Leif Garrett began his career as a child actor, appearing in the first two Walking Tall movies as Buford Pusser's son, Mike, when he was just 12 years old. He made his television debut on the family show Three for the Road in 1975, and soon took up a recurring role on the series Family. Garrett signed a recording contract in 1976 and began performing as a pop star, instantly becoming a teen heartthrob, gracing the covers of magazines like Tiger Beat. He continued to act, however, appearing most notably in movies like Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film The Outsiders. In his personal life, Garrett has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, leading to a 1979 car crash in which his best friend, Roland Winkler, was partially paralyzed.
Leif Garrett
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- Made movie debut in the 1969 comedy Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
- Played Endy Karras on the 1975 CBS series Three for the Road; the role gave his career a major boost.
- Released debut album, Leif Garrett, in 1977, which spurred his fame as a teen idol.
- Involved in a notorious 1979 car accident that left a close friend paralyzed. The incident was central to a memorable episode of Behind the Music, which featured a reunion with the friend, who also sued Garrett for his role in the crash.
- In subsequent years, battled substance-abuse issues, including drug addiction, which he discussed publicly, noting, "I know I can beat it; I have to."
- Continued with a recording career over the years, including release of the song "Help You, Make You" in 2012.