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Fans Haven’t Seen This ‘Partridge Family’ Star in Decades \u2014 Here’s Why<\/a> originally appeared on Parade<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n Susan Dey <\/strong>captured America’s heart as the beloved Laurie Partridge on The Partridge Family<\/em> in the 1970s. However, it\u2019s been over two decades since the beloved actress quietly vanished from Hollywood \u2014 and fans desperately want an update.<\/p>\n While millions of viewers watched the musical family across television screens, behind the scenes, Dey\u2019s journey was far more complicated. The pressure of growing up in the public eye took a toll on the star.<\/p>\n “[You] feel like an adult but you are not an adult,” Dey revealed to The Washington Post<\/a><\/em>, describing the challenges of stardom at such a young age.<\/p>\n This dynamic led to serious consequences for the actress. Dey developed an eating disorder during the show’s run, she later told the Post. When The Partridge Family <\/em>ended in 1974, Dey faced a familiar hurdle for many child stars \u2014 being typecast.<\/p>\n Rather than letting these setbacks define her career, Dey pushed through, and landed a role in 1978\u2019s Little Women<\/em> miniseries. Starring alongside fellow ’70s TV icon Eve Plumb<\/strong>, Dey played Jo March, successfully showing her range in drama.<\/p>\n Her next big role came with L.A. Law <\/em>in 1986. As district attorney Grace Van Owen, she showcased her acting chops across eight seasons, appearing in 126 episodes \u2014 surpassing even her Partridge Family<\/em> episode count of 96.<\/p>\n The role earned her multiple Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 1989, finally silencing those who had typecast her as just another teen star.<\/p>\n After L.A. Law<\/em> ended, Dey’s career slowly wound down through various TV movies, a stint on Love & War<\/em> from 1992 to 1993 and guest appearances. Her last professional acting credit came in 2004 with two episodes of Third Watch<\/em> – and then, complete silence from the actress.<\/p>\n Dey’s commitment to privacy became evident after experiencing what she reportedly<\/a> felt were violations of her personal boundaries. Years after The Partridge Family<\/em> ended, her former co-star David Cassidy<\/strong> revealed details about their personal relationship in his 1994 memoir.<\/p>\n