Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Happy 50th Birthday Leif Garrett

American actor and teen singer Leif Per Nervik was born on November 8, 1961. He is the son of actor Rick Nervick and actress Carolyn Stellar [1934- ]. His sister is actress Dawn Lyn [1963- ]. He started his career as an actor at the age of 5 and appeared in the film "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" (1969). In 1976 he signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records and his first four singles charted in the Top 100 with a cover verison of Dion’s "Runaround Sue" reaching #13. Switching labels to Scotti Brothers Records his first single for the company "I Was Made for Dancin" reached #10 in the U.S. and #4 in the U.K. It was during the height of his singing career that he made two Euro-westerns opposite Lee Van Cleef. "God’s Gun" (1976) and "Kid Vengeance"  (1977) which also starred Jim Brown. In 1979 three days before his 18th birthday he crashed his car while under the influences of liquor and drugs. Although Leif was not seriously injured, his best friend and passenger Roland Winkler was left a paraplegic. Since that time Garret has been in and out of jail on drug and narcotics charges. Today he is seen regularly on the TV series "The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s Dumbest..." and "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew". A once promising career left in shambles today Leif Garrett celebrates his 50th birthday.

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