Leif Garrett emerged in the acting scene in 1966 at the age of 5 when he debuted as an actor in the film “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.”
Over time, Garrett was featured in over 60 hit television shows such as “The Odd Couple,” “Wonder Woman,” “Family Affair,” “The Waltons,” and “Cannon.”Garrett also flourished in the music industry as he became a multi-gold and platinum recording artist. His best-known song was “I Was Made For Dancing.”
The actor was also one of the most popular teen idols of all time and became a cover model for magazines all over the world in 1977.Garrett was so popular that teenage girls who swooned over him in the 1970s and 1980s hung his poster on their bedroom walls. At 58, Garrett revealed that he kept every photo and letter girls sent him:
“…telling me about being on their walls and kissing me good night before they went to bed. It’s very surreal and a bit embarrassing, but how flattering!”
The actor also said he was popular pre-internet and pre-social media time because girls not only liked how good he looked, but they also enjoyed the talent he had. Garrett noted that he worked pretty hard to become successful:
“I had to learn trial by fire. I was not a born singer. I believe that I had the ability to perform on stage, but everything had to be learned in the music area instead of just coming naturally like acting did.”
Garrett recently reshared his photo taken in 2015, and his fans were amazed by how well the actor has aged. One fan said Garrett was “absolutely gorgeous,” while another fan noted that he “Still got it!!!!.”
People said Garrett looked “awesome,” and other fans commented that he was “still handsome as ever.” “You’re amazing. Don’t forget it ❤️. Baby…you still look great!,” another fan said.
Garrett also said he would love to have a kid and adopt a child. He noted that he really wanted a child of his own, but if that couldn’t happen, he wasn’t going to force it.
In the picture that wowed fans, Garrett was on stage performing. More fans told him that they still loved his music, while one fan confessed that the actor was her “teen heartthrob.” Another fan added:
“I still have a scrapbook filled with your teen magazine pics from when I was a young teen, lol. Your pictures were always pinned to my bedroom walls!”
Garrett, who admitted to having dated famous women such as Nicollette Sheridan, fell in love with his best friend, who unfortunately passed away.
How Did Leif Garrett Feel after His Girlfriend Died?
Elaine Bilstad and Garrett were best friends before they became involved romantically. Bilstad was an actress born on September 13, 1965, in the U.S. She featured in movies such as “Baywatch” and “Walker, Texas Ranger.”
The actress died on January 30, 1999, and was buried in Elk Grove, in East Lawn Elk Grove Memorial Park, California.
After Bilstad died, Garrett’s life took a downfall. He lost his money, and his dream of being a young couple with his girlfriend also vanished. “She was my best friend and I missed her beyond measure,” he said.
The music star said losing Bilstad made him “feel like the end of my life was near.” He noted that he would have been okay and wouldn’t have any complaints had he died at that moment too. The singer felt like he had lived a complete life.
Garrett also hated what his life had become after Bilstad died because he became addicted to heroin. He wrote in his book “Idol Truth: A Memoir”:
“In my possession today, I have a framed piece of silver foil. Spelled out in the residue of the heroin I was addicted to is the word, help. I made it by shaping the residue on the foil into letters. That was my cry for help.”
In 2010, Garrett, who had fallen into drug abuse, was arrested for possession of heroin. He served time in county jail for 90 days and confessed it was the worst thing he ever went through.
He said his time in county jail was the only motivation he needed to stop using drugs. Garrett noted that as much as he hadn’t dealt with what pushed him into doing drugs, spending time in county jail became his wake-up call.
Before Garrett went to jail, he was in a court-ordered rehab, and his mom visited him. She told the singer that she had been diagnosed with stage IV cancer. This devastating news also helped Garrett make the decision to stop using drugs.After he got out of rehab, he started taking care of his mom, but the pressure caused him to start doing drugs again. That’s when he was arrested, spent time in county jail, and made the choice to stop using, which made him finally quit drugs.
How Does Leif Garrett Live Nowadays in His 60s?
Garrett started getting his life in order after he finally quit drugs. He and his dad, who left when he was five, finally started seeing eye to eye when Garrett was in his 50s.
After Garrett’s dad walked away, the singer didn’t see him until when he was 16, when they met for about half an hour. Garrett wanted to form a relationship with him when he was in his 40s, but it didn’t work out until his 50s. The singer opened up about his dad:
“He feels so badly about missing the years when you know you’re so proud to have son, like from age 12 to manhood, when you help influence and guide your son’s life. Well, he missed out on all that stuff. He is regretting missing that and he now treats me like that.”
Unfortunately, after Garrett and his dad reunited, he died before they resolved the issues between them. Garrett, who took care of his dad for three years, said his father was incapable of addressing issues.
The 61-year-old now takes care of his mom, who is 89. He moved into her house, and the two have spoken extensively about the issues between them. The singer said he loved his mom dearly, but he doesn’t like that she is never truthfully herself.
Garrett’s mom was given six months to a year to live after she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer but over seven years later, the singer said she is hanging in there, looks great, and doesn’t look her age.
The singer also still thinks of Bilstad. He confessed back in 2012 that she was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with:
“She was an angel…That would have been the person I would have had a child with. And I haven’t met anyone I feel that way about since.”
Garrett also said in the same interview that he would love to have a kid and adopt a child. He noted that he really wanted a child of his own, but if that couldn’t happen, he wasn’t going to force it.
In 2019, the singer admitted, he hopes to meet someone he could grow old with. “I don’t want to die alone,” he added.
These days, Garrett is focused on himself as he lives with his orange-brown cat Gizmo. He promotes his memoir, engages in projects such as remodeling his house, is happy with where he is in life, and never wants to stop learning.