david cassidy.>> big, big company. why are you suing? >> well, it is just a matter of trying to be proactive when you get the response that you don't acknowledge that we owe you anything, they never sent me statements. i'm entitled to a percentage of the net proceeds. excuse me. on the show, for the television show itself which has been in syndication for 35 years. the dvds that have been released the cds. and truly, as a contractually, we are -- we have been business partners and we are business partners. as opposed to it is sad that, you know, when you try and have a relationship that is -- i have been grossly underpaid. i have done everything i can, including tonight where i'm performing singing "the partridge family" songs in new jersey at the theater. tomorrow night i'm out on tour. >> you promote the "the partridge family." >> i do. >> you know, it is -- ubiquitous. i can tell you even though i have a young staff and said you were coming in, they broke out into song. they all know these songs.

partridge family star david cassidy is famous for playing keith partridge. ars after the show went off the air, cassidy is suing the company that owns the show, sony. why? well, cassidy says he wasn't paid for all the merchandise sold with his image on it. what he did get was an insult. mr. cassidy just filed the suit today. he joins me from new york in a cnn exclusive. first some background on the case from poppy harr low. ♪ >> reporter: it's 1970. and a 20-year-old named david cassidy is starring in "the partridge family." not only did the show and sold out concerts go on to make him a star, but the teen idol's success spawns an avalanche of merchandise. and now he's on a personal mission to get paid for that merchandise from sony, which owns the show. you say you've been robbed for the last few decades? >> how would you call it? if somebody does not pay you and you are entitled to a percentage of the profits and you know they're making profits, is that stealing? >> reporter: cassidy says according to his contract, while the program was on the air he was en

. >> we were talking about these crime dramas and they're so heavy and it's david cassidy taking off sense of humor. >> it sure does. it's different from any procedural show that you've ever seen, and i would never do a straight procedural show and i'm very uninterested in it because of that, but the whole alexander cunningham is an incredible writer and each character has a great sense of humor and their own wit and he's incredibly sarre castic and it works for the show in general. >> i always wonder if there's more room for the show. there are so many csis did you think that you can find a different niche for the show? >> i don't see a woman on american television, who is incredibly complex. she's not trying to be likable. she's just self-possessed and cranky and i think that people really like her. >> it's a reflection that we're seeing in the workplace. we have new college graduates and the ceo of ibm, whether it's going close and some of the characters on cable, the powerful woman on tv with some jagged edges is now very, very appealing. i think you brought that to a new level.