“This book is something that I dreamed about for years,” he admitted. “Then, my manager sat down and told me to put all my incredible stories down on paper. That’s how the book started. Wow. Reliving my life.”
“I lived in a slum and I slept on cardboard boxes for a while as a kid,” he said. “All of these stories in the book are absolutely true.”
Throughout his life, he has had endearing careers in professional wrestling, acting, and comedy. He was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
As an actor, Garrett was honored with a New York Film Critics’ Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award. He is well known for his role as Officer Nicholson in the classic TV series Car 54, Where are You?, and his award-winning fight scene as the postman in the film Three Days of the Condor with Robert Redford.
Garrett was the first white comedian to appear at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem. He opened for Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Dinah Washington. “I became Tony Bennett’s opening act for four years,” he said.
His current work includes being a motivational speaker and working with incarcerated youth. He brings a personal perspective and an understanding of poverty and life on the streets and he hopes to encourage and inspire young people to reach their potential. He is the co-creator of the Hank Garrett Young Storyteller’s Award, which recognizes the creative achievements of youth ages 15 and younger. “I do celebrity autograph shows all over the country,” he said.
Garrett continues to give back, helping troubled youths, as a “Guardian Angel” to at-risk kids, just as R&B legend Sammy Davis Jr. was to him. “They made me an honorary member of the Guardian Angels,” he said.
“Sammy Davis Jr. was sent by God to help me. He got me off the street, and he saved my life,” he said. “I go to prisons now and I talk to kids in prison, ages 11 to 17, and I tell them I was there, where they are sitting. I know what they are going through because God sent me an angel. The kids in person would all write me letters and they said: ‘Sammy Davis Jr. was your angel, and you are our angel.’ It was a full-circle moment.”
Garrett defined the word success as “having the chance to help others.” “Not worrying about myself but feeling about what is going on with a lot of people, and seeing what is happening to them. God has given me so many chances,” he concluded.
From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight is available on Amazon and via Briton Publishing.
“The book is offering me a chance to help the Disabled American Veterans, that’s where the proceeds go, along with Wounded Warriors,” he said.
To learn more about multifaceted entertainer Hank Garrett and his new book, check out his official website.
