"Men in Black" Actor Rip Torn Arrested After Breaking into Bank with a Gun

Actor Rip Torn was arrested Friday night after breaking into a bank in Salisbury, Connecticut. Police responding to the scene found the Emmy-winning actor intoxicated, inside on the floor with a loaded revolver. They reported, according to TMZ, that nothing had been taken or destroyed, except for the window Torn had smashed out to gain entrance into the Litchfield Bancorp building. The acclaimed actor was arrested without incident. Since Rip Torn was in possession of a gun, he was later charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, carrying a firearm while intoxicated, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree criminal mischief.

According to the Register Citizen, Torn, whose acting career spans five decades, is scheduled to appear in court Monday. No doubt he'll wish to have one of those memory eraser thingies (used in "Men In Black") when he gets there. In fact, if the 78-year-old actor had access to such a device, he might want to use it on himself to erase all the alcohol-related incidents in his life -- or at least the memories of them. He could start with just the more recent episodes.

In December 2008, Rip Torn was arrested and charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence and failure to drive in the proper lane. In that encounter, Torn reportedly told the arresting officer that he, too, was a cop and that the police officer was under arrest as well. At one point, Torn attempted to walk away, and that is when the police officer said he handcuffed the actor.

In addition to the Connecticut charge, Rip Torn was arrested on drunken driving charges twice in New York -- in 2007 and 2004. He was acquitted by jury in the 2004 case, but in 2007, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of driving while impaired.

But one is hampered from learning from one's mistakes if one cannot remember them, so perhaps having one of those memory cleansing devices that worked so well for Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in the blockbuster "Men In Black" movies (Rip Torn played their superior, Chief Zed or 'Z') might not be such a good idea. And for those who seem to refuse to alter their behavior after several mistakes, there is always intervention.

In fact, according to TMZ, Mark E. Macomber, President/CEO of Litchfield Bancorp in Connecticut, has suggested just that course of action. Macomber told police that he didn't believe Torn was attempting to steal anything or hurt anyone. Police had said they believed he probably thought he was at home. Macomber suggested that Torn get help for what looked to be a problem with alcohol.

But Rip Torn has been through substance abuse programs before. After his last run-in with police, Torn opted for a weekend of intensive substance abuse therapy at the Amethyst Foundation.

Still, any type of program designed to help alter detrimental behavior in individuals is only as good as the cooperation and willingness of the individuals to commit to altering themselves. Thus far, Rip Torn hasn't seemed to be too willing.

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Sources:

"Men In Black," IMDb.com
TMZ.com
RegisterCitizen.com