Leif Garrett
| Leif Garrett | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Leif Per Nervik |
| Born | November 8, 1961 |
| Origin | Hollywood, California, United States |
| Genres |
Pop, disco, power pop (earlier) Alternative rock, grunge, hard rock (later) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer, television personality |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, piano, electronic keyboard, drums |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Labels | 20th Century, Atlantic, Scotti Brothers, Tongue and Groove, Cleopatra, Golden Lane |
Leif Garrett (born Leif Per Nervik; November 8, 1961) is an American singer, actor and television personality. He became famous in the 1970s as a child actor, pop star and teen idol, but received much publicity later in his adult life for his drug abuse and legal troubles.
Garrett was born in Hollywood, California to Carolyn Stellar (b. 1934) and Rik Nervik, and started his entertainment career at age five. His father was absent for most of his life, but Garrett has since reconciled with him, stating "He feels so badly about missing the years when you know you’re so proud to have a 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."
In the first few years of his career Garrett performed under the name of "Leif Per"; however, casting agents found the name difficult to pronounce (Per is pronounced almost as "pair" or "pear"). In 1971, Garrett received a check in the mail incorrectly addressed to a "Leif Garrett". After Garrett and his mother undertook research on the name, they found that the name "Garrett" held connotations of strength, so the name stuck.
Garrett and his sister Dawn Lyn worked a variety of small acting jobs. They co-starred in the horror movie Devil Times Five as juvenile mental patients who almost innocently go on a murder spree at an isolated ski resort. Dawn and Leif also guest-starred in an episode of Gunsmoke as well as Wonder Woman.
Garrett's more notable performances include the breakthrough role of Jimmy Henderson in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969); the protagonist’s son Mike Pusser from the Walking Tall movies (1973, 1975, 1977) and the recurring role of Zack Russell on the ABC TV series Family. He also played the role of Leonard Unger, the son of Felix Unger (Tony Randall), on the ABC series The Odd Couple, a part that had been played by Willie Aames.
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