Bill Murray's Greatest Role: Marijuana Drug Trafficker

Jim Finnel

Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
We've come to know a lot of sides to Bill Murray over the years. He's played the world's most famous gonzo journalist, the sarcastic doctor who can bust ghosts, a time-looping weatherman, a lawyer who flirts with wild teen women, a man of Shakespeare and an eternal bachelor searching for his son ... just to name a few. But before all that he had a much bigger role -- one that definitely showcased his sardonic wit, but not enough brains to suggest that this man would become an iconic figure of Hollywood comedy and indie filmmaking, who would earn an Academy Award nomination.

Forty years ago tomorrow, on his twentieth birthday back on September 21, 1970, Bill Murray was arrested for drug possession.

As the story goes, Murray was at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport waiting to board a plane to Denver, where he was a pre-med student at Regis University. In a moment of sheer stupidity, he told a fellow passenger that he was carrying two bombs in his luggage as a joke. A ticket agent overheard him, and called over federal agents. This is where the sheer stupidity -- or being totally baked -- comes into play. He didn't have bombs, but he was carrying five bricks of marijuana -- 10 pounds, valued at $20,000.

You might wonder why he'd light up that "I have tons of pot" neon over his head, but his poor comedic timing might not have mattered. Chicago detectives had already received a tip about Murray, and were waiting to arrest him. The future actor got really lucky and was charged with possession of cannabis; he plead guilty, and received five years probation.

Obviously, Bill didn't stick to medicine. Five years after Murray's arrest, he earned his first credit as the voice of a reporter on 'Shame of the Jungle.' Another four years later, he earned his starring, breakout role as Tripper in 'Meatballs.' It wasn't until 1980, however, that he made his reefer ways really work for his career, playing Hunter S. Thompson in 1980's 'Where the Buffalo Roam.'

Happy 60th, Mr. Murray!


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Website: Bill Murray's Greatest Role: Marijuana Drug Trafficker
 
Another of Bill's roles was in the movie "STRIPES". A movie about a slacker who joins the Army and goes into bootcamp. A very hilarious movie. It hit home for me in two ways. One is that I was also in the Army and most of the scenes looked identical to the experiences I had. And Two; before the new recruits boarded buses headed for bootcamp; one of the recruits confessed to another that he was "holding" some refer. True story that just so happened one of my friends in bootcamp was also "holding". And he showed me his stash, that he kept in a jar in his wall locker. He was pretty naive; since the drill sergeants are notorious for doing locker inspections. There it was hidden inside an army sock. It was found by the drill sergeant the very first inspection. Got busted and discharged. This was in 1974.
 
Im not sure about his greatest role, but his greatest roll was shorty after this picture was taken
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CaddyShack:

Carl: I invented my own kind of grass, too. Did you know that? Look at this. This is registered: Carl Spackler's Bent.
Ty: I've felt grass like this before. I've played on this stuff.
Carl: This is a hybrid. This is a cross bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, featherbed bent, and northern California sinsemilla. The amazing stuff about this is that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt at night on this stuff. I've got pounds of this stuff. [hands his joint] Here, take a puff on this big ole' Bob Marley joint.
Ty: Oh, I couldn't possibly, well maybe one.
[Starts coughing uncontrollably]
Carl: It's a little harsh...Here. [hands him bottle of wine] Cannonball it, Cannonball! Cannonball comin' through, Cannonball!

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