Bill Murray Opens Up About Marijuana Arrest in New Book

Before Bill Murray was an international movie star he was just another kid getting arrested for marijuana possession. Except for Murray, it wasn’t for possession of a joint or a bag of marijuana, but for two pounds of marijuana – roughly $20,000 worth.

In 1970, Murray was traveling from Chicago back to Denver to resume his pre-med studies at Regis college. While waiting to board his flight he jokingly told one of his fellow passengers that he was carrying two bombs in his suitcase.

An airline employee overheard the remark and summoned some U.S. marshals who searched Murray’s luggage only to discover two pounds of marijuana.

Being a first-time offender, Murray was spared jail time and given five years of probation. The incident ended his college career, but ultimately led to an amazing movie career.

Thanks to marijuana, Bill Murray the movie star was born.

A new book about Murray, The Big Bad Book of Bill Murray: A Critical Appreciation of the World’s Finest Actor, was recently released.