Yup, it's the Ricky Segall section of our website. Scary, isn't it?? Now, we know this is supposed to be a homage to the Partridge Family and everything associated with it, so we'll make every effort to treat the subject of Ricky with the seriousness it deserves... yeah, right!!!
Everyone knows the PF creators were clutching at straws when they brought little bowl-head in. Too bad it didn't work. Right off the bat, the kid really had the name of a bird. Maybe someone thought the Partridge/Seagull connection was cute, but c'mon... even Barbara Hershey was smart enough to drop the seagull bit - big lips notwithstanding.
But we digress... we just need to point out: Rick, if you're surfing this site, please don't take it personally. We know you were an unwitting pawn of the Hollywood machine. You seem to be a very intelligent, nice, and charming man today. It's just that when you were 4 years old and screeching on TV, you were, well... annoying as all get-out!
Ahhh, what memories! The little bugger crooning (actually, he looks more like he's howling, doesn't he?) one of those unforgettable ditties like, "Say Hey Willie" (isn't that a little risque for a 4-year-old?), "What Kind of Noise Do You Make" (that would be the audience shrieking in terror, Ricky), and the ever-popular "When I Grow Up" (which, as the photo below proves, he did quite well!)
Why do you suppose this shot was taken? To show us how manly Ricky was (he was 4 years old at the time, for gosh sakes!) Is this how Ricky got more lines than Chris and Tracy combined? Maybe it was in anticipation of what our Rick-Mite was going to do to the PF's ratings. I'm sure someone thought he'd knock their socks off - as we all know, the reality was that his performances were a TKO! We wonder anyone pitted the Rickmeister up against, say, Moosie Drier?
Ok, can we talk about the haircut? Mrs. Segall - what were you thinking?? Did you have an overabundance of bowls that you had no use for?? Do the Tupperware ladies recommend this as a use for thier products? Do you still have to burp them? Weren't the clothes in the 70s bad enough without adding hair-don't's, too?
Further proof that, even in the 70s, anyone could cut a record (today, we have examples of this in Alanis Morrisette, Jewel, and most rappers). Not only did our tiny moppet have an album - he had an "And The Segalls", too (we're assuming it refers to the studio musicians... hopefully, they were paid well!)! This album contains the aforementioned golden-oldies, as well as "Just Loving You", "Mr. President", "Bicyle Song", "Sooner or Later" (not to be confused with the Madonna/Dick Tracy/Sondheim tune, I'm sure!), "What Would You Like To Be?" (the sequel to "When I Grow Up"?), "All I Want to Ask Santa Claus", and "A Little Bit of Love". We should note that all these songs were written by Ricky's father, which should have counted as some form of child abuse back in the 70s (as if the haircut wasn't enough).
Ok, ok, ok... all poking-fun aside: for those who are dying of curiosity as to what the singing imp is up to these days (and we know who you are!): Rick (as he is called now) was first seen post-Partridge on Danny Bonaduce's short-lived talk show back in 1994, which debuted with a Partridge Family cast reunion. The entire cast was there, with the exception of Susan (you're shocked, I know - but she was there for a bit by phone) and David. Ricky, at the time, was about 25 years old.
Update, 11/99: Rick is a minister at Church on the Way in San Antonio, Texas. He and his wife now have two daughters, and Rick has a new Gospel CD called A Time to Dance, available through Amazon.com. In a recent interview for Inside Edition, Rick said he only recently (as of October, 1999) told his congregation about his sordid past on the Partridge Family.
Update 6/00: Rick appears as a side-bar in a TV Guide article about child stars.
