on the 1970s sitcom "The Partridge Family," which aired from 1970-1974 and continues in reruns on channels including WPIX sister network Antenna TV.

Cassidy was being treated at a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, area hospital, longtime publicist Jo-Ann Geffen told CNN on Saturday.

"He is conscious and surrounded by family and friends, nothing is imminent and we are taking it day by day," Geffen had said ten..

She did not say what caused the organ failure.

Cassidy, 67, told People magazine earlier this year he was battling dementia.

A '70s superstar

"The Partridge Family," a sitcom about a mother and five children who formed a rock 'n' roll band, gave Cassidy a national audience for his music. Cassidy, who played Keith Partridge on the show, captured the spirit of 1970s youth. The show was inspired by a real-life family rock group called The Cowsills.

His wispy voice and wholesome persona broke out from the small screen. At the time, his fan club reportedly was bigger than those of Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

The singer toured the world singing his hit songs, such as "I Think I Love You," filling concert halls with screaming teenage girls.

Health problems

Cassidy has spoken publicly in recent years about his struggles with alcohol. He was arrested for driving under the influence on three separate occasions during a four-year span between 2010 and 2014.

Cassidy, in an interview with CNN in 2014, said his trouble with alcohol was "very humbling and it's also humiliating."

He told People magazine earlier this year that he is battling dementia. He said dementia runs in his family, affecting both his grandfather and his mother.

"I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming," he said to People, regarding the disease.

Cassidy was the stepson of actress and fellow "Partridge Family" star Shirley Jones. His father was actor Jack Cassidy, a star of TV, stage and screen who died in a fire in his West Hollywood apartment in December 1976, at age 49.

Reports of Cassidy's hospitalization prompted a flood of supportive comments on social media.

His half-brother Shaun Cassidy, also a former actor and singer and now a TV producer, tweeted Wednesday afternoon, "Thank you for all your love and good wishes for David. It means the world to all of us."

The Associated Press and CNN contributed to this report

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David Cassidy, the teen idol who soared to fame as the embodiment of 1970s youth in his role on "The Partridge Family," has died. He was 67 years old.

Cassidy's family said in a statement Tuesday night that "David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long."

The death came after a close family friend said on Nov. 18 that Cassidy had been hospitalized for organ failure and needed a liver transplant.

Cassidy played the wholesome Keith Partridge on "The Partridge Family," a sitcom about a widowed mother and five children who formed a bubblegum pop band. The popular show catapulted Cassidy to heartthrob status, and he toured the world to sing hits from it such as "I Think I Love You" before throngs of teen girls.

After serving as lead vocalist for multiple albums for the show, which aired for four seasons, Cassidy had a wildly successful breakout singing career on his own. His appearances garnered so much hysteria, media at the time referred to it as "Cassidymania."

Cassidy was born into the entertainment industry that made him a star.

His father was famed actor and singer Jack Cassidy, and his mother was actress Evelyn Ward.

After his parents split in 1956, the elder Cassidy married actress and singer Shirley Jones the same year.

Cassidy moved in with his father, Jones and his three half-brothers after getting his high school diploma in 1968. His father helped him launch his career as an actor and musician.

His early work included appearances on "Ironside," "Marcus Welby, M.D.," "Adam-12" and "Bonanza."

In 1970, Cassidy began playing the role of Keith Partridge on the musical sitcom "The Partridge Family." His stepmother, Jones, portrayed his mother, a widow with five children.

The popular ABC series ran for four years and also had a successful run in syndication.