Rip Torn's Bank Robbery Arrest Seals His Reputation for 'Most Drunk Prolific Old Actor'
I mean, at what point does anybody think getting drunk and then breaking into banks is a good idea? Once Rip Torn sobers up, he might be able to tell us. Because he got arrested after doing so last night.
State police responded to an alarm at the Litchfield Bancorp building in Salisbury, CT at 9:40 PM last night. Police say they found Torn "with a loaded revolver" and he was "highly intoxicated." Law enforcement sources tell us Torn gained access through a broken window, which they believe Torn broke himself. Torn was taken to the Troop B barracks in North Canaan and is being held on $100,000 bond. Cops say Torn was 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.
Via TMZ, this kind of actually sounds like a movie the 78 year-old Rip Torn would be in. Except he'd play the cop who'd show up and be like, "Rip Torn? What the fuck are you doing?" Also, I enjoy that TMZ took the time to note Rip Torn's previous mugshot (pictured above) as The Greatest Mugshot in the History of Mankind. In fact, as we know, this isn't Rip's first drunk brush with the law: he's been arrested for refusing a breathalyzer after crashing into a taxi in Manhattan, another DUI in North Salem, New York, and another suspicion of drunk driving charge in Salisbury, Connecticut, where he left a bar with a Christmas Tree tied to the top of his car. Which isn't at all suspicious late at night, when you're swerving. And probably drunk.
This is the same guy who famously hit Norman Mailer in the head with a hammer and got Dennis Hopper to pull a knife on him (and then sued him twice for it).
Torn may never have won that coveted Oscar, but don't count him out yet. This is the kind of complete, absolute fuckup that is at the worst, totally, completely, precedent-setting stupid drunkenness, and at best, totally belligerent, insane, and somehow, endearing.