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Saturday May 18, 2024

'Wizard of Oz' star Judy Garland sought help from unlikely ally to battle addiction

Judy Garland's state after her divorce has been detailed in a new memoir

By Web Desk
May 05, 2024
Judy Garland hired Fred Otash to help her get sober
Judy Garland hired Fred Otash to help her get sober

Wizard of Oz star Judy Garland fought crippling drug addiction with the help of private investigator Fred Otash.

According to a new biography about Tinseltown’s private detective, The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars and Marilyn, the detective was determined to help Judy break free from the shackles of addiction.

Speaking exclusively to Fox News, book’s co-author Manfred Westphal explained that Otash helped the Wizard of Oz star “get sober.”

He said: "When Judy Garland filed for divorce from her third husband, Sid Luft, she was afraid to be in her home alone.”

"She feared that Sid might kidnap the children. So her attorney, Jerry Giesler, hired Otash to serve as her bodyguard."

Continuing on the subject, he added: "He turned out to be her fixer.”

Speaking of Garland’s past traumatizing experiences, it is reported that she was put on extreme diets to impress studio executives.

She was required to work around the clock, making her perform when needed with the help of ‘pep pills.’

The actress, who was a drug addict ahead of turning 30, suffered a nervous breakdown. She is also reported to have attempted suicide later.