‘The Wizard Of Oz’ Star Judy Garland Had A PI’s Help To Fight Her Crippling Drug Addiction, New Book Claims

Judy Garland, known for her iconic portrayal of Dorothy Gale in the musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz, faced a lifelong battle with drug addiction. Her journey with substance abuse began in her teenage years. Initially, she turned to prescription drugs, but as time passed, her reliance on them deepened, spiraling into a full-blown addiction.

Despite her remarkable talent and achievements, this addiction profoundly impacted both her personal and professional life, manifesting in health complications, erratic behavior, career setbacks, and ultimately, her untimely demise in 1969 at the age of 47. A new book recently detailed Garland’s struggles and how she got help from Fred Otash, who dedicated himself to aiding Garland in her private battle against addiction.

Manfred Westphal says PI Fred Otash helped Judy Garland through her addiction

The new biography titled The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn delves into the enigmatic life of Tinseltown’s most infamous private detective, Fred Otash, and the role he played in Garland’s struggle with addiction.

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In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, co-author Manfred Westphal revealed that Otash was initially hired by Garland as a bodyguard, primarily out of concern for her safety following her tumultuous divorce from her third husband, Sid Luft.

However, upon commencing his duties, Otash soon uncovered Garland’s battle with addiction. Rather than simply fulfilling his role as a protector, he took proactive steps to assist Garland in her quest for sobriety. One of his notable actions was securing Garland’s environment by locking away all alcohol in her garage, thus removing the temptation. Also, Otash took a decisive move by flushing all of her pills down the toilet, signaling a firm commitment to aiding her recovery journey.

Westphal added that despite the seemingly grueling nature of Otash’s approach, Garland’s perseverance bore fruit, as she managed to break free from her drug dependency within a relatively short span of thirty days.

Yet, this triumph was overshadowed by the lingering specter of addiction as she soon found herself ensnared in a new battle, this time with a crippling addiction to amphetamines and barbiturates, which, tragically, ultimately led to her death.