American actor, singer and television personality, who made his screen debut at age five in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969). By the time he was 16, Leif was famous as a teen heartthrob singing star. He became the youngest star in history to have his own TV variety special. His films included Macon County Line (1974), all three Walking Tall movies (1973, 1975, 1977) and Skateboard (1978). Gradually, he faded into low-budget film roles.
Garrett is the son of actress-costume designer Carolyn Stellar. His father remains a mystery, the family saying only that he is now dead, was mean and cruel and deserted the family when the boy was five. Hyper from the time of his precocious childhood, he completed four years of high school in two years.
He had a two-year relationship with Justine Bateman, 1987-1989, followed by cohabitation with actress Elaine Bilstad.
Following a not uncommon pattern of the young-super-rich, Garrett went the route of drugs, in his case, leading to heroin. He lost fame, fortune, health and gorgeous girlfriends Bateman and Nicollette Sheridan on the altar of addiction. In 1979 he was arrested for underage drinking. A few months later, he crashed his car and crippled his friend Rowland Winkler, who sued him for the accident; Leif paid a settlement of $1.l5 million.
He later related that he would wake up by 11:00 and by 3:00, would break out in a cold sweat. “I’d have the shakes and be crampy, so I would call my dealer and he would deliver the stuff.” He stopped working and hung out with junkie pals, partying with drugs, booze and girls. Soon, he stopped leaving the house at all. Worth $6 million at one time, the money gradually went for the high life.
Bearded, puffy and haggard, after going out to a binge one night, he came home to an Intervention, a meeting of family and friends who objected to him killing himself, who insisted that he go into rehab. It was an emotional and raw encounter. Though he is not a Scientologist, he liked their program, and entered rehab. After five weeks of exercise, saunas, vitamins and therapy, he segued into AA meetings. Slowly rebuilding his life, he moved into radio production with an old-fashioned type of show called Audiomovies.
Garrett took a dive, once again, on 29 June 1999 when the Los Angeles Police Department busted him for possession of cocaine and heroin. He was released on $10,000 bail after the arrest with an order to appear in front of a judge on 13 August 1999 to determine whether or not he would be eligible for drug counseling or would have to go to jail. On 7 March 2001, a judge issued a bench warrant for Garrett’s arrest for failure to appear at a drug hearing to evaluate his progress.
He published an autobiography, Idol Truth, in 2019.
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