Joanna Cassidy and Jack Cassidy are both well-known actors who have appeared in many films, television shows, and stage productions. They share the same last name, but are they related? The answer is yes, but not in the way you might think.
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Joanna Cassidy: A versatile and award-winning actress
Joanna Cassidy was born Joanna Virginia Caskey on August 2, 1945, in Camden, New Jersey. She grew up in a creative environment as the daughter and granddaughter of artists. She majored in art at Syracuse University, where she met and married Kennard C. Kobrin, a doctor in residency. They moved to San Francisco, where they had two children, a son and a daughter
Joanna started her acting career as a fashion model and landed a small role in the Steve McQueen film Bullitt (1968). She then appeared in various television shows, such as Mission: Impossible, Starsky & Hutch, and Taxi. She also had a regular role on the action-adventure series 240-Robert (1979)
She gained recognition and acclaim for her roles in films such as Blade Runner (1982), where she played Zhora Salome, a snake-dancing replicant; Under Fire (1983), where she played a radio journalist involved in the Nicaraguan Revolution; and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), where she played Dolores, the girlfriend of Bob Hoskins’ character. She won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in the sitcom Buffalo Bill (1983), where she played Jo Jo White, the director of a talk show hosted by Dabney Coleman’s character
She continued to work in film and television, starring in movies such as Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), and Ghosts of Mars (2001). She also had recurring roles on shows such as L.A. Law, Six Feet Under, Body of Proof, and Call Me Fitz. She received three Emmy Award nominations and two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for her work
Jack Cassidy: A charismatic and talented actor-singer
Jack Cassidy was born John Joseph Edward Cassidy on March 5, 1927, in New York City. He was the youngest of five children born to immigrant parents of Irish and German descent. He started his show business career as a chorus boy in Broadway musicals at the age of 16. He then served in the U.S. Navy during World War II
He returned to Broadway after the war and starred in several musicals, such as Wish You Were Here (1953), Shangri-La (1956), It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman (1966), and She Loves Me (1963), for which he won a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. He also appeared in films such as The Eiger Sanction (1975), W.C. Fields and Me (1976), and The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (1977)
He was also a frequent guest star on television, appearing on shows such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Gunsmoke, Bewitched, Get Smart, That Girl, Hawaii Five-O, Cannon, Match Game, McCloud, and Barnaby Jones. He was especially known for his three appearances as a murderer on Columbo, where he matched wits with Peter Falk’s detective character. He also received two Emmy Award nominations for his roles on He & She (1967) and The Andersonville Trial (1970)
He married dancer-choreographer Evelyn Ward in 1948 and they had one son, David Cassidy, who became a teen idol and singer-actor. They divorced in 1956 and Jack married actress Shirley Jones that same year. They had three sons together: Shaun Cassidy, Patrick Cassidy, and Ryan Cassidy, who all followed their parents’ footsteps into show business. Jack and Shirley divorced in 1975
Joanna Cassidy and Jack Cassidy are not related by blood or marriage. They have no common ancestors or relatives that they know of. However, they do have a connection through Jack’s son David Cassidy.
David Cassidy was married to actress Kay Lenz from 1977 to 1983. After their divorce, he married actress Meryl Tanz in 1984. They divorced in 1985. In 1986, he married actress Sue Shifrin-Cassidy. They had one son together: Beau Devin Cassidy, who is also an actor-singer. They separated in 2013 and divorced in 2016
Sue Shifrin-Cassidy is the sister of Joanna Cassidy. They are both daughters of Virginia and Joe Caskey. Therefore, Joanna Cassidy is the aunt of Beau Cassidy and the former sister-in-law of David Cassidy. She is also the former aunt-in-law of Katie Cassidy, who is David’s daughter from a previous relationship with model Sherry Williams. Katie Cassidy is also an actress, known for her roles on shows such as Arrow, Supernatural, and Gossip Girl
So, to sum up, Joanna Cassidy and Jack Cassidy are not related, but Joanna Cassidy is related to Jack Cassidy’s son David Cassidy through marriage. She is also related to David’s children Beau Cassidy and Katie Cassidy through blood.
Conclusion
Joanna Cassidy and Jack Cassidy are both accomplished and respected actors who have made their mark on stage, screen, and television. They share a common surname, but they are not related by blood or marriage. However, they do have a connection through Jack’s son David Cassidy, who married Joanna’s sister Sue Shifrin-Cassidy. This makes Joanna the aunt of David’s son Beau Cassidy and his daughter Katie Cassidy, who are also actors. Thus, the Cassidys are a Hollywood family with ties that span generations and genres.
