The story of the real-life family pop group consisting of six kids and their mother that inspired TV's "Partridge Family".The story of the real-life family pop group consisting of six kids and their mother that inspired TV's "Partridge Family".The story of the real-life family pop group consisting of six kids and their mother that inspired TV's "Partridge Family".
Bill Cowsill
- Self
- (as Billy Cowsill)
'Cousin Brucie' Morrow
- Self
- (as Cousin Brucie)
Jean Russell
- Self
- (as Auntie Jean Russell)
Flo Presley
- Self
- (as Auntie Flo Presley)
- Directors
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Partridge Family was loosely based on the true life story of the Cowsills, who were a family rock group in the late 1960s. The father and manager of the group, Bob Cowsill, forced the young brothers and sisters to let the mother, Barbara, into the group, much to the kids' consternation. It worked as a publicity gimmick but the kids in the group reportedly hated singing hard rock songs like "Hair" with their mom; and hated the goody-two-shoes image the group got as a result of that; since they were trying to earn their cred as a legit acid/ alternative type band along the lines of Rolling Stones, Crosby Stills Nash or The Byrds. This is a far cry from the TV show scenario where the kids drag the mom into the group and she reluctantly agrees. Also; originally in the Partridge Family pilot script the mother's first name was Barbara; like Barbara Cowsill; but Shirley Jones' people demanded that it be changed to Shirley. And ABC's insistence to the Cowsills that Shirley Jones star as their mother is part of why they refused to participate in the TV show; and why the title was changed from "The Cowsills" to "The Partridge Family".
- GoofsNear the end of the music credits at the end of the film, in the credits for the songs "Wawona Evening" and "Wawona Night", the word "written" is misspelled as "wrtitten".
Featured review
Bit of a biased review....but....anyway....
I loved this, but part of the reason I love the strange, weird and dysfunctional story of the Cowsills is that I had the chance to get to know one of the brothers by having the chance to teach two of his children, who I count as two of the sweetest kids I've ever taught. Bob Cowsill was one of the most approachable, warm and giving parents I've ever known at our school. He and his family would play for our school fundraisers at the drop of a hat and his own family was the definition of family. I sat with him during a few varsity baseball games--(his son Ryan was a wonderful pitcher at our school) and the thing that touched me about him was that I could see that this was a guy who had ridden a rollercoaster for awhile and didn't feel that anyone owed him anything because of that. He just loved making music. This is one of those films that reveals a lot. With all of the angst going on in this young, talented groups home life, their love of the music is what bonded the kids and helped them survive troubling times. They never felt as if they had conquered the world musically, they just knew that they loved it and needed it. And each other.
helpful•81
- lawrence-950-102183
- Dec 30, 2018
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Details
- Runtime1 hour 30 minutes
- Color
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By what name was Family Band: The Cowsills Story (2011) officially released in Canada in English?
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