Danny Bonaduce, best known as a former child star on “The Partridge Family,” is sharing a surprising throwback about his teenage years — and a school connection he once had with Michael Jackson.
Speaking on the Thursday, May 28 episode of Pop Culture Retro!, the 66-year-old actor and radio personality reflected on his early days in Hollywood and how his path crossed with Jackson’s long before either reached the height of their fame.
Bonaduce Talks School With Jackson
Bonaduce explained that he first met Jackson when both were working on different projects at the Columbia lot as young performers.
But years later, the two ended up crossing paths again in a much more everyday setting — at school.
According to Bonaduce, both he and Jackson attended the same school for young working actors, which he referred to as “Cal Prep.”
“I see Michael again, and you know, he was a pretty big star at that point. Not what he would become, but he’s a pretty big star,” Bonaduce recalled.
At the time, Jackson was already gaining major attention as a rising solo artist after his early success with the Jackson 5, while Bonaduce was navigating his own life as a child actor.
Bonaduce said he kept things brief when he first saw Jackson again on campus.
“And I just kind of held back a little. I said, ‘Nice to see you again,’” he said.
Bonaduce Recalled One Specific Hallway Moment
He then described a hallway moment that stuck with him for years.
“One day he’s walking to the office, and I was walking probably out of the office because I was in trouble for something,” Bonaduce said. “And he’s walking by, and I look at him, I said, ‘You know, Michael, I’ve known you forever. How come you never speak?’”
Bonaduce recalled Jackson’s unexpected reply.
“And he said, ‘Because I’m in constant remembrance of God.’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s cool, but what about chicks?’”
The actor said Jackson quickly ended the exchange.
“‘Hey, what about chicks?’ Boom. Gone. Just gone like a ninja,” he added.
Despite the awkward teenage interaction, Bonaduce shared that the two later reconnected years afterward when Jackson invited him and his children to his home, showing that their paths continued to overlap even after childhood.
Bonaduce rose to fame as Danny Partridge on “The Partridge Family” in the 1970s before later transitioning into radio and reality television, where he often reflected on his early Hollywood experiences.
Jackson, meanwhile, went on to become one of the most iconic entertainers in music history.
After joining the Jackson 5 in 1966, he launched a solo career as a teenager and released landmark albums including “Off the Wall,” “Bad,” and “Thriller,” with the latter becoming the best-selling album of all time.
Bonaduce isn’t the only former child star to revisit memories of Jackson.
Maureen McCormick, best known as Marcia Brady on “The Brady Bunch,” previously revealed she once shared a teenage romance with the pop icon.
“I was just absolutely in love with him,” she said regarding their brief romance.
