Posted on 08/22/2007 2:25:18 PM PDT by rocksblues
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Bill Murray could face a drunken driving charge after cruising through downtown Stockholm in a golf cart and refusing to take a breath test, citing U.S. law.
Police officers spotted the "Caddyshack" star early Monday in the slow-moving vehicle and noticed he smelled of alcohol when they pulled him over, said Detective-Inspector Christer Holmlund of the Stockholm police.
"He refused to blow in the (breath test) instrument, citing American legislation," Holmlund told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "So we applied the old method - a blood test. It will take 14 days before the results are in."
Murray, who had been at a golf tournament in Sweden, signed a document admitting that he was driving under the influence, and agreed to let a police officer plead guilty for him if the case goes to court, Holmlund said.
"Then he was let go. My guess is he went back to America," Holmlund said.
He said the 56-year-old actor-comedian would only be charged if tests show his blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit, which is quite low in Sweden.
A very high alcohol level could lead to a prison sentence, but Holmlund said fines were more likely.
"There were no obvious signs, like when someone is really tipsy," he said.
An e-mail to Murrays lawyer, David Nochimson, seeking comment wasnt immediately returned.
The golf cart had been on display for a week outside the downtown hotel where Murray and other VIPs attending the Scandinavian Masters golf tournament, were staying, tournament head Fredrik Nilsmark said.
Murray apparently drove the golf cart to the trendy Cafe Opera nightclub, less than a mile away, and was pulled over on his way back to the hotel.
Nilsmark said the vehicle wasn't intended for guests but added: "I don't hold any grudge against Bill Murray for borrowing our cart for a while."
Cafe Opera manager Daniel Bodahl confirmed that Murray had visited the nightclub late Sunday and said "he was a very good guest."
It isn't illegal to drive a golf cart in city traffic in Sweden, but Holmlund said it is very unusual.
"I have done this since '68 and I've never experienced anything like this," he said.
Murray was among the early cast members on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." He was nominated for an Oscar for 2003's "Lost in Translation." His screen credits also include "Groundhog Day" and "Rushmore."
Many funny comments:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1884808/posts
Not that Murray was bad in “Caddyshack”, but Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight stole that movie. Completely dominated it. They were so good they even managed to overcome the presence of Chevy Chase.
He wasn't golfing, he was cruising around downtown, including a stop at a nightclub. The place he was staying had the cart on display and he just decided it was his to use.
He also signed a paper admitting he was under the influence. Why are you working so hard to defend this?
Ted Knight was one of my all-time favorite actors. Not in a Gregory Peck or Jimmy Stewart way and maybe nowhere near that kind of stature. More like Jackie Gleason in “The Honeymooners”. Of course, his performance in Caddyshack was all the way off the charts, to me.
Lost in Translation was a stinker. As was The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and Broken Flowers.
Larger than Life was pretty funny, especially the scene where he drives the rented 18 wheeler to transport the elephant.
Ted Knight was the second most decorated combat veteran of WWII. Only Audie Murphy had more medals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Knight
I always loved that guy!
I think he is a big greenie, but I’m not sure of that.
However, here are his campaign contributions:
Senate - NY
GREEN FOR UNITED STATES SENATE $2,000
primary 09/10/98
MURRAY, WILLIAM JAMES
NYC, NY 10019 ACTOR $1,000 04/18/89
KENNEDY, EDWARD MOORE SENATOR (D)
Senate - DC
KENNEDY FOR SENATE (1994) $1,000
primary 02/24/89
MURRAY, WILLIAM JAMES
LOS ANGELES, CA
KERREY, J ROBERT (D)
Senate - NE
KERREY FOR U S SENATE COMMITTEE $1,000
general 10/11/88
MURRAY, WILLIAM JAMES
NEW YORK, NY 10017
KENNEDY, EDWARD MOORE SENATOR (D)
Senate - DC
KENNEDY FOR SENATE (1994)
Sorry for the line breaks The site wasn’t formatted that well.
I also seem to remember he was at a Nader rally, but my memory may not be the best.
I’ve known a couple of people in CA who refused a breath test and all their dui penalties where doubled. What a rude sissy jerk. Take his money and through him out.
I would imagine Bill Murray SWEATS alcohol. He probably hasn’t been sober a day since John Belushi died. And very few BEFORE that.
Bill Murray is one of the few Hollywood actors I can appreciate.
Wow, amazing!
This latest episode seems to reinforce the rumors of his personality/character.
I agree. Even though he donates to Liberals, I have laughed myself silly watching his movies.
A thousands Swedes crept through the weeds,
at the Battle of Copenhagen.
An aging souse phoned to his spouse,
“They’re coming to take me away-gen.”
HA-HA!
Driving a golf cart while mildly intoxicated isn’t the same as driving a sports car while drunk. Standard golf carts have a top speed of 15 mph.
Besides he’s a comic. They are supposed to do zany things. The Marx brothers were stood up for two meeting by producer Irving Thalberg. When he was called away from another meeting and left them waiting for an hour, he returned to find that they had started a fire in his wastebasket and sitting around it naked roasting potatoes on sticks.
Liberal or not Murray is widely known as one of the good guys in Hollywood. He doesn’t take himself so seriously that he won’t talk to the great unwashed and is known to be a great tipper (which to those of in the restaurant business says a lot about what kind of person he is).
This is why God made liquor, golf carts and nights in Stockholm. Wish I had been there.
Ted Knight was a social conservative who often disagreed with former co-star Ed Asner. While the two were political opposites, they remained friends throughout their association.
I also like the part where it says he had the role of the cop guarding Norman Bates in the last scene of Psycho.
Could you imagine Ted Baxter guarding Norman Bates?
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