Eugene Landy
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Eugene Ellsworth Landy, Ph.D. (November 26, 1934 - March 22, 2006) was known as "psychologist to the stars" before being hired by The Beach Boys to treat Brian Wilson using unconventional 24-hour therapy. He was successful in limiting Wilson's drug abuse, and he also managed Wilson's career from 1983-1991, allegedly co-writing and producing Wilson's eponymous solo album.
Wilson's family contested Landy for control of Brian Wilson's productions, pursuing legal action in late 1991. However, Landy is depicted in glowing terms in the second half of Wilson's autobiography, Wouldn't It Be Nice (published that year), which indicates Wilson's approval of his methods then. In fact the depiction was so glowing that some question whether or not Wilson did in fact pen the book himself, or if he did, if it was not under duress by Dr. Landy.
Wilson, who is now being treated with conventional psychiatric intervention, refers to that period of his life as "the Landy years," acknowledging that Landy took what he now claims is questionable control (Larry King Live, 2004). As a result of the Beach Boys and Wilson's family struggles for control, action was taken against Dr. Landy's professional practice. He voluntarily agreed to surrender his license to practice psychology in California.
Before his association with Wilson, Landy's claim to fame was as a music producer, when he managed acts including George Benson. Only one person has ever named Landy as his psychologist other than Brian Wilson: Richard Harris. In an interview with journalist David Felton, Landy claimed that he had treated more, but that he was in no position to explain his background.
Eugene Landy continued a successful medical psychotherapeutic practice with licensure in New Mexico and Hawaii up until his death. He died in Honolulu, Hawaii on March 22, 2006, of respiratory system complications from lung cancer. Landy was 71.
