<Tr> <Th_colspan="2"> Chronology </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Related shows </Th> <Td> Getting Together Goober and the Ghost Chasers Partridge Family 2200 A.D. </Td> </Tr> <P> The Partridge Family is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy . Jones played a widowed mother, and Cassidy played the oldest of her five children who embarked on a music career . It ran from September 25, 1970, until March 23, 1974, on the ABC network as part of a Friday - night lineup, and had subsequent runs in syndication . The family was loosely based on the real - life musical family The Cowsills, a popular band in the late 1960s and early 1970s . </P> <P> In the pilot episode, a group of musical siblings in the fictitious city of San Pueblo, California (said to be "40 miles from Napa County" in episode 24, A Partridge By Any Other Name) convinces their widowed mother, bank teller Shirley Partridge, to help them out by singing as they record a pop song in their garage . Through the efforts of precocious 10 - year - old Danny they find a manager, Reuben Kincaid, who helps make the song a Top 40 hit . After more persuading, Shirley agrees that the family can go on tour . They acquire an old school bus, a 1957 Chevrolet Series 6800 Superior, for touring, paint it with Mondrian - inspired patterns, and head to Las Vegas, Nevada for their first live gig at Caesars Palace . </P>

Was there a father on the partridge family