David Cassidy confesses to having lied about dementia and alcoholism in new documentary
In November 2017, David Cassidy passed away after a series of health struggles. During his last days, though, the celebrated actor-cum-singer was working on a tribute to his father, Jack Cassidy. Over the course of production, The Partridge Family star's health deteriorated and, quite dramatically, his last moments in the studio have become the subject of A&E's new documentary 'David Cassidy: The Last Session'.
Told in his own words, the two-hour biographical special contains never-before-heard audio tapes featuring shocking revelations. In one such clip, Cassidy confesses that he lied about his battle with dementia and alcoholism.
"The first few days I was unconscious and near death. The last week or so my memory has come back," Cassidy is heard saying in the clip in a recorded telephonic conversation between him and his producer. "That's such a blessing. That means I'm cognizant of my surroundings. That I'm alive, and it's daytime, and I know what day of the week it is.
"There is no sign of me having dementia at this stage of my life. It was complete alcohol poisoning. And the fact is, I lied about my drinking," he confesses in the clip. "The head doctor at the hospital, she said, 'I believe that your dementia was directly related to your alcoholism.' I did it to myself, man. I did it to myself to cover up the sadness and the emptiness."
The singer confessed to the producers about the alcohol poisoning, and how his doctors concluded that it might have been the chief cause of his tragic health decline, including his dementia.
In the documentary, a film crew sets out to document Cassidy's publicly-revealed struggle with dementia and follows him into the studio where he works with his band to record new songs, including 'Wish You Were Here', for the album dedicated to his late entertainer father. His final EP, 'Songs My Father Taught Me: The Last Sessions,' was completed and released posthumously after his death on November 27.
“David Cassidy was one of the most beloved teen icons of his time, experiencing an unfathomable amount of fame at such a young age that few will ever truly understand and we are honored to let David tell his own story through his own words,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E Network in a statement.
“Our newly relaunched ‘Biography’ franchise is dedicated to bringing viewers the complete, inside narrative and that shines through during this very personal and humanizing documentary celebrating David’s life, his amazing contributions to music and the brilliant legacy he left behind.”
The documentary, which was chronicling the singer’s attempts to make a comeback and cope with dementia, was filmed in the months before his death and is due to be broadcast on cable channel A&E on Monday, June 11 at 9 pm EST.