Shaun Cassidy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shaun Cassidy
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Cassidy in 1977
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Shaun Paul Cassidy
September 27, 1958 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Education | Beverly Hills High School |
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| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop rock |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros. (U.S.) |
| Associated acts | Utopia |
Shaun Paul Cassidy, born on September 27, 1958, is an American singer, actor, writer, and producer. He has created and produced many TV shows. Some of these include American Gothic, Roar, and Invasion. Cassidy also worked as an executive producer and writer for NBC's medical show New Amsterdam.
While still in high school, Shaun signed a music deal with Warner Bros. Records. This led to several albums, like Shaun Cassidy and Born Late. Around the same time, he starred in the ABC TV series The Hardy Boys Mysteries. He also appeared in Breaking Away and the soap opera General Hospital.
Shaun Cassidy performed on Broadway in the musical Blood Brothers. During this time, he wrote his first TV show pilot, American Gothic. In 2020, Cassidy returned to the stage with his own show, The Magic of a Midnight Sky. Shaun is the oldest son of famous actress Shirley Jones and actor Jack Cassidy. He is also the younger half-brother of singer and actor David Cassidy.
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Early Life and Education
Shaun Cassidy grew up in Los Angeles, California, and New York City. His parents are Shirley Jones and Jack Cassidy. He has an older half-brother, David Cassidy. He also has two younger brothers, Patrick and Ryan Cassidy.
Shaun went to boarding school in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He attended the Solebury School there. Later, he graduated from Beverly Hills High School.
Shaun Cassidy's Career
Becoming a Singer
While still in high school, Shaun Cassidy signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records. He started recording music and quickly had hit songs in many countries. His first solo album, Shaun Cassidy, came out in the U.S. in 1977. This album sold millions of copies.
One of his songs, "Da Doo Ron Ron", became a number-one hit in the U.S. He was even nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Another popular song was "That's Rock 'n' Roll". It reached number 3 on the charts. Shaun's popularity grew even more when his TV show, The Hardy Boys Mysteries, started. He starred in it with Parker Stevenson.
Shaun's next album, Born Late, included the hit song "Hey Deanie". This song reached number 7. He also had a moderate hit with his cover of The Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic?". It peaked at number 31.
By the time his third album, Under Wraps, was released in 1978, his teen-star appeal began to fade. His next album, Room Service, did not make it onto the U.S. music charts. For his last album, Wasp in 1980, Cassidy tried a new musical style. This album was more rock-oriented. It was produced by Todd Rundgren and featured the band Utopia. The album included songs written by Rundgren and Cassidy. It also had cover versions of songs by David Bowie and The Who.
Acting Roles
Shaun Cassidy focused on stage acting during the 1980s and early 1990s. He performed in plays on Broadway and in London's West End. Some of these plays included Mass Appeal and Bus Stop. He also appeared in the American premiere of Pass/Fail in Los Angeles.
Cassidy won an award for his role in Mark Sheriden's Diary of a Hunger Strike. His last stage performance was with his half-brother David. They starred together in the Broadway show Blood Brothers. This show ran successfully for over a year. While working on this play, Cassidy wrote his first TV pilot, American Gothic. This opened the door for him to work with Universal Television.
Writing and Producing TV Shows
Since then, Shaun Cassidy has created, written, and produced many shows. These include shows for both network and cable TV.
- American Gothic (1995–1996), which he produced with Sam Raimi.
- Roar (1997), starring Heath Ledger.
- Cover Me (2000–2001).
- Invasion (2005–2006).
- Ruby & The Rockits (2009), which starred his brothers Patrick and David.
- New Amsterdam (2018–2023) on NBC, starring Ryan Eggold.
In 2021, Cassidy brought his one-man show, The Magic of a Midnight Sky, to the stage. He performed to sold-out crowds across the country. This was his first live music performance in almost forty years.
Personal Life
Shaun Cassidy has been married three times and has eight children. He has a daughter, Caitlin (born 1981), and a son, Jake (born 1985). He also has a stepdaughter, Jessica (born 1970).
He married actress Susan Diol in 1995. They have one daughter, Juliet (born 1998). They divorced in 2003.
Shaun has been married to producer Tracey Lynne Turner since August 28, 2004. They have four children together: Caleb (born 2005), Roan (born 2006), Lila (born 2008), and Mairin (born 2011).
Music Albums
- Shaun Cassidy (1976)
- Born Late (1977)
- Under Wraps (1978)
- Room Service (1979)
- Wasp (1980)
Film and TV Appearances
As an Actor
- 1976: Born of Water
- 1977–79: The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries
- 1979: Like Normal People (TV movie)
- 1980–81: Breaking Away
- 1985: Breakfast With Les & Bess (TV play)
- 1987: General Hospital (regular role)
- 1987: Murder, She Wrote; episode: "Murder in a Minor Key"
- 1988: Once Upon a Texas Train (TV movie)
- 1988: Matlock; episode: "The Investigation"
- 1988: Roots: The Gift (TV movie)
As a Writer
- 1991: Strays (TV movie)
- 1994: Midnight Run for Your Life (TV movie)
- 1995: American Gothic (8 episodes)
- 1997: Roar (5 episodes)
- 1997: Players (TV series) (pilot only)
- 2000: Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family (creator)
- 2001: The Agency (3 episodes)
- 2003: Cold Case
- 2004: The Mountain (2 episodes)
- 2005–06: Invasion (12 episodes)
- 2009: Ruby & the Rockits (2 episodes)
- 2014: Hysteria (pilot)
- 2017: Emerald City (2 episodes)
- 2018–23: New Amsterdam (8 episodes)
As a Producer
- 1995: American Gothic (supervising producer; producer for pilot)
- 1997: Roar (executive producer)
- 1998: Hollyweird (executive producer)
- 2000–01: Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family (executive producer)
- 2001–03: The Agency (executive producer)
- 2003: Cold Case (executive producer)
- 2004–05: The Mountain (executive producer)
- 2005–06: Invasion (executive producer)
- 2008: Inseparable (executive producer)
- 2009: Ruby & The Rockits (executive producer)
- 2011–12: Blue Bloods (consulting producer)
- 2012: The Frontier (executive producer)
- 2014: Hysteria (pilot; executive producer)
- 2016: Emerald City (executive producer)
- 2018–23: New Amsterdam (executive producer)
