Academy Award nominated American film actor Robert Mitchum’s cynical, mischievous attitude and penchant for playing pranks on fellow actors and crew got him into trouble on more than one occasion. On August 31, 1948, after a string of successful films for RKO, he and actress Lila Leeds were arrested for possession of marijuana. The arrest was the result of a sting operation designed to capture other Hollywood partiers as well, but Mitchum and Leeds did not receive the tip-off. After serving a week at the county jail, Mitchum spent 43 days at a Castaic, California, prison farm, with Life right there snapping photos of him mopping up in his prison uniform.

The arrest did little to affect Mitchum’s career in the long term, but was seen as an embarrassment by his studio, who ordered Mitchum to clean up his act. The conviction was later overturned by the Los Angeles court after it was exposed as a set-up.