Long before marijuana laws became a frequent topic of public debate, police were already arresting some of the most famous people in the world for possessing it. From Hollywood studios to London courtrooms, these arrests landed celebrities on the front pages of newspapers — and in front of press photographers who captured every moment. The cases spanned decades, crossed continents, and touched nearly every corner of the entertainment world.
The story starts in Los Angeles in 1949. Hollywood actor Robert Mitchum and actress Lila Leeds were arrested on charges of conspiracy to possess marijuana cigarettes. Both were convicted and sentenced to 60 days in jail — a significant punishment for the time and one of the first cases in which a major American film star faced prison time for a drug offense.
Robert Mitchum and Lila Leeds, both at left, talk with their attorneys and real estate man Robin Ford, second from right, immediately after the screen players and Ford were convicted, Jan 10, 1949 in Los Angeles.In this Feb. 9, 1949, actor Robert Mitchum, center right, and actress Lila Leeds, left, are sentenced to 60 days in jail on charges of conspiracy to possess marijuana cigarettes in Los Angeles.
A decade later, burlesque dancer Candy Barr turned herself in to authorities in San Antonio, Texas, facing similar charges in December 1959. Her surrender drew press coverage across the country.
Burlesque dancer Candy Barr, went behind bars after turning herself in to Bexar County Sheriff near noon, Thursday, Dec. 3, 1959, San Antonio, Texas.
The 1960s brought a wave of drug-related arrests among musicians. Former Harvard instructor Dr. Timothy Leary became one of the most publicly known figures in this area. In 1966, he was charged with smuggling marijuana into the United States at the border in Laredo, Texas. His 18-year-old daughter faced charges alongside him.
Timothy Leary, a New York researcher who experiments with changing human consciousness, is scheduled to go on trial in Laredo, March 2, 1966, on a charge of smuggling marijuana into the United States. His 18-year-old daughter is also charged and is to stand trial at the same time.
Leary’s legal troubles stretched well into the next decade. By January 1973, he was escorted out of the Federal Building in Houston by federal marshals after receiving a ten-year prison sentence on marijuana charges. His wife, Rosemary, stood by him throughout years of court appearances.
This is a 1970 photo of Dr. Timothy Leary, in custody of federal marshals as he leaves the Federal Building in Houston, Jan. 16, 1973 after being sentenced to 10 years in prison on marijuana charges.
Dr. Timothy Leary, 49, former Harvard instructor and exponent of using marijuana and LSD, is with his wife, Rosemary, 33, as they arrived for Leary’s trial in Laredo, Texas, Jan. 20, 1970.
In 1970, Robert Kennedy Jr. — just 16 years old and the son of the late Senator Robert Kennedy — appeared in court in Barnstable, Massachusetts, on a marijuana possession charge. His case was a reminder that drug arrests reached far beyond the music world.
Robert Kennedy Jr., 16-year-old son of the late Robert Kennedy, leaves court at Barnstable, Mass., after a hearing on charges of possession of marijuana, Aug. 6, 1970.
The Rolling Stones had more run-ins with drug laws than almost any other band. In May 1967, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards left a Chichester court after electing to be tried by jury on drug possession charges. Richards faced the specific charge of permitting his property to be used for smoking marijuana. The two walked out casually, cigarettes in hand, unbothered by the cameras around them.
Longhaired Mick Jagger, left center, holding cigarette, and Keith Richard, right, smoking cigarette, leave Chichester, England court, May 10, 1967 after electing to be tied by jury on drug possession charges.Keith Richards, 23, guitarist of the British rock band “The Rolling Stones”, gestures with his hands in Chichester, Sussex, Great Britain, June 27, 1967. Richards will stand trial tomorrow for permitting premises to be used for smoking Marijuana.
Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones also faced multiple drug charges in London. In May 1967, he appeared in court alongside Swiss entertainer Prince Stanislas Klossowski, charged with possessing 50 grains of cannabis resin. He returned to court again in September 1968 on possession charges related to his London flat.
Rolling Stones Brian Jones, right, and Swiss entertainer Prince Stanislas Klossowski de Rola, Baron de Watteville, in London on May 11, 1967. Earlier the two were remanded on bail until June 2, after appearing at a London Magistrates Court charged with being in possession of dangerous drugs, 50 grains of cannabis resin.Brian Jones, a member of The Rolling Stones pop group before appearing at the Inner Sessions House Crown Court in London, England on Sept. 26, 1968. He is charged with having possessing an unknown quantity of the Cannabis drug at his flat in London, without lawful authority.
Jagger’s legal battles continued into 1969 and 1970. He appeared multiple times at Marlborough Street Court alongside actress Marianne Faithfull, both denying possession of cannabis resin. The charge against Faithfull was eventually dropped, but Jagger was fined £200 plus 50 guineas in costs.
Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones, and actress Marianne Faithfull, on their way to Marlborough Street Court on a charge of possessing cannabis. Date: 29/05/1969.Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones and actress Marianna Faithfull arrive for the resumed hearing of the case in which they have denied possessing cannabis resin. Date: 26/01/1970Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones, and his former girl friend Marianne Faithfull after the conclusion of the case at Marlborough Street Court, in which they had pleaded not guilty to possessing cannabis resin. The charge against Marianne was dropped but Jagger was fined £200 with 50 guineas costs.
An earlier Jagger appearance in 1966 showed the same pattern. He and Faithfull were placed on remand from May 29 on £50 bail each, with the case adjourned to allow them to fulfill film commitments in Australia. Keith Richards later returned to court in June 1973, this time alongside girlfriend Anita Pallenberg, both facing drug and firearms charges.
Lead singer of the Rolling Stones pop-group, Mick Jagger, 25, and friend, actress Marianne Faithfull, 22, in London, England on June 23, 1966. The couple appeared at Marlborough St. Court charged with possessing the drug Cannabis. They were on remand from May 29 on £50 bail each. The case was adjourned until September to allow the couple to fulfill film commitments in Australia.Keith Richards, from The Rolling Stones, 29, accused of drugs and firearm charges, opens the door of car for girlfriend, actress Anita Pallenberg, 31, also charged with possessing drugs, on arrival at Marlborough Street Court in London, England on June 27, 1973.
The Beatles were no strangers to these courtrooms either. In October 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were arrested after police raided their London flat. They appeared at Marylebone Court the following day on charges of possessing cannabis.
Beatle John Lennon, right, and companion Yoko Ono are arrested for possesion of marijuana after their flat was raided in London, England, on Oct. 18, 1968.John Lennon, one of the Beatles, and his Japanese girl friend, Yoko Ono, leave car to enter Marylebone court in London on Oct. 19, 1968. They appeared on charges of possessing cannabis, the British name for hashish. The trial was set for late November after the police asked for time to have the seized drugs analyzed.
George Harrison and his wife were next. In March 1969, they were remanded on bail at Esher and Walton Court, accused of possessing cannabis resin. Then in January 1980, Paul McCartney was arrested at Tokyo’s Narita Airport after customs officers found marijuana in his luggage. He spent several days in a Japanese jail before being deported.
Beatle George Harrison. Both Harrison and his wife George Harrison were remanded on bail until March 31 at Esher and Walton court acused of being in possession of cannabis resin without being duly authorised ghgal. Date: 18/03/1969.Former Beatle Paul McCartney is rushed from a police car to a drug investigation unit in Tokyo after spending a night in jail on Jan. 17, 1980. He was arrested at Tokyo’s Narita Airport after customs officers found marijuana in his luggage.
Ray Charles sat before an Indianapolis Municipal Court in January 1962 during preliminary hearings on narcotics charges filed the previous November. Pop singer Donovan appeared at Marylebone Court in London charged with cannabis possession, accompanied by his associate David Mills, known as ‘Gypsy Dave.’
Singer Ray Charles sits in Indianapolis Municipal Court during preliminary hearings on narcotics charges filed against him last November, Jan. 9, 1962.Donovan Phillip Leitch, known a pop singer Donovan, who appeared at Marylebone Court, London charged with being in possession of the drug cannabis, with David John Mills, described as a musical director, who was charged with him, also known a ‘Gypsy Dave’.
Jet Harris, former bass guitarist with The Shadows, appeared at Marlborough Street Magistrates Court in September 1968 on both a drink-driving charge and a drug possession charge. In April 1980, Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy stood before magistrates in Richmond on charges of possessing cocaine and cannabis resin, as well as cultivating a cannabis plant at his home.
Terence Harris of Porchester Terrace, Paddington – 29 year old pop musician Jet Harris – former bass guitarist with “The Shadows” – at Marlborough Street Magistrates, London when he appeared on remand on a drink-drive charge, and possession of drugs charge. Date: 11/09/1968.Phil Lynott, guitarist and singer with rock group ‘Thin Lizzy’, at Richmond where he appeared at the local magistrates’ court accused of possessing cocaine and cannabis resin and with cultivating a cannabis plant at his home in Kew Road, Richmond. Date: 24/04/1980.
Hollywood film star Tony Curtis appeared at Uxbridge Court in Middlesex, England, in April 1970, pleading guilty to possessing cannabis resin that was found when he arrived at Heathrow Airport. He was fined £50. David Bowie visited his attorney in Rochester, New York, in March 1976 before appearing in city court on illegal drug possession charges after his arrest following a concert.
Tony Curtis, famous Hollywood film star is pictured in London, United Kingdom, on April 27, 1970, before appearing at Uxbridge Court, Middlesex, England where he pleaded guilty to having in his possession a quantity of cannabis resin, when he arrived at London Airport Heathrow at night. He was fined £50 (dollars 120).David Bowie visits his attorney before his city court appearance in Rochester to answer to charges of illegal possession of drugs, Thursday, March 25, 1976. Bowie was arrested early on Sunday, March 21, 1976, folowing a concert in Rochester.
In the sports world, Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Lee was fined $250 by baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn for marijuana use in 1979. Lee responded by suing Major League Baseball, claiming the punishment violated his freedom of speech. Basketball player Bernard King pleaded guilty in Knoxville, Tennessee, in August 1977 to marijuana possession and resisting arrest.
Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Lee, wearing a Jackson Browne t-shirt, talks to reporters in a news conference at the offices of the American Civil Liberties Union in New York City on Sept. 20, 1979. Lee was fined $250 by baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn for marijuana use and is suing major league baseball in response, claiming abuse of his feedom of speech.
Bernard King, former Tenn. basketball star and first round draft choice of the New Jersey Nets, is seen going to court in Knoxville, Tenn., Aug. 1, 1977 where he pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and resisting arrest.
Reggae icon Bob Marley arrived at Marylebone Magistrates Court in London in April and May of 1977, charged with possessing cannabis. That same year, Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten walked out of Marlborough Street Magistrates Court flashing a double V-sign to journalists after being fined £40 on a drugs charge. Joe Cocker, meanwhile, had been ordered out of Australia entirely after a drug conviction, flying back into Heathrow in October 1972.
Jamaican reggae artist Bob Marley in London, where he appeared at Marylebone Magistrates Court charged with possessing cannabis. Date: 06/05/1977.
Bob Marley, the 31 year old reggae singer, arriving at Marylebone Magistrates Court in London, where he was charged with possessing cannabis. Date: 06/04/1977.
Johnny Rotten, lead singer with the Sex Pistols, giving a double V-sign to journalists after he had been fined £40 on a drugs charge at Marlborough Street Magistrates Court, London. Date: 11/03/1977.
Joe Cocker, the British pop singer who was ordered out of Australia after being convicted of possessing drugs, drives away from Heathrow Airport with his girl friend Eileen Webster. Date: 30/10/1972.
Even print media figures were caught up in these arrests. Richard Neville, the 29-year-old editor of the underground magazine Oz, was remanded on bail at West London Magistrates Court in December 1970 on a drug charge. Across decades and continents, photographers were always there — waiting outside courthouses, police stations, and airport terminals — to document the moment fame collided with the law.
Richard Neville, 29, editor and director of the underground magazine Oz. Neville, appearing on a drugs charge, was remanded on bail until January 6th by West London Magistrates. Date: 28/12/1970.
Sarah Johnson is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for exploring the world. Her writing is both informative and engaging, offering unique perspectives on travel, food, and lifestyle.
