Adolescent idol Leif Garrett is, in my opinion, underappreciated as an artist and performer. He deserved a lot more!
Throughout his career, the former teen idol had incredible highs and lows. However, his use of drug addiction as a crutch led to the downfall of his career.
You should hold your breath before seeing him today, aged 62.
What a babe he was. Leif Garrett began his career as a child actor before becoming a singer in the 1970s and setting young women’s hearts aflutter.
My mother told me that when she went grocery shopping with her parents, she noticed Leif’s face on all of the adolescent magazine covers at the checkout lines.
Born in Hollywood, California, the American singer-actor initially starred in the 1969 picture Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, which became the sixth highest-grossing film of the year, at the age of five.
Following that part, the sleepy-eyed, flaxen-haired hunk appeared in the film Walking Tall and its two sequels. He appeared in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders in 1983, alongside Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, and Tom Cruise, among other young heartthrobs.
Some may also recall him from his roles in TV shows such as Family, The Odd Couple (1974), Wonder Woman (1978), and CHiPs (1979).
When he released his debut album, Leif Garret, in 1977, his renditions of classic songs such as The Wanderer (Dion), Surfin’ USA (The Beach Boys), and Paul Anka’s Put Your Head on My Shoulder captivated the fans.
Garrett was the epitome of success. The blond, shaggy-haired singer traveled the world, and his admirers (mainly young ladies) went berserk whenever they saw him.
“I was on a public appearance tour in Sydney, Australia, and they had to fly me in by helicopter. I then hopped into an armored car and drove into the theater through the back entrance. I tried using a limb there earlier, but the fans nearly knocked it down. I suppose it’s an adrenaline rush for them. They simply panic out. “It’s very strange,” Garrett told the New York Daily News in 1979.
Although his music was nearly at the top of the charts, he fought with management, who treated him as a “fraud.” Garrett found it difficult to adjust to maturity.
“I think I was a good performer from the get-go, but I wish they had offered me singing lessons before ever making a record and doing the typical punching in a sentence here or there or words or whatever,” Garret stated over the course of the conversation.
“There’s one track (I Was Looking for Someone to Love) that doesn’t sound like me at all. I may even claim I wasn’t on that course. To me, that is deceptive behavior. That bears a resemblance to a Milli Vanilli scenario, except that my situation involved multiple combinations between myself and another individual.
When Garrett crashed a car and sent it rolling down a slope in North Hollywood in 1979, it severely damaged his career and paralyzed his then-close friend Ronald Winkler.
But it wasn’t enough for Garret, whose life proceeded to sink downward.
Garret reveled in sex, drugs, and rock and roll with the legendary frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury, who was at the time recording the massively successful album The Game, which featured the hits “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust,” according to his book. Garrett stated that he became acquainted with the band, who showed him a true rock star lifestyle complete with girlfriends and drugs.
Garrett stated in an interview with Fox for the release of his memoir, Idol Truth, that he did not believe he was a very mature 16-year-old. I matured rapidly because I was always around grownups who drank and used cocaine. Despite my youth, I received adult-like treatment. I was responsible for everything.
He went on, “You know, I probably have the best fan following I could possibly dream for myself. They have supported me consistently. And, as you know, I’ve gotten myself into many awful circumstances. There were many stupid decisions. I did not receive the necessary parental guidance at that time.
Garret’s record of charges is substantial. He dropped out of treatment and had many encounters with the police, including attempting to acquire narcotics from undercover detectives and concealing heroin in his shoe.
Despite his best efforts to claw his way back to the top, Garrett eventually reverted to his old behaviors. The comedy show World’s Dumbest, which chronicles the “most amazingly stupid” criminals, chose Garrett to contribute commentary.
Other celebrities renowned for personal follies who appeared on the show were Todd Bridges, Tonya Harding, Gary Busey, and Danny Bonaduce.
Garrett then received a prominent part on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, which he did not want to be on. Garrett claimed the show was causing him to relapse for drama, which VH1 categorically rejected.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Garrett stated, “They asked for a video of me using it, and I answered, ‘I haven’t been using it.'” They stated, “We really need to get footage of your use.” Anyway, I was readily convinced to show them.”
When a production counselor called him out, implying he was still using, Garrett walked off the set, stating, “This is insanity, and quite frankly, I do not appreciate it.”
Fortunately, Leif Garrett is sober now.
“I received a 90-day term in county prison. I was in court-ordered rehab before that, and then my mother came to see me and informed me she had stage IV lung cancer. I answered, ‘I’m leaving to care for her; no one lives with her.’ So, to cope, I resumed my use. So it was like, ‘Cuff him, bring him in,’ and I completed the 90-day period, and that was it,” he adds.
According to the former teen star, he is still grateful to all of his admirers.
“I’ve kept every photo or letter that a young lady sent, telling me about being on their walls and kissing me good night before they went to bed,” Garrett told the newspaper. “It’s odd and a little humiliating, but very flattering! I can’t thank [my fans] enough for allowing me to continue doing what I adore while still earning money.”
We’re rallying behind Leif’s recovery and hope he can enjoy his life now!
We’d love you to share your thoughts on the former teen idol and his attempts at getting sober.