Dave Madden

Despite a career spanning over three decades, Canadian-born actor Dave Madden remained best known for his role as Reuben Kincaid, the put-upon manager of "The Partridge Family" (ABC 1970-74). Although he was born in Sarnia, Ontario, Madden was raised in the northern midwest, first in Port Huron, Michigan and then Terre Haute, Indiana. After spending one semester at Indiana State Teacher's College, Madden enlisted in the Special Forces of the United States Air Force. It was during his time in the Special Forces where he grew fond of entertaining, using magic tricks he learned in his youth to entertain the men and women who served to protect the nation; he once performed in front of King Idris of Libya. After his tour in the Special Forces, Madden obtained a degree in communications at the University of Miami. While he worked the nightclubs of Miami and Los Angeles, his big break finally came when one of his opening acts impressed Frank Sinatra, who recommended him to Ed Sullivan for a three-night appearance on Sullivan's nationally-televised variety show. This eventually lead to other great opportunities, including a recurring role as Counselor Pruett in the family sitcom "Camp Runamuck" (NBC 1965-66), and a regular spot on "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" (NBC 1968-1973). But the role that defined Madden's career was on the widely adored sitcom "The Partridge Family." Madden played the musical family's bumbling manager Reuben Kincaid, who often hilariously clashed with the troublesome adolescent Danny, played by Danny Bonaduce. After "The Partridge Family," Madden remained a steady presence on television via guest appearances in shows such as "Fantasy Island" (ABC 1977-1984) and "Starsky and Hutch" (ABC 1975-79). His last steady television role was playing basketball coach Earl Hicks on "Alice" (CBS 1976-85), the sitcom based on Martin Scorsese's film "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974). Madden continued to make guest appearances in the later part of his career, sometimes playing parodied versions of his Reuben Kincaid character in shows such as "The Ben Stiller Show" (Fox 1992-93), "Boy Meets World" (ABC 1993-2000), and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (1996-2003). On January 16, 2014, Madden succumbed to heart and kidney failure and passed away in Jacksonville, Florida.