The '60s introduced us to sex, drugs and rock and roll, and as Hollywood "experimented" with the freedom of the hippie age, many stars' success stories turned into cautionary tales. From drug-induced drama and porn star marriages to horrifying murder trials, here are some of the biggest stars of the '60s who went wild:
1. Brian Wilson
(Reuters)
Musical genius Brian Wilson crafted the critically acclaimed album “Pet Sounds”… and then he disappeared. The Beach Boys frontman was set to release his next big album, “Smile,” but he left the project unfinished and entered seclusion—locking himself in his home—for nearly two years following his dad’s death in 1973. Wilson eventually got his mental health and drug addictions under control, and he even released “Smile” in 2004. He has since fluttered in and out of the spotlight and he even reunited with the surviving members of the Beach Boys in 2011.
2. Lisa Loring
(MGM)
Best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family," pigtailed cutie Lisa Loring found success early on in life. After she became pregnant at a young age and went through a string of failed marriages, she later became addicted to heroin. She married porn star Jerry Butler after the two met while she was a makeup artist on a porn set. Loring eventually got clean in 1992 and the couple divorced that year.
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3. Butch Patrick
(AP)
In the ‘60s, a young Butch Patrick won the coveted role of Eddie Munster in the “The Munsters.” By the age of 16, he was buying drugs with his hard-earned money and he eventually went to jail for possession. Patrick struggled to make the dough to feed his habit and he even worked as a Christmas tree salesman at one point. In 2010, he went to rehab, and in 2011 he announced he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and has since recovered. He married Leila Murray in September.
4. Bob Crane
(AP)
“Hogan's Heroes” star Bob Crane found great success as the star of the series, but he struggled to find roles after his hit show wrapped. He became friends with an electronics manager, John Henry Carpenter, and the two made a habit seducing women and filming their sexual encounters with them. After Crane distanced himself from Carpenter in the late ‘70s, he was found dead in his apartment with an electronics cord tied around his neck. Carpenter was charged in his death but later found not guilty.
5. Jane Fonda
(AP)
Actress Jane Fonda rose to fame in the ‘60s with roles in “Barefoot in the Park” and “Barbarella.” All the while she admits she had a wild-sex life at home with her first husband Roger Vadim. Fonda has said she and her husband engaged in threesomes –and even foursomes– throughout most of their marriage. Vadim reportedly once asked Fonda’s stepmother to join them in the bedroom, but she declined. Fonda retired from acting for about 15 years but she reentered the limelight with the film “Monster-in-Law” in 2005 and has been acting steadily since.
6. Jack Nicholson
(Reuters)
Nicholson first found fame in the ‘60s as a screenwriter, and in 1969 he became known for his role in “Easy Rider.” But Nicholson was a hard partier during the start of his career and it’s been reported that drugs fueled his early works. In 1994, the actor was charged with vandalism when he smashed a man’s car with a golf club after the man allegedly cut him in traffic, according to a lawsuit on the incident. The charges were later dropped and the two reportedly settled out of court (after Nicholson wrote a hefty check for the damages). Despite his wild days, the actor has had a successful career over the years.
7. Dennis Hopper
(AP)
Nicholson's "Easy Rider" co-star Dennis Hopper had some major drug issues too. Hopper has said that he only did drugs to fuel his intense alcohol addiction, which at times included 28 beers in a day. Hopper explained that he did drugs, mainly cocaine, so he had a higher tolerance for alcohol. He was also married five times—with one of his marriages only lasting two weeks. The notorious partier eventually died of prostate cancer in 2010.
8. Elizabeth Taylor
(AP)
Liz Taylor’s wild love life was almost more entertaining to watch than her films. The iconic actress was married eight times (twice to Richard Burton) and she became a grandmother at the young age of 39. Taylor also had many relationships outside of her marriages, but her biggest scandal may have been when she began dating Eddie Fisher while he was still married to Debbie Reynolds. Taylor died in 2011.
9. Phil Spector
(AP)
Music producer Phil Spector worked on records with everyone from the Beatles to the Ramones, but he reportedly had some unconventional tactics in the recording studio—that included threatening artists at gunpoint. In 2003, actress Lana Clarkson was found dead in Spector’s home and he was found guilty in her murder. He is currently serving his 19-year sentence in California.
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