HONOLULU, March 29 (UPI) -- Psychologist Eugene Landy, whose controversial relationship with Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson thrust him into the national limelight, has died at age 71.
Landy died of lung cancer last Wednesday in Honolulu, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
Landy treated a long line of stars with his "24-hour therapy" -- including rocker Alice Cooper and actors Rod Steiger and Richard Harris -- the Times said.
He was best known for his treatment of Wilson, whose life hit bottom in the 1970s from years of drug abuse and mental illness.
Landy literally took over the songwriter's life and monitored him 24 hours a day, the Times said. He eventually became Wilson's manager and collaborator as well, which created a breach of ethics firestorm and ended up costing him his license to practice in California.
Wilson's family believed Landy's hold over the singer to be so strong they filed suit in 1991 to appoint an independent conservator to stop Landy from taking advantage of Wilson. The suit was dropped after Landy agreed to stay away from Wilson for 90 days.
The pair decided to make the split permanent and Landy moved to Hawaii.
