David Cassidy can’t get happy after winning ‘Partridge Family’ lawsuit

He won his lawsuit, but David Cassidy probably isn’t singing “C’mon Get Happy” over the ruling. Forty years after his television heyday, “The Partridge Family” alum’s long battle with Sony Pictures Television is over. But the former teen idol wasn’t awarded the millions of dollars he sought. Instead, Cassidy was awarded just $157,964.84, according to TMZ on Sunday.

In 2011, Cassidy filed the suit after accusing Sony and Screen Gems of using his image on “Partridge Family" merchandise and not paying him any profits. The “I Think I Love You” singer, who starred as Keith Partridge on the hit 1970’s sitcom, claimed he received only $5000 for "Partridge Family" themed merchandise like lunch boxes, magazines, and paper dolls, but he revealed that his Screen Gem contract stipulated he was due 15 percent of the net merchandising revenues for the use of his image, voice or likeness. Over the past four decades, “The Partridge Family” merchandise reportedly generated nearly $500 million for the defendants.

Although Cassidy was denied a jury trial, a California judge decided to honor the arbitration provision in his 1971 contract. "It's just a matter of being fair, and doing the right thing," Cassidy told CNN shortly after he filed the lawsuit three years ago. "I have no other alternative if Sony is not going to be reasonable."

The singer’s attorneys explained that their client quickly became a teen idol after he debuted as Keith on the TV sitcom and on record albums, and at the height of the show's success, he received an average of 30,000 letters from fans a week and surpassed Elvis Presley and The Beatles with the largest fan club in the world.

After the long overdue ruling, Cassidy filed a petition with the court to confirm the paltry judgment, but he also requested the court to add $57,943.06 for his arbitration fees and another $35,824.82 in interest. Both sides are due back in court later at the end of January.