"The Partridge Family" 
It's thirty years old! 

 "The Partridge Family" hit the air waves on September 25th 1970! 
The first episode on ABC was the pilot episode "What, and Get Out of Show Business".

 
Critics panned the show calling it "phony and the music nondescript bubblegum!"
Shirley Jones disagreed. She stated that she thought the show 
"Was written honestly and the Partridges weren't a candy-box family"
Still another news report stated: "The show's chances look slim!"
HA!..... 
As Shirley predicted, the situation comedy grabbed a large audience 
of adults, as well as teenagers and young children.  
Partridge Family fever took off! 

By Christmas time of 1970, "The Partridge Family Album" was a best seller,
and the underestimated television series a phenomenal success!

 A photo from the very last episode titled: "S.O.S." (#96)
George Chakiris guest starred as Shirley Partridge's old high school flame.
Last Network Broadcast - August 31st 1974

On Sunday, September 17th 2000, ABC presented a two hour special.
"The 70s: The Decade That Changed Television" 
During the "How family life had changed on TV" segment, 
they ran a clip from this final episode of  "The Partridge Family". 
Naturally, it spoke of Shirley Partridge as a widow, raising five kids on her own.

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