Ruby & the Rockits to be canceled after initial 10 episode run
Meanwhile, the third member of ABC Family's summer 2009 freshman class, the comedy "Ruby & the Rockits," will not continue beyond its original 10 episode run. The network has decided not to order additional episodes from the sitcom starring Alexa Vega and David and Patrick Cassidy.
What was the audition process like for the show? When I saw the audition, when my manager told me about it, I didn't want to go in because I didn't sing, and they wanted me to sing. And so I was like, "Let's see how this is going to go." My manager convinced me to go, and I went, and -they thought I was all right. So we went through all the auditions. And I didn't really know Shaun or David by just looking at them, and my mom of course went crazy when she heard that I was going to be there.
And so I went in there, and I did the thing, and I remember seeing David and Shaun. And I kind of knew Shaun because I had looked on YouTube videos, trying to see him, and I saw him performing at the Grammies in tight, white pants and stuff. And then David, I remember him laughing at my song because I picked this really emo song on purpose, because that's kind of how my character is. So I picked this Death Cab for Cutie song that was really emotional. It was fun.
Have Shaun or David given you any advice on how to deal with the screaming girls? They're really wanting to give me a lot of advice, and Shaun says to take his advice and David says to take his advice. But supposedly David was the crazier of the two. So Shaun I guess is more mature in that aspect. He handled himself better. Patrick says the same. But they've kind of warned me that if it gets too crazy that I should definitely ask them for their advice.
Who is your favorite Cassidy brother? They've all got their things that I love about them. Patrick and I, we'll work out together and we've been bonding, because he's like a workout fanatic, and he's in amazing shape. And so we'll work out together. And then David will show me things on the guitar. And it's so cool. It's crazy. Now that I know who he is and stuff, it's so crazy to play guitar with him. And then Shaun gives the best advice and he's so like—and he's funny. They're all so great. And then Ryan, he's like the nicest guy in the world. --Excerpts from Ruby & The Rockits Interview with Austin Butler
Shaun Cassidy Talks Fame, Family, and Creating 'Ruby & the Rockits'
By Reg Seeton
In such a celebrity driven age of Hollywood fame and musical popularity, no one knows what it's like to be one of the biggest, most popular stars on the planet better than writer, producer, and TV creator, Shaun Cassidy. Well, no one that is except his brother David Cassidy. In the mid-to-late '70s, Shaun and David Cassidy reached the heights of fame only reserved for the biggest names in the business, from older icons like Elvis, Michael Jackson, and John Travolta to current stars such as Britney Spears, the Jonas Brothers, and Robert Pattinson.
While David became one of the biggest teen icons in the history of television and music after his leading heartthrob role in The Partridge Family with their Academy Award winning mother, Shirley Jones, Shaun was carving out his own road to massive iconic stardom with the biggest solo debut in music history at the time, a #1 Grammy nominated hit, three top 10 singles, six albums, worldwide sold out concerts, and a starring role as Joe Hardy in the mega popular '70s mystery series The Hardy Boys. Having amazingly dominated almost every teen magazine cover from 1970 to 1977, together Shaun and David Cassidy are two of the biggest, most popular names in the history of teen idol stardom. But there's more to the brothers than days gone by ...
After stepping away from the music charts and TV spotlight to hone his skills on Broadway, Shaun left the glare of the limelight to follow his heart into a more comfortable career behind the scenes as writer and producer. In 1995 Shaun created the groundbreaking series, American Gothic before going on to create Invasion and write and produce for such shows as Cold Case, The Agency, The Mountain, Inseparable, and more. While his brother David continued his career path in both music and television, also with his own successful live show on the Las Vegas strip, Shaun Cassidy worked hard to shake his teen star image to become a successful TV writer and show runner.
Drawing upon his skills behind the TV camera, Shaun has enlisted the talents of his brothers, David and Emmy nominated and award winning stage actor, Patrick Cassidy to bring to life the new ABC Family series, Ruby & the Rockits, about a former teen idol trying to recapture '80s glory while his bandmate brother attempts to lead a normal family life. Starring young actress, Alex Vega in the role of Ruby Gallagher, the daughter of David who turns up unexpectedly and forces him to seek parental leadership from his brother Patrick, much of what fans will see in the Tuesday, July 21, 8:30pm ABC Family premiere of Ruby & the Rockits has been culled from the fame and family dynamics of not only the life of Shaun Cassidy post teen idol stardom, but also the personal dynamics of David and Patrick as brothers within the famous Cassidy family.
Ahead of the July 21 premiere of Ruby & the Rockits, we tracked down Shaun Cassidy for an exclusive one-on-one while he was on a break from shooting to learn more about the inspiration for the series, how it reflects their lives as teen stars, what we can expect, and whether we'll see his mother, Shirley Jones, step in to take a role on the show.
THE DEADBOLT: Ruby actually seems like a representation of the innocence of you and David, having been thrust into the unknown at an early age. Was that the entry point into Ruby?
SHAUN CASSIDY: That's an interesting observation. I hadn't even thought about that, but it certainly applies. I mean, I don't know how innocent any of us were but the show is from Ruby's point of view. Actually, in the writing we always have to remind ourselves [of that] because it's easy to dive into Patrick and David's confrontations and a lot of jokes to be had there, obviously. But it really is about a stranger in a strange land and thematically, really, what does it mean to be a part of a family, because Ruby comes in without any experience because she's brought up by her mother and hasn't had a serious boyfriend. This is the first time she's been in the middle of a family dynamic and she doesn't know where her place is and doesn't know what the rules are and has to find her way.
I think to a certain extent every teenager feels kind of like they're the one in The Munsters that doesn't belong. And in the case of our family, going into show business was kind of a right of passage. But when I say we weren't really innocent about it is only because we'd completely grown up in it and so it was an old pair of shoes to us. If you grow up in a family of dentists, you're really comfortable around a drill, I guess.
THE DEADBOLT: In such a celebrity focused era, how important was it to balance fame with David's character and a grounded sense of family with Patrick's character?
CASSIDY: Well, that's where the autobiographical aspects of it come from. I mean, I made a concerted effort to try and stay out of the public eye. I don't know if I completely succeeded, because here I am talking to you, but for me show business really was something that I knew well. But being a performer was the logical thing to do because that's what everybody did. But by the time I was actually doing it, I knew I was way better suited to being behind the scenes as a writer or producer and I have really tried to kind of be "in show business" but not "of show business" and try to keep my family out of it as best I can and live as normal a life as I can in the business we're in.
I think that's probably much more difficult to do today if you're a young performer because the nature of celebrity is so much more twisted and so much more hardcore. From my point of view, the trade off for being famous just seems so terrible and I felt that way twenty years ago. So Patrick's character has a lot of me, not necessarily the way Patrick plays it but the choices he's made with his life are like the choices I made.
David's character is similar to David's and a bit of our father. Our father was a very funny but also a very narcissistic guy and David has chosen to stay in show business and he has played in a number of bigger casinos than what he played in the show. You know, he's played Vegas for a long time and he's been in for the long run. That's a choice and there's pluses and minuses to that and there are pluses and minuses to the choice I made. So I guess that's a reflection of our lives in the show. I get to be both characters, David and Patrick. I get to play puppet master [laughs].
THE DEADBOLT: So is the series therapeutic given what you guys went through in your own family dynamic?
CASSIDY: I think it is, and with that it's also a bit scary. I mean, I insisted upon having a real serious conversation about boundaries before we ventured down this road, because when you work with any family, no matter what the business is, it's a risky proposition. And we're really close but we're wildly different people, all of us, and our youngest brother Ryan is on the show, too. He's a set dresser and he did ER for a number of years and it's great having Ryan around because he actually knows where to toss the throw-pillows or where we'd hang a picture.
But when you're working together, 24/7, any family is going to get in situations where the personal and professional get blurry and that's why I said to the guys. I said, "Look, at work we're working and I'm going to treat you the way I treat any other actor." I actually go out of my way not to give them any notes even if I normally give actors notes because it's my brothers. Me criticizing Patrick in any possible way would be construed as the five year old getting criticized by the eight year old and it's a mine field.
But so far I can't imagine a better working experience, knock on wood, I think Patrick and David are great. They're all playing to their strengths and that's the way the show was designed. I know how funny David is, a lot of people don't, and I know what a wonderful actor Patrick is having seen him on Broadway a million times. I knew they'd be funny together and, if for nothing else, because of their physicality. Patrick is 6'2" and David is 5'8" and they just look funny together.
THE DEADBOLT: How will Ruby grow throughout the first season?
CASSIDY: Well, as I said earlier, the main thrust of her journey is what is the rule book - How do I fit in? What is allowed here? What is not allowed? This is a girl who's raised herself. So she never really had anyone saying, "You can't be out past ten o'clock or you shouldn't be driving a car without a license," or any of that stuff. By nature her character is kind of a people pleaser. So she's going to be tempting boundaries to see where she belongs and try to carve out a place for herself and gain a level of confidence where she doesn't sort of pendulum. In the early shows, that's what she's going to be doing.
I compared her in the early going to the character Holly Hunter played in Broadcast News. The character Holly Hunter played in Broadcast News was an overachieving, people pleasing, very smart woman who ultimately was completely wound up in knots inside to the point where she would have to go hide in her office and cry, and I think Ruby has some of those. She needs an outlet of music. She doesn't want to be a performer like her dad. She doesn't, in any way shape or form, want to be the performer yet she gravitates to the piano and songwriting as a means of working through her issues and she uses it like a journal.
A lot of who she is internally will be revealed in what she writes. Even if she doesn't say it, it may come out in a song. I think it's a fresher way to do musical television. We're not really making a musical show, we're making a show about people with music in their lives. And in that sense, it's an analogy to the way we grew up because there was always music in our house. But that doesn't mean we all stood up and performed for each other like The Partridge Family. You know, ‘We're gonna be a band!' That's not the show.
THE DEADBOLT: Your mother was fantastic on The Cleaner last week.
CASSIDY: Yeah, wasn't she? I thought that was the best work she's done in years. Part of that is just being given the opportunity. But I called her up because I was so impressed with her, because she was so subtle and nuanced in that part, and I really thought she was great.
THE DEADBOLT: Yeah, she was fantastic. So now I'm wondering, can we expect to see her on Ruby?
CASSIDY: You absolutely can. As a matter of fact, I think it's going to be happening sooner than later. We were going to hold it to the end of the season, but we have a script so well designed for her. I think, yeah, we're going to bring grandma in. And grandma is going to be a very funny character because she just adores David, he can do no wrong, and Patrick never lives up to her expectations [laughs]. --Shaun Cassidy Talks Fame, Family, and Creating 'Ruby & the Rockits' by Reg Seeton
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SWL: Did you approach ABC Family or did they approach you about doing this show?
Shaun Cassidy: I have a deal at Disney. I did a show a couple of years ago called "Invasion" with ABC. And I was developing a whole bunch of stuff, primarily dramas, but a couple of comedies, and I pitched this to them. I wanted to do a show that had brothers, sort of a, you know, this duo thing is really funny because most of them don't get along, and yet they're stuck working together. You know, Oates doesn't do very well without Hall. Garfunkel without Simon. And I just think that's a funny dynamic, especially if you've got brothers, because there's all this history that you can mine for laughs and emotion, or whatever. I pitched that to ABC and they said, "Well, we really don't do the old school family comedies any more." And this is sort of a throw back to "Cosby' and "Family Ties" and that, it's not really aimed at kids and it's not completely aimed at adults, it's for really for everybody.
This is Marsh McCall. He ran a show called "Just Shoot Me" for a number of years, and used to be the head writer on Conan. And he's much funnier than me.
Anyway, I pitched it to ABC, and they said, ABC Family, they're sort of developing this market that's aimed at teenagers and their parents, which is the only network really doing that. So, and they're doing great, so we're thrilled to be here. They don't really do the Cosby like stuff on network anymore. Weirdly.
SWL: Did you come up with this show with your brothers in mind, or did that just fall into place?
"I know the arena of former pop stars and brothers and all that," says Shaun, who also made "American Gothic" and "Invasion" for television. "There's a hint of autobiography in this, but I think most of my shows have an element of humor, even if it's dark humor. They're also about family, even if it's the complicated nature of family, so the theme that runs through my work is just being turned in a more obvious comedic direction."
Teaming him with Marsh McCall ("Just Shoot Me!") as its creators and makers, "Ruby & the Rockits" lets Shaun exorcise some of his feelings about having been a pop star ("Da Doo Ron Ron") while he had a television presence on "The Hardy Boys" in the late '70s.
"To a certain extent, our whole family has lived that life. To be able to tap into that for laughs and heart and pathos, in the form of this show, is a great opportunity. We're also writing songs that are purposely dated, like 'Fax Me Your Heart' and 'Chunnel of Love.'"
Still performing concerts, David Cassidy is happy to send up the image he's maintained since his teen-idol days of the late '60s and early '70s.
Ruby & the Rockits is reminiscent of the good old days of the classic TGIF line up on ABC (Boy Meets World, Family Matters, Full House, etc.). The writing is cute and amusing, the storylines focus on family values, and the show appeals to a wide variety of people, from young to old. That's family friendly entertainment in a nutshell. And what's best of all, Ruby & the Rockits is actually good! Many shows have attempted to capture the elements of family friendly entertainment while pushing the limits to make it "edgier" only to fail miserably because it reduces the range of audience appeal. From what I can see of Ruby & the Rockits, it looks like they're sticking to the classic formula, and I say it's about time for its return! The formula may be a classic, but this storyline is definitely a new twist. As long as they keep to the essentials of the family friendly sitcom formula, this show could be a huge success. --Excerpt from Ruby & the Rockits TV Review for Totally Her by Sarah Eve, July 13, 2009
"Ruby & the Rockits," a new original series starring Alexa Vega, David Cassidy and Patrick Cassidy, premieres on ABC Family on Tuesday, July 21 at 8:30PM ET/PT
VEGA ALSO SINGS SERIES' OPENING TITLE SONG, "YOU ARE WHERE I LIVE," WRITTEN BY SHAUN CASSIDY
Burbank, CA (July 10, 2009) - Patrick Gallagher (Patrick Cassidy) is a former 80's pop star who has chosen to lead a quiet life with his wife, Audie (Katie Amanda Keane), and two sons - Jordan (Austin Butler) and Ben (Kurt Doss). But when his former Rockits band mate and brother, David (David Cassidy), shows up unexpectedly with his new-found teenage daughter in tow, Ruby (Alexa Vega), the Gallagher family's life becomes anything but normal. David, who refuses to give up his past glory days, comes to Patrick for help in raising Ruby while he continues to perform. Patrick must now put the past with David behind them in order to help raise Ruby and keep order within the rest of the Gallagher clan. "Ruby & the Rockits" debuts on Tuesday, July 21, at 8:30PM ET/PT-9:00PM ET/PT, following a new episode the ABC Family's original series "10 Things I Hate About You."
"Ruby & the Rockits" is an ABC Studios half-hour, multi-cam comedy executive-produced by Shaun Cassidy and Marsh McCall. "Ruby & the Rockits" story by Shaun Cassidy ("Invasion") and Ed Yeager, with teleplay by Ed Yeager and Marsh McCall ("Carpoolers"). The pilot was directed by Ted Wass. Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids"), Patrick Cassidy ("Smallville"), Katie Amanda Keane ("Eli Stone"), Austin Butler ("Zoey 101"), Kurt Doss ("Role Models") and David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") star.
Hollywood Records has released a full length version of "Lost in Your Own Life," which Ruby (Alexa Vega) sings in the pilot episode. The single is currently available on iTunes and other digital retailers. Vega also sings the series' opening title song, "You Are Where I Live," which was written by Shaun Cassidy.
Part of the Disney-ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relevant stories about today's relationships, all told with diversity, dysfunction, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a mix of network defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas!" ABC Family. A New Kind of Family. --Press release from ABCFamily medianet
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Lost In Your Own Life
Don't have to be a wanderer alone
Don't have to be a dog without a bone
Just come to my house, I'll be home
I can hear you
How did you end up lost at sea?
You don't have a boat or live near a beach
But if you're in need of rescuing
I will hear you
I want you to know, you're never alone
You'll always have a place to go
That's on the brighter side
I'll color your night, I'll lead you to light
Put hope inside for you to find
You don't have to be lost
Lost in your own life
Lost in your own life
Don't have to have a heart that's turned to stone
Don't have to be a king without a throne
What does that even mean?
Do you even know?
'Cuz I can't hear you
I want you to know, you're never alone
You'll always have a place to go
That's on the brighter side
I'll color your night, I'll lead you to light
Put hope inside for you to find
You don't have to be lost
Lost in your own life
You don't have to live in strife like before
No one uses the word 'strife' anymore
I'll color your night, I'll lead you to light
Put hope inside for you to find
You don't have to be lost
Lost in your own life
Lost in your own life
Alexa Vega to Release 'Lost In Your Own Life' on Hollywood Records
NEW SINGLE INSPIRED BY ABC FAMILY SERIES 'RUBY & THE ROCKITS'
BURBANK, Calif., June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 30th, Hollywood Records will release "Lost In Your Own Life", the new single from actress/singer Alexa Vega, star of the upcoming ABC Family series Ruby & the Rockits (premiering July 21 @ 8:30p).
Making her acting debut at age four, Vega got her start in TV but is best known for her role in the successful Spy Kids movie trilogy. Her singing credits include the Spy Kids soundtracks as well as the indie-slasher movie REPO! The Genetic Opera. Vega also took a turn on Broadway playing Penny Pingleton in Hairspray in 2007.
With a musical theme to the show, Vega can expect to gain valuable advice on-set from co-stars David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") and Patrick Cassidy ("Smallville") - along with Ruby's executive producer Shaun Cassidy.
"Lost In Your Own Life" will be available on iTunes and other digital retailers June 30th and is slated to premiere during the first episode of the Ruby & the Rockits series. --PR Newswire
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Shirley Jones Interview, by Larry Murray - 2009-06-26: The latest project the boys are doing is Ruby and the Rockits. "My son Shaun wrote the pilot which ABC Family bought. I go every Friday to watch the taping and the series premieres July 21. They're talking to me about coming on as grandma, and this has involved the whole family. Of course, my stepson David, and son Patrick who is just wonderful on the show, and my youngest son Ryan is the set decorator on it as well. My daughter-in-law is the choreographer. I am so proud of all of them.
"The show is hysterical because of the premise," she explained "it is about two guys who were rock stars in the 80's and it's now twenty years later, one now has a car agency and the other is still in show business. Of course, David is the one still in show business, and he has an illegitimate daughter Ruby who shows up and she likes to sing. The two siblings are still fighting all the time, because David wants Patrick back in the business but he is married with two sons. Anyway, it's a very cute show, very funny, very original."
Asking for an update on family statistics, Shirley Jones happily noted that there are now ten grandchildren, and her youngest son, Ryan just got married, for the first time, at age 43. "For someone who raised as an only child," she noted, "this is a really big family."
Are the grandchildren following in the show biz footsteps? "Yes, Juliet appeared in school in The Music Man and sang my ballad, "Goodnight My Someone." She was just nine years old when she did it, and she was adorable." Any other surprises? "You know Patrick went on the road with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and his two sons and his wife were all in he show." In show business where families are often pulled apart by conflicting engagements, that surely is one way to keep families together. "He sold his house out here, and his car, and they toured for a whole year. He also asked me to look after his dog, and after he got back, he moved into a condo that wouldn't allow pets, so I finally said, Patrick, you're not getting this dog back. And the little mutt bonded with my Golden Retriever. That's why I have two dogs. Separating them would have been unthinkable." --Up Close and Personal with Shirley Jones - Berkshire Fine Arts
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David Cassidy talking about "Ruby & the Rockits" and singing Echo Valley on June 20, 2009
(Thanks to Breezylee62)
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TeenTelevision: Will singing be a regular part of the series?
Alexa: Every episode, there's a new song. You'll hear songs from The Rockits who are the famous '80's band, so we constantly, on the show, are pretending to go on YouTube to look up their '80's videos. They put these crazy outfits on and have crazy hair. Shaun Cassidy has written so many great, wanna-be '80's songs for David and Patrick to sing on the show. My mom loves it! --Excerpt from Alexa Vega is Ruby, Jun 16, 2009 - Lynn Barker
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Series Premiere - Tuesday, July 21 at 8:30/7:30c ABC Family
(Thanks to musicrocks1136)
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Speaking of summer shows, last night I got a first look at the new ABC Family series Ruby and the Rockits and I am hooked. The show was created by my favorite teen heartthrob, Shaun Cassidy, as a vehicle for his two brothers, David and Patrick. In the show, David and Patrick are '80s rock stars who have had to move on. David is the diva who sings in a local Indian casino and still thinks he's as hot as ever. Patrick is the settled one with a job, a house and family. Then Ruby shows up. She's the daughter David never knew he had and she needs a place to live. Like magic, she brings the brothers together, starts making music with her cousin and the world is a better place. Sounds corny? Yeah, it is, a little, but that's what makes it work. It's a funny show with something for three generations of music lovers; be you a David Cassidy fan, an 80's Hair Band fan or someone who grooves on The Jonas Brothers, you'll want to watch Ruby and the Rockits. The show premieres in July on ABC Family. --By Cynthia Boris from SheKnows
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David: "It’s the first time all of my brothers and I have worked together. I wanted to go back to how television shows used to be, where parents could sit and watch with their kids and actually be entertained and laugh. Shaun is a successful producer/writer now and he agreed with me, so we put it together with Patrick and I playing brothers."
David: "You just fall in love with her. We all know she can act but she’s also a really good singer. We were supposed to lipsync on the show, but Shaun had the idea to try it live. So about five minutes before Alexa went on he was like, 'Would you mind singing live?' And she did. When you see it, you’ll be amazed." --Excerpts from David Cassidy: 'I Nearly Died' by Jeanne Wolf, June 11, 2009
Season 1 TV Spot A short clip from the pilot episode.
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LA Times, 5-13-09: Shaun has created a new series for Patrick and David for ABC Family about two brothers who were once big rock stars 20 years ago called "Ruby and the Rockits." "I will pop in and out as Grandma," Jones says. --Shirley Jones, still going strong
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Show Dates June 5, 12 and 19 are sold out! Order Tickets
The show will be taping Fridays from June 5 through August 7, except on July 3, at CBS Studio City. Tickets are usually available 30 days prior to taping.
It's the 1980s and the Gallagher brothers are the hottest teen idols on the planet, and their band The Rockits rules the airwaves. Then, before you can say "hair band" the Rockits break up and the brothers go off to live happily - and separately - every after.
Fast forward and Patrick (Patrick Cassidy) is a nice suburban dad with a wife and two teenage sons, while David’s (David Cassidy) still out there rockin-n-rollin'. Until one day, both of their worlds get all shook up.
David shows up at Patrick’s door with Ruby (Alexa Vega), the teenage daughter he never knew he had. Patrick agrees to help raise Ruby while David’s away on tour, but he never counts on the Drama with a capital "D" three growing teenagers - and one brother who’ll never grow up - can cause.
After all these years, the Gallaghers are singing a different tune. But can they put aside the brotherly loathe that broke up the band? They’re taking it day by day, and with a little practice, they’re bound to become an amazing family act. Starring Alex Vega ("Spy Kids"), Austin Butler ("Zoey 101"), Patrick Cassidy ("Smallville") and former teen idol David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") with Katie A. Keane and Kurt Doss.
CBS STUDIO CENTER 4024 RADFORD AVE., STUDIO CITY, CA
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(Thanks to WamBamFam)
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Meet Ruby, played by Alexa Vega, who is looking for her father.
The performance of the Rockits with the two brothers, played by Patrick & David Cassidy.
The two brothers and one wife, played by Katie A. Keane, have a discussion about how Ruby will fit in.
One son, played by Austin Robert Butler, just hanging out playing guitar and wondering about 'a dog without a bone'.
"Ruby & the Rockits" is an ABC Studios half-hour multi-cam comedy executive-produced by Shaun Cassidy ("Invasion") and Marsh McCall ("Carpoolers"). "Ruby & the Rockits" follows Patrick Gallagher, a former teen idol who has chosen to lead a quiet life with his wife and two sons. But when his former Rockits band mate and brother, David, shows up unexpectedly with his new-found teenage daughter in tow, the Gallagher family's life becomes anything but normal. David, who refuses to give up his past glory days, comes to Patrick for help in raising Ruby while he continues to perform. Patrick must now put the past with David behind them in order to help raise Ruby and keep order within the rest of the Gallagher clan. "Ruby & the Rockits" story by Shaun Cassidy and Ed Yeager, with teleplay by Ed Yeager and Marsh McCall. The pilot was directed by Ted Wass. Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids", Patrick Cassidy ("Smallville"), Katie Amanda Keane ("Eli Stone"), Austin Butler ("Zoey 101"), Kurt Doss ("Role Models"), and former teen idol David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") star. "Ruby & the Rockits" premieres on Tuesday, July 21 at 8:30PM ET/PT. --ABC Family announces upcoming programming slate, posted on 07 April 2009 by Robert Seidman, via ABC Family press release.
The ABC Family is set to air "Ruby and the Rockits", Shaun Cassidy developed it for his brothers, David & Patrick, with youngest brother, Ryan on sets & props. The 'Ruby' pilot has been given a 10-episode order.
"Ruby and The Rockits" is an ABC Studios half-hour comedy series executive-produced by Shaun Cassidy ("Invasion") and Marsh McCall ("Carpoolers"). "Ruby and The Rockits" follows Patrick Gallagher, a former teen idol who has chosen to lead a quiet life with his wife and two sons. But when his former Rockits band mate and brother, David, shows up unexpectedly with his new-found teenage daughter in tow, the Gallagher family's life becomes anything but normal. David, who refuses to give up his past Glory Days, comes to Patrick for help raising Ruby while he continues to perform. Patrick must now put the past with David behind them in order to help raise Ruby and keep order within the rest of the Gallagher clan.
"Ruby and The Rockits" was written by Shaun Cassidy and Ed Yeager, with teleplay by Ed Yeager (the pilot was directed by Ted Wass). Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids"), Austin Butler ("Zoey 101"), Patrick Cassidy ("Smallville") and former teen idol David Cassidy ("The Partridge Family") star.
Patrick Cassidy appeared on Broadway as Julian Marsh in "42nd Street," in Elton John's "Aida" (as well as the national tour for which he won the 2002 National Broadway Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Touring Musical), "Annie Get Your Gun," "Pirates of Penzance," and "Leader of the Pack." He originated the role of the Balladeer in Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins" at Playwrights Horizons and appeared in "Lady in the Dark" at City Center's Encores! National tours include Joseph in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in 2000 and again in 2006. Regionally, he has been seen in "Conrack" (Helen Hayes nomination) at Ford's Theatre, "Martin Guerre" at the Hartford Stage, and "The End of the Day" at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Los Angeles appearances include: "Threepenny Opera" for Reprise (Garland Award for Best Actor in a Musical); Bobby in "Company" with Carol Burnett; "Love Letters;" and "Assassins" (LATC). Other theatre credits include: "The Robber Bridegroom," "Little Shop of Horrors," and "Camelot." His films include "Longtime Companion," "I'll Do Anything," "I Won't Dance" and "Burning Love." He starred in the TV miniseries "Dress Grey" (Emmy nomination) and "Napoleon & Josephine" as well as TV movies-of-the-week "Oklahoma City," "Something in Common," "Christmas Eve," "How the West Was Fun," and "Follow Your Heart." He was also a series regular on NBC's "Bay City Blues," CBS' "Dirty Dancing," HBO's "Perversions of Science" and the WB's "Smallville." He has Guest starred on "Law & Order SVU," "Crossing Jordan," "Without a Trace," "According to Jim," and was just seen on "CSI Miami" and "ER." Patrick has just completed his one-man show entitled "Just Act Normal." Through music and stories, he reflects growing up in a home where every single person around the dinner table is in Show Business.
Part of the Disney-ABC Television Group, ABC Family, distributed in over 95 million homes, features original movies, series and specials reflecting today's families and entertaining and connecting with adults through relevant stories about today's relationships, all told with diversity, dysfunction, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a mix of quality acquired series and theatricals as well as original movies and scripted dramas. ABC Family is also the destination for Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas" branded programming events. ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.
For more information visit, www.abcfamily.go.com. --Monday, February 2, 2009; Posted: 07:02 PM - by BWW News Desk.
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Cassidy brothers to star in sitcom about a Cassidy-like family of former teen idols: "It's total fiction," says Shaun. "The part where we tie Shirley Jones to the roof of a bus? Mere whimsy." --Entertainment Weekly, 2/13/09, Scott Brown's Hit List, #8 of the 10 hottest topics for the week of February 2, 2009
"Ruby and the Rockits," from ABC Studios, is a multicamera comedy starring Patrick Cassidy as a former teen idol who has chosen to lead a quiet life with his wife and two sons. But when his former Rockits bandmate and brother (David Cassidy) shows up unexpectedly with his newfound teenage daughter (Alexa Vega) in tow, the family's life becomes anything but normal. -- Hollywood Reporter, 1/31/09, 3:57pmET
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This is a video taken at Epcot in November 2008 when David mentions working with Shaun, Patrick and Ryan on Ruby and the Rockits.
(Thanks to janecanaries)
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Entertainer David Cassidy will judge a competition for families of singers in the "Early Show" series "Singing Family Faceoff." (Courtesy of CBS.) David mentions working with his brothers in the upcoming Ruby and the Rockits and previously working with Shaun in Blood Brothers.
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Writing Credits (in alphabetical order) Shaun Cassidy, story Ed Yeager, teleplay
Cast (in alphabetical order) Austin Robert Butler (Jordan Gallagher) David Cassidy (David Gallagher) Patrick Cassidy (Patrick Gallagher) Kurt Doss (Ben Gallagher) Jennie Fahn (Woman) Katie A. Keane (Audie Gallagher) Alexa Vega (Ruby Gallagher) Wajid (Man)
Produced By Shaun Cassidy, executive producer Marsh McCall, executive producer Ioanna Vassiliadis Willis, associate producer
( www.imdb.com/title/tt1318409/ )
A TRIVIA NOTE: It's interesting that the TV family name changed from Callahan to Gallagher.
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Hi Friends and Fans ~
You're invited to join the fun in the studio audience for the filming of a new comedy written and produced for the ABC Family channel by Shaun Cassidy!
RUBY AND THE ROCKITS filming Saturday, November 1 at 5:00PM
at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA
Sold Out! FREE tickets are available online at TV Tickets
(Ad courtesy of www.tvtickets.com)
"Ruby and the Rockits" is a half-hour, multi-camera comedy starring Alexa Vega ("Spy Kids") as Ruby, the teenage daughter of David Callahan (David Cassidy) and niece of Patrick Callahan (Patrick Cassidy), brothers and former teen idols in the band The Rockits. Since David continues to tour and pursue a life in music, he turns to Patrick to help raise Ruby, who joins the Callahan clan consisting of Patrick, his wife and two sons. "Ruby" was written by former teen idol Shaun Cassidy (Patrick's brother and David's half-brother) and Ed Yeager. Austin Butler of "Zoey 101" co-stars. (zap2it.com)
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The making of the pilot episode for Ruby & The Rockits in mental snapshots as seen by a Mumy Music Fan
A disclaimer: The scene lines indicated below in caps have nothing to do with the show. These lines were added as I wrote down things I remembered. Also the following events may not appear in the sequence that they happened, so it's going to be like the filming, done in pieces. This is only one fan's perspective and hopefully there will be more.
LOCATION - COZMOOM WEST IN THE NORTH
SCENE - SUNDAY NIGHT
About 70% of the seats were blocked out for the production staff, friends and family members, but I thought we would still get to be closer than about 5th row. Because I saw a few unmarked seats in various rows that were closer, but the usher had her own ideas. Maybe there was a hidden seating chart or something. It was a small studio and about 180-200 people in the audience, so all seats were good. I think there were 3 or 4 rows behind us.
I thought it was fun when they played That's Rock & Roll before Shaun gave his little thank you speech at the end. The audience was standing and dancing, especially our section. After a few lines Shaun said he just now realized what the song was. Then quickly added he would not be singing it. I think he was in production mode.
SCENE - SUNDAY NIGHT, CONTINUED
Another memorable moment was when Shaun was discussing a scene with Alexa, who was sitting on the piano in Patrick's living room area. I think it was a piano. There were three beautiful sets designed by Ryan. L to R, living room, kitchen and nightclub. We were sitting in front of the nightclub, so it was a stretch to see over on the other side. It looked like Shaun was giving Alexa his interpretation of how he wanted her to react in the scene.
Here's another memorable moment. I thought it was fun to see the youngest kid eating cereal on the breakfast table. It looked like he was hungry, because they weren't filming but he kept eating. It reminded me of Mikey from Life cereal.
SCENE - TUESDAY MORNING
The emcee/host guy kept us entertained between shoots. He was funny and looked like the guy I usually see at the car rental place. He kept telling stories, but most were left unfinished when the bell rang that signaled the start of filming. I loved his promises like 8 people would get to go to the backstage party and 2 people would be on the set in the background somewhere. He told us some great stories, too, but half of them were left unfinished, like cliffhangers, when it was time for the filming to begin again. The MC guy kept mentioning pizza, too, which did actually arrive and the boxes slid down each row following the napkins. I took a slice of the pizza, which looked like cheese flavored. It wasn't really warm anymore (since it had arrived according to the emcee 2 or 3 short breaks back), but it was still good. I got the second to the last slice, but there was about three people left. So another box came to finish the row. I wanted water, though. Luckily small half-pint-sized Arrowhead water bottles came next. Those went all the way to the end of the row first and worked backwards until the row was finished. It was very well organized.
On the next break the emcee guy mentioned giving out chocolate. Three bags soon started cruising down the aisles. It took a little while, because everyone was told to hold the wrapper noise during the filming. Once or twice during the filming they said some candy noise was being picked up, so the soundstage must be very sensitive. Also some cell phones that were left on vibrate or silent also had to be actually turned off. (It must have been the production/family/relatives portion, because the fans all had to go through the security screening. LOL!) Then if you're in the middle of unwrapping a candy piece, the emcee guy jokingly said the solution would be to put it all in your mouth. I ended up with a miniature Mr. Goodbar, Hershey's dark chocolate (my favorite one) and a peanut butter cup. I was going to save them in my bag for later, but when the rest of my water was getting warmer, I thought I'd better eat the chocolate during the breaks in case it melted. It felt warm in the room with cooler periods when the lights went down, which felt nice. Since I wore a long-sleeved pink blouse, I did not need a light jacket, which got stuffed in my smaller bag that I brought with me just for the show, since the rules said no large bags and wanted to be safe.
It was fun to see the family and friends gather before the show over on the left and middle sections. With everyone hugging each other, it looked like a family reunion. Shirley made a grand entrance with applause. She started from our side and walked along the front to the other side. She looked wonderful, gorgeous and beautiful, as she always does.
It was fun to see Dave Jolliffe there, too, but it was hard to get his attention since he was on the other side. He played with the Jenerators and has attended several of the Bill Mumy gigs I've seen. (I usually wave hello to him and smile, but didn't think he would notice at this show.) It looked like he was helping a little with seating or getting things for some of the friends. Dave has lost a lot of weight since the Jenerators have played and he looks very good, so he might be working out with Shaun. (Just my opinion.)
SCENE - TUESDAY AFTERNOON, MISCELLANEOUS
The emcee guy interacted with the audience and several members came up to the front and introduced themselves and one guy danced. The prizes given out included a Cold Stone Creamery gift certificate, LA t-shirts for first-time visitors to the area, t-shirts from The Rockits, and an $800 iPod that turned out to be an overly inflated iShuffle. The emcee guy would be a real good salesperson. LOL! He must be related to the promoter guy who sold out America's Roseville concert and kept promising phantom meet and greets, which I will never forget, but I will say he was a good promoter. This emcee guy was good, too.
Questions were asked from the audience like will David and Patrick be singing on the show. The answer was yes, but was left unclear whether or not they would perform something that night. It turned out they did a little song and dance later, but it looked like lip-synching.
I wanted to ask if Shaun would be making an appearance. I didn't ask, because I think I knew the answer would be no. Although when I saw him with the microphone saying his thanks to everyone, it made me hope for a different answer.
SCENE - WEDNESDAY, STAGE VIEWS
I love the first scene that was filmed. Alexa as Ruby wanders into the nightclub area and seems to almost bump into the microphone stand in the middle of the room. She picks it up and starts singing a song, which she just wrote, while thinking no one is around. Then David enters, preoccupied with his business, he thinks Ruby is just a fan, until she tells him who she is and now he wants some fizzy in his water. LOL! It was repeated about three times and each time that line cracked me up. I didn't make notes during the filming, so I'm hesitant to use any quotes, because I don't want to mess anything up.
Another scene happened in Patrick's living room. It was funny watching him do some dance moves while thinking no one is watching him. It was a little hard to see since it happened on the far side, but it appeared he was watching a video. The monitors overhead usually were focused on the actors, but this time it showed a video of a guy singing the same line. That video showed up a lot and it was funny, because it was the same thing each time. Then at the end it changed a little, which made it funnier.
SCENE - WEDNESDAY PM, AN EXTRA NOTE
It was publicly announced during the taping that Ryan Cassidy was responsible for the set design and Melissa Cassidy did the choreography.
SCENE - THURSDAY
There's another scene that stands out when Alexa as Ruby makes her arrival in Patrick's living room. She starts talking and is very excited about how big the place is. She keeps talking for a little bit and at the end she says she's talking too much. I thought that was funny, but when the scene was redone, that line was left out or I missed it.
It was also fun to see David exit the living room and end up in the kitchen. It looked interesting, because it looked like he was still part of the scene, because I had a clear view of the thin wall between the two rooms. Even though the cameras are on rollers, it's hard to have them continue to the next room without a little break. David probably wanted to hide the cupcakes that Patrick's character was known for. Just my opinion again.
David had some great lines that cracked me up and mentioned a funny name that sounded like an Indian casino - something like Otchi-potchi-etc-whatever and I don't remember exactly. He also had to explain how he used to go out with Patrick's wife first (LOL!) and it took a few tries to get it to come out right, but it was still funny each time he tried. David mentioned calling Danny Bonaduce once, which was funny, too.
There were four cameras used, A, B, C and X, so it makes it nice to get different closeups in the same shot. The monitors above the stage were nice and already had white rectangles drawn to show the area of the actual TV screen image. The emcee guy preferred that everyone looked at the stage whenever possible, because it would give better response for the show.
Some of the scenes were pre-filmed, so we watched those on the monitors. I was also watching Shaun to see what he was doing, which was also fun.
One interesting scene was when the nightclub area was getting setup with extras as the scene in the living room was being finished. Some of the nightclub people were told to hold up their glasses. I thought that sounded fun since the people sitting there would either get an up glass or a down glass. I wondered if the up glass would be considered an upgrade for an extra on the set. I remember one man in the back row of the audience was called and asked to fill an empty seat in the front row. I thought it was an interesting moment of live casting on the spot. They wanted to make sure all the cracks were filled in that were behind the extras on the stage area. It's like forget whom you're sitting with, just come and sit here.
It was great to see David and Patrick do a synchronized dance act and especially watching Patrick's expressions. It's hard to describe, but it reminded me of a couple of siamese cats and they were very good. I love Patrick's expressions and sometimes he looks so serious that it made me smile several times as I watched. I don't recall the song, but it looked lip synched even with a small band on the stage. It was a lot of fun to see.
SCENE - THURSDAY, LATER, AUDIENCE VIEW
At the end of the show we wandered down near the front of the seats right above the stage area where Shaun was standing most of the time, near the front or left of the center section. I heard the one of the ushers say they had to do one more scene and wanted the audience to leave. I didn't believe her, because I think either her name was Daisy or she was related to the usher at America's Vacaville concert that made me stop filming. (She told me earlier to go back to my seat when I tried moving ahead one row before the show started. It was where I sat down first, which was behind one of those moving cameras.) It looked like people were moving to the left to see if there was an exit or a way out on the left side (or most likely a way to get down to the floor), but there wasn't. I thought maybe we would get an informal program, page, flyer, post card, shot glass, cupcake wrapper or something from the show, so I didn't bring anything to sign, except my Sharpie pen. When I pulled it out, I think the cap of my lip liner flew down to the stage floor. I looked for it in my bag later, but I don't have the cap anymore. Maybe that was a reason I could have gone down to the stage, but it's too late now. I guess I donated it to the set and maybe Ruby can find it later. LOL! It didn't look like anything else would be happening except a few of the other cast members, crew or extras had pictures taken by their friends or families, so we left through the door where we entered.
As we left we saw Shirley leave with her small group and go the opposite way. We waved and someone said she looked beautiful. She smiled and said thanks. It's funny that we were led by one of the pages to Studio 10, but there was no one around to escort us back to the parking garage. Luckily there were lights and it was easy to find. It also wasn't raining anymore, so that was good.
Now we wait for the editing to be completed, a release date, and a photo of all the brothers including a full-length view of Shaun.
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From the First Look Newsletter, August 16-22, 2008 on ABC Family: Ruby and the Rockits TV Pilot ABC Family Channel, ABC Television Studios, Shaun Cassidy Productions EP: Shaun Cassidy W: Shaun Cassidy, Ed Yeager After the death of her mother, an estranged daughter decides to return home to join the family band.
Shaun's brothers David and Patrick are in the cast.
(Ad courtesy of www.tvtickets.com)
'Ruby and the Rockits' is a half-hour family comedy about two brothers, aging rock musician David Callahan and married-with-children Patrick Callahan (played by '70s teen idol David Cassidy and his real-life brother Patrick) who once topped the charts as '80s pop stars The Rockits but now barely speak to each other. It takes the arrival of David's long-lost daughter, fifteen-year-old Ruby ('Spy Kids' star Alexa Vega) to make both men rethink the importance of family.
