Rip Torn Charged with Breaking into Bank; Police Say He was Armed and Intoxicated

Award-winning Actor Rip Torn was arrested Friday on charges of breaking into a bank while armed with a loaded revolver; police also say that Torn was "highly intoxicated" while committing the alleged offense. The incident occurred at the Litchfield Bancorp building in Salisbury, Connecticut, and, according to the Register Citizen, the 78-year-old actor is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, February 1.

Torn, a veteran actor who has appeared in films such as "Men in Black," "August," and "Dodgeball," has multiple drunken driving charges on his record. In fact, he was scheduled to attend a weekend alcohol abuse program in lieu of a jail sentence in connection with a December 2008 drunken driving charge. What a pity this wasn't scheduled earlier; it might have prevented him from getting into trouble.

Clearly, Rip Torn has a drinking problem. Too much booze can make a man (or a woman - see below) do crazy things. While hammered, people have a tendency to get irrational, obnoxious and oftentimes violent. Alcoholism not only destroys the alcoholic's life, but it can destroy the life of his or her family - and innocent bystanders as well. Thank God Mr. Torn's numerous drunken driving charges did not result in any deaths. It seems to me that, in order to overcome his addiction to alcohol, Torn is going to need to submit to a treatment program that's a lot more involved and vigorous than just one weekend.

A number of prestigious actors have been alcoholics. Interestingly enough, writer Robert Sellers recently penned a book about a whole bunch of British actors who were notorious boozers. The book is titled "Hellraisers: The Life and Inebriated Times of Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole and Oliver Reed." The title pretty much says it all.

Mel Gibson was involved in a very scandalous alcohol-related incident. In 2006, Gibson was arrested for driving under the influence and, according to the arresting officer, Gibson made a number of virulently anti-Semitic remarks. Gibson later apologized for the incident and has reportedly been treated for alcohol abuse.

More recently, Grammy-winning songstress Amy Winehouse got into a bit of trouble while boozing it up. While attending a Christmas pantomime performance of "Cinderella" at the Milton Keynes theater near London, Winehouse, who had consumed five vodka and cokes, assaulted theater manager Richard Pound after he refused to give he more alcohol.

Sources:

Actor Rip Torn arrested, charged with breaking into local bankd with loaded gun, The Register Citizen

Amy Winehouse Pleads Guilty to Alcohol-Fueled Assault on Theater Managaer, Associated Content