A film star at the age of 12, a pop star a year later, über-Californian Leif Garrett (born Leif Per Nervik) burned briefly but brightly during the 70s, his biggest hit being 1979’s I Was Made For Dancin’, which topped the charts around the world.
Then, three days before his 18th birthday, he drove his Porsche off the highway while on his way to meet his Colombian coke dealer, Carlos. Garrett survived, but his passenger and friend Roland Winkler was crippled for life.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Garrett returned to acting and fought an ongoing battle to get off the drugs.
By 1998, he was pretty much clean when his girlfriend, actress Elaine Bilstad, died. She had a hole in her heart and contracted a blood virus, which killed her.
Garrett turned to heroin, got busted, and underwent the Waismann rapid detox program. In 1999, he formed a band called Godspeed, which achieved little, and he was last seen playing with an LA outfit called F8.
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Then, three days before his 18th birthday, he drove his Porsche off the highway while on his way to meet his Colombian coke dealer, Carlos. Garrett survived, but his passenger and friend Roland Winkler was crippled for life.
