Original pilot. Shirley's name is Connie. She's dating a man played by real life husband (at the time) Jack Cassidy. There are some other scenes that were changed for the aired version.
Recently widowed mother, Shirley Partridge who's struggling to raise her five children who are playing in a band and, Shirley works a bank teller. Older brother and sister Keith (Lead vocals and guitar) and Laurie (Keyboards). Younger brothers and sister Danny (Bass guitar), Chris (Drums) and, Tracy (Tamborine and percussion) are playing in a band called "The Partridge Family". Ruben Kincaid, a kid hater was signed as their manager. Finally, the kids asked their mother to join the band. Reluctantly, she agreed but, for a single condition: if she faints the kids have to assist her.
While parking their bus, Shirley bumps into a car. There is no damage, but when the driver finds they are famous, he fakes an injury for the insurance. Shirley and the family try to prove he is not injured by staying with him 24 hours.
Shirley's father is feeling restless, so he and the mother visit the Partridges. The father wants to tour with the group and perform songs from his day to the audience.
Danny receives a letter from the Draft Board that he's been drafted into the United States Army. Shirley contacts he Draft Board and tries to convince them that Danny is 10, but they won't listen to her; on top of that, they say the Draft Board doesn't make mistakes, and he is to report. Now the family has to try once again to convince the Army that Danny is too young to serve - and so he reports as ordered.
Shirley meets an old friend and goes on a date with him. The children are worried that she is too interested in him, and even more worried when they see him with another woman.
With a hit record on the radio, Keith is starting to be followed and adored by the girls at his school. He is not too happy about it. However, the one girl he does like is not impressed that he is a recording star.
Danny gives stock advice to a very attractive cocktail waitress during the family's engagement in Las Vegas. However, the girl's very jealous boyfriend sends a couple of his goons to rough Danny because he thinks Danny is a much older man trying to steal his girl. A frightened Danny then runs away in terror thinking that he is about to be rubbed out by the mob.
While the family is on a picnic, a skunk sneaks on board the bus and winds up spraying them. They try the best they can to get rid of the odor without much success; even bathing in tomato juice. However, things go from bad to worse when Reuben informs them that they have been requested to play at a local hospital to entertain some of the children that are patients there.
After a song performance, Danny has an awkward moment when he is tangled with his microphone cord. The audience laughs at the moment, but Danny thinks they are laughing at him. He decides to add jokes to the Partridge Family
When the Partridges are invited by to play a show at a prison, one of the inmates fakes an epidemic just to try to sell them some songs he claims to have written. However, a complication arises when an inmate who claims to be the true author confronts Shirley. She then comes up with a novel concept to try to prove who the real author is.
When Keith is worried that he may not be able to write songs anymore because he's "written out", Danny decides that it's time for him to become the group's songwriter.
Shirley Partridge receives a call from the school principal, George Clauson, asking her if she and her family are identified with women's liberation. There is a poster in school saying that they will sing at a rally for POW, Power of Women. Shirley tries to find out which member of her family committed them to this appearance. She learns that it is Keith; his new girlfriend Tina Newcomb is very involved in the movement and has taken Keith's maybe for a definite yes. Shirley has to confront angry, hostile parents who are called "Morality Watchdogs." She tries to keep calm in the face of their threats, but she finally blows up and says that her family will definitely appear at the rally. Keith invites Tina to dinner so that his family can finally meet her and they are shocked with what she has to say on the subject of women's lib. Keith is annoyed and when he takes her home, he refuses to walk her to the door or even kiss her. He tells her that if she wants equality, she can have it.
The family gets a good review from a famous columnist after one of their recent performances. However, she was seemingly impressed with Danny and declares him a future star. Unfortunately, Danny lets the review go to his head and is seriously contemplating leaving the band, even to the point where he holds auditions for his replacement. Now it is up to Shirley to convince her middle son that going solo is not such a hot idea.A few days later, Shirley sees children and their mothers heading for the garage. When she goes to investigate, she finds Danny holding Danny holding auditions to find his replacement and Shirley learns of his plans.
While in a small town for a performance, the Partridges and their manager attend the Sunday church service. Shirley and Reuben recognize the church singer as a formerly famous folk singer. They want to help him start his career again.Just as he's about to be introduced, Red Woodloe sneaks out a back door and runs out on an audience and a family, the Partridges, who had virtually made him one of their clan.
The Partridges are booked for a huge European tour. However, the booking agent in charge of the tour thinks that Shirley is too old and won't book them if she is part of the group. This then causes Shirley to doubt her continuing role in the band and contemplate retirement. However, the kids conspire to keep their mom from becoming a retired rock and roll star even to the point of intentionally giving a bad performance.The next day, Keith and Laurie go to Logan's hotel room and learn the real reason behind Shirley's sudden resignation. Furious, they try to get their mother back in the group by deliberately messing up a nightclub performance in front of Logan. When that fails, they all decide to quit until Shirley tells them she'll join the group after the tour.
Laurie gets the bad news that she needs braces just as she thinks Jerry, the boy across the street, might finally get up the nerve to ask her to go steady. However, if that wasn't bad enough, Reuben informs the Partridges that they have been booked to appear on a high profile talk show. Things then go from bad to worse when Laurie's braces somehow pick up radio signals during rehearsals and causes her to play a different tune than what the band is. Who knew braces could be so complicated? The next day, Wink Burgess and his entire crew arrive for the taping. When Burgess tells Laurie to smile for the camera, she storms out of the house in tears and hides in the bus.
Shirley's former co-worker who talks about how wonderful Shirley's life must be now that she is famous. Shirley thinks they are still a normal family, so when on a tour Danny talks about the high life, Shirley thinks it is time for a break.Several days later, the kids are bored to death without their music and, feeling they're sacrificing in vain, Danny plays matchmaker by finding Jim and dropping a not-so-subtle hint that Shirley is always at home.
The Partridges and Ruben are in Detroit for a performance. Due to a booking mix-up, they arrive at the place where the Temptations are expected. The audiences are totally different. The Partridges agree to perform and hope for the best.
After arriving in town to play at a club, Laurie finds a former classmate works at the club. The entire club staff walks out in protest against management. Laurie takes a stand and refuses to perform so she can join the picket line. Shirley realizes Laurie's sense of moral obligation, but there's also the family's legal obligation to consider.
Ruben meets a woman and it seems like love. They talk of marriage, but she wants Ruben to stop managing the band. Shirley tells him the Partridges can find another manager and to follow his heart. Then the Partridges realize they need Ruben.
Keith has a new, albeit junk, car. He keeps putting money into restoring the car and make car payments. Out of money, Keith turns to Danny for help. Danny puts Keith on a tight budget so he can have money for the car and to go to the prom. Shirley suggests that Keith get a job to make extra money. He first becomes a trainee to a plumber, but can't quite get the knack of plumbing. Then he tries to learn to become a salesman of a vegetable slicer, but ends up buying the slicer for his mother. His attempt at a newspaper route ends disastrously when he sees a beautiful girl walk by.
The Partridges and Ruben meet a girl at a diner who wants to hitch a ride when they drive off to Albuquerque. They take her along on the bus, and then the police catch up with them because the girl is a habitual run-away.
Lester is a new transfer to San Pueblo High and he already is beginning to develop a reputation as quite the ladies man. However, Keith panics when he hears that Laurie has accepted a date with the Lothario. After Danny plants the seed in his head that he might try something with Laurie, Keith goes after them with Danny in tow to make sure his sister's reputation remains intact, even though he promised Shirley he would butt out. Unfortunately, Keith's efforts meet with disastrous results as he winds up humiliating his sister. Now he must find a way to make it up to her and not be so overprotective.
When Danny is unable to find his birth certificate or pictures of himself as a baby, he is convinced that he is adopted and sets out to find his birth family.
The Partridges meet Bobby Conway, a composer who plays beautiful music and who is looking for a lyricist. They introduce him to Lionel Poindexter, whose poetry could provide excellent lyrics for Bobby's music but Lionel's many eccentricities may drive Bobby away instead.
Stillman Kelly asks his old buddy Reuben to manage his daughter Dora, who is an aspiring singer. Unfortunately, when she auditions in front of Reuben and the Partridges, her vocal abilities leave much to be desired. Unfortunately, Keith, who has fallen for her, is so taken with her beauty that he doesn't even notice. However, when he hears a tape of her singing he soon snaps to his senses and now must try to summon the courage to tell Dora how untalented she is without hurting her feelings.
To raise money and create publicity, Reuben hosts a contest where the winner can spend a week with the Partridges at their home. The winner? Mrs. Gloria Neugast, a middle-aged woman. Gloria brings a new dimension to the family.
Keith gave an interview for a magazine and revealed that Laurie has a crush on a classmate, Harry Murphy. Laurie is upset and says it is the wrong name anyway. A motorcyclist, Harry Murphy, comes to visit Laurie to see who she is as a joke.
Shirley enrolls in college using her maiden name so her real name does not draw unwanted attention. A younger classmate develops a crush on her. He tells his parents and they do not approve of his dating an older woman.
Danny's sore throat is diagnosed as tonsillitis and he has to have his tonsils removed. He is nervous about the operation, and when it is over, he is nervous about losing his voice.
Danny is interested in the whales singing and tells the family they need to include whales in their act to show their support of ecology.
Keith decides he has to be a better role model to his younger brothers and sisters, but it seems like everything backfires.
The grocery guy who delivers to the Partridges has a crush on Laurie, but he feels shy around her. He wants to ask her out, but has never been on a date. The other family members help him change his appearance and get over his shyness.
Danny and the two other younger children tell Shirley they have decided to go in the hamster business. When the two hamsters multiple with their offspring, the Partridges have to take them on tour so they can feed and take care of them.
Shirley's father visits and announces he left home and plans to go to Big Sur. Minutes later, her mother shows up and says she ran away. Both parents are determined to split up. The Partridges must find a way to bring them together again.
Danny sees his mother looking at a mink coat in a store window, and with Shirley's birthday coming up, Danny decides to buy it for her. To raise money, Danny starts selling Keith's personal belongings to the love-sick girls at school.
Reuben sets up an aggressive summer tour schedule. Shirley does not want to go on tour as it is tiring to drive all day and sing all night, so they hire a bus driver. But Danny is suspicious when they find out that he's an ex-con.
After performing in Vegas on Christmas Eve, the Partridges start the drive home. The bus breaks down in a town with one inhabitant. Disappointed about being away from home for Christmas, the prospector tells them a Christmas story.
Driving home after a tour, the Partridges stop for a picnic on a country road and meet a young woman who likes to travel alone and enjoy her freedom. After hours together, she stays at their home, leaves, and gives them a million dollars.
After being scolded from a mess, Chris and Tracy decided to run away from home but, ended up at Ruben's apartment causing mayhem.
After seeing some experimental films at a theater, Keith says he can do better than any they saw. Keith pulls out the movie camera and begins filming various random clips. Danny becomes his partner. The premier is not what he expects.
Keith wants his own apartment so he can have some peace and quiet to write music. Shirley reluctantly agrees to let him move into a room in the house next door. Having his own place is not what he expects.
Danny gets a job writing articles about the Partridge Family for the local newspaper. To be sure his article is a success, he embellishes the truth about the family.
Chris and Tracy invite a street worker into their home. He says he is a world-class Russian painter and says he can paint a work of art on their garage door. The completed picture is a nude woman that all the neighbors complain about.
It's a battle of the sexes as Shirley and Laurie prove to their male chauvinist counterparts to be better able to handle the wilderness.
Danny has a crush on a classmate and they go through the ritual of pretending not to like each other. But for Gloria, she likes Keith more and is using Danny to get closer to Keith.
The school newspaper is collecting items for an auction to raise money. While Laurie is out, Danny accidentally grabs the wrong box with Laurie's items to contribute. Her personal diary is contributed. The newspaper threatens to publish it.
As the Partridges start their vacation, the bus breaks down in a small town. The locals want them to do a benefit show to help Native Americans build a school. The mechanic finds ways to delay fixing the bus until the day of the show.
The Partridges hire a psychic performer for Tracy's birthday party. Keith and Danny keep asking for predictions about their lives, so the psychic asks them to help his failing business from a foreclosure.
Its role reversal time in the Partridge household as Keith takes home economics and Laurie takes auto shop. Keith's struggles with cooking make him the target of barbs from the school bully, and things really heat up when Laurie gives the tough a Judo flip. Keith is then challenged to a fight, and must face up to the bully even if it means getting his face turned to hamburger.
Shirley is awarded Mother of the Year by a magazine. The family travel by bus to Sacramento to accept the award. Taking the back road leads them to wrong turns, lost wallet, traffic tickets, and other annoyances.
A princess flies into town with the express purpose of having a date with Keith. They find it difficult to act natural around each other until the princess tells all to relax. Keith & the princess manage to slip away from bodyguards.
Danny wants to lose weight to impress a girl. Shirley puts him on a diet. After a week, he weighs more because of cheating. Ruben teases him about no will power so they decide to tackle their own vices - Danny's food and Ruben's smoking.
Snake, a motorcyclist friend of the Partridges, visits and wants help with the woman he loves. Snake proposed marriage, but he was turned down. Shirley and the family play cupid for Snake.
Danny is tired of being a young child. He wants to be included in the grown-up decisions and events. His efforts to show he is mature only annoys his family.
Shirley's parents visit, and they try to find a hidden meaning from every sound and sentence when these are simple every day things. Soon, the Partridge family is finding faults with everything and arguing with each other.
A politician running for office asks the Partridge family to perform at one of his rallies. Shirley goes out with him to discuss political views and they form a close bond. Keith is jealous and work for his campaign to keep an eye on him.
The Partridge Family perform at a ski resort. After their two week tour, they head for a vacation at a secluded rustic cabin in the mountains. Their days of relaxation turns into mud slides, constant rain, and gloom.
Greg, a former childhood friend of Laurie's, returns to town and reconnects. Turns out he is now a minister. They go out together and have a great time catching up on their lives. Laurie starts to fall for him and Shirley is worried.
A talent agent sees Keith and offers him a screen test for a Hollywood movie. He practices his scene and drives to the studio with the whole family. Keith is offered the part, and as he packs, he finds out he lost the part just that fast.
Danny wins a horse and he wants to keep him at home. Shirley explains how impractical it is and Danny keeps arguing why it is a winning proposition. The horse has a problem - it does not sleep.
The Partridges start looking at new homes, but first have to sell their current home. Shirley keeps making it difficult for prospective buyers to buy the house so they take it off the market. Ruben accidentally signs a contract to sell.
Shirley has a first date with a pediatrician. At dinner, he orders the food so Shirley does not eat fat, cholesterol, salt, or other negative food items. She tries to discourage him from another date, but he is persistent.
Ruben has a burglar alarm installed in the Partridge home for their security. They keep setting off the alarm accidentally so much that everyone starts to ignore it. When a real burglar breaks in, no one realizes it is a real break in.
Classmate Cindy gives Laurie an envelope to give to a teacher. When Laurie does, the teacher says it is the stolen exam answers for math and blames Laurie for taking them. Laurie hopes that Cindy will confess it was her that took them.
While the Partridges perform several days at an amusement park, Keith meets the public relations host. Keith has a crush on her.
Shirley's recent boyfriend, the politician, comes to town. He brings his daughter along. While Shirley and Dick enjoy being together, his daughter has a crush on Danny and he cannot escape her.
A chicken fast food place wants the Partridges to appear in his commercials. Ruben signs the contract. The family agree because the commercial is supposed to be tasteful. However, there is a last minute change that is not so tasteful.
School finals are approaching and Keith has a problem in one course. America's heartthrob is failing Sex Education. The teacher seems to be picking on Keith and it takes some work to find out why it seems like that.
Shirley buys a $29 cuckoo clock from the local department store and charges it. When the bill arrives she's being charged $290. She goes to the department store and learns that their new automated system misprinted it. So the man in charge rectifies it. When her new bill arrives it says she owes $2900. She then closes her account at the store. Later someone from the collection agency says she owes the department store $29000. Also everyone whom she's been doing business like the grocery store where she cashes checks and her plumber have been getting word that her credit is not good. She suspects the department stores computer has been spreading bad news about her. So she goes to the department store demanding they rectify it. The owner says they will take care of it. When she comes she finds that her furniture has been seized by the collection agency and they have also seized their fee from their last concert.
The Partridges are to be presented an award for the Citizenship Award. Meanwhile, one of Danny's friends goads him on to shoplift something from a store. Danny steals, but then he is guilt-ridden.
Laurie comes home from school excited because her friend Phyllis asked her to be a campaign manager for student body president. The excitement changes to a constant battle when Keith announces he is running for president - against Phyllis.
A reclusive millionaire who's a fan of the Partridges pays them to perform for him at his home. And he follows them around buying out every show. Eventually they invite him to stay with them where he tries to keep a low profile.
The Partridges attend a lecture given by a mystery writer. The Partridges & author get into a discussion as to whether his stories are realistic. He makes them an offer - they can hide, and he will find them all within 24 hours.
During a practice session, a young boy walks into the garage. He & his family just moved into the neighborhood. The mother does not like show business and calls the police every time the family practices. A battle of wills ensues.
Keith wants to date the new girl in school, but she does not want to go with him because he has a love 'em and leave 'em reputation. He wants Laurie to convince Dina to go out with him.
Keith's newest girlfriend is a cellist in the school band. Rachel thinks Keith is wasting his talent on rock and roll songs, and convinces him to write a piece of classical music.
Danny has started following Keith and Laurie around all the time. He even tries dressing and acting like Keith. Ruben suggests he try baseball so he can be around kids his own age. Danny hates baseball, but turns out he is a good pitcher.
Shirley tells the children they have to start being nice to Reuben. But since he is not used to this new attitude, he thinks it is because they heard he is dying. The nicer they are, the more he thinks he is dying.
Keith does not have a date for a party after the popular girl at school declines his date request, citing another date, so Laurie sets him up with one of her friends. The next day when the popular girl's plans fall through she belatedly accepts the date with Keith. Now he has two dates for the same party.
The Partridges are on a cruise ship. Laurie meets a handsome, charming man who seems to have an interest in her. He say he is a rich heir, but his actions are not of a rich man. Keith thinks he is a jewel thief.
An ambassador who is visiting the town asks Shirley out on a first date. The date is a disaster starting with the ambassador being late and ending with constant business interruptions. When he asks for a second date, Shirley refuses.
At college, Keith enrolls in a sociology course. He is partnered with an older woman to work on a paper. He finds himself attracted to her despite the fact that she is not only older, but also married.
Danny goes to see a movie but sneaks in without paying. He is caught, and Shirley imposes a punishment on the whole family by having everyone be totally honest for 24-hours.
While Ruben is out of town, his nephew takes over managing the Partridges. He is not cut out for the job.
Shirley's mother (Amanda) and father (Walter) argue over Amanda wanting a job outside the house. She leaves home and goes to Shirley's home. Amanda gets a job with a service company, and Shirley hires a maid. Guess who is the maid?
Shirley goes to an art school for classes. Her teacher raves about her work, but the family knows it is not good. It seems the teacher has a motive to praise the bad art work.
Reuben manages a new twin singing act, but the boys have a crush on Laurie. They won't perform until they get a date from her.
Danny seems to be getting into a lot of trouble at school, and now decided to drop out. Shirley and his teacher discuss how to prevent this. They decide to let him think he has dropped out, and find out what the real world is like.
Laurie's friend Frankie tries out for the school basketball team but is rejected because she is a girl. Laurie runs for homecoming queen so she can speak her mind on discrimination. Keith has a male friend compete against Laurie for queen.
Danny has a new girlfriend at school. Renee is Jewish, so Danny pretends to be Jewish. Danny meets her father, who says he would like to meet Danny's family. Danny tries to hide his "little white lie" from his family.
Laurie excitedly tells her mother she has been selected to be a peer teacher at school. She is assigned seventh grade English, which just happens to be Danny's classroom. Things do not go well for either of them.
Laurie wants Danny to take over one of her babysitting jobs so she can go skiing. Danny refuses, but Keith agrees to do it - as long as Laurie poses as his girlfriend at a party to make another girl jealous.
Danny has a promotional plan to show the Partridges conserves energy. The newspaper does an article to show their energy saving ways. It creates a buzz in town. But a wrong meter reading shows the Partridges use more electricity than ever.
It's Shirley's birthday and the family and Ruben gather to celebrate. Danny's gift is a beautiful broach. He does not tell Shirley he found it rather than buying it. Later, Danny finds out it is the broach his teacher lost.
Shirley is surprised to learn that an old boyfriend is in town to make a speech. It turns out he is now a navy Captain and Keith and Danny are suspicious of his motives for their mother.
