10 Stars Behind Bars

[grundoontv]

There have been dozens of stars behind bars, but I'm only listing 10.

1. Tim Allen -- Before becoming a celebrity, he was a civilian named Timothy Allen Dick, who, in October 1978, was arrested in Kalamazoo, Michigan for attempting to sell cocaine. As a result, Tim pled guilty & earned 8 years in prison. While awaiting sentencing, Tim worked at a local sporting goods store before beginning the prison sentence at Sandstone Federal Prison in Minnesota, where he was paroled in March 1982 after serving 2 1/2 years. By 1984, Tim worked full-time at a Detroit, Michigan ad agency before eventually starting a stand-up comedy career that led to the hit 1990s Walt Disney Television sitcom "Home Improvement," airing on ABC (bought by Disney in 1995) for 8 years. My personal belief is that if Tim had already been a celebrity in the '70s instead of a civilian back then, he would have NEVER gone to prison, but rather probation like he eventually earned after pleading guilty to DUI in May 1997, earning him in addition a court-ordered rehab in Summer 1998. Since then, Timothy Allen Dick has earned 12 years of sobriety; in addition, in November 2006, via Reader's Digest, Tim revealed that he has a learning disability. ("I'm a slow learner," he said).

2. Brian Bonsall -- What a sad waste of talent. Between 2000 and 2010, Brian Bonsall, best known as youngest son Andy Keaton on "Family Ties," has been arrested on a variety of drug-related crimes and assault -- most recently earning a 2-year probation stint for assault in 2009.

3. Heather Locklear -- An ultimate beauty, or so some think, but in Fall 2007, not long after her 46th birthday, Heather was arrested for DUI. She pled guilty and earned probation.

4. Randy Quaid -- Best known as big brother to movie actor Dennis, Randy and his wife, Eva, have been arrested 3 times in the last year on missing court appearances. Both have said they fear being murdered by star whackers.

5. Danny Bonaduce -- Since his "Partridge Family" days ended, Dante Daniel "Danny" Bonaduce has had a checkered past -- earning 3 arrests, twice for cocaine possession in Arizona and Florida before his most serious arrest, beating up a transvestite hooker. After pleading guilty, Danny earned 3 years probation and a black eye as his mugshot pointed out. He has since maintained being clean and sober, though he does admit to still smoking cigarettes.

6. David Cassidy -- I for one was quite surprised to hear about David's arrest on an alleged DUI charge in Florida. I really hope that David at least gets the help he needs.

7. John Mayer -- Before becoming a famous musician, John Mayer was arrested in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia for driving without a license -- a charge that was eventually dismissed.

8. Bob Ritchie -- Better known as rapper/musician Kid Rock, Bob Ritchie was arrested on an assault charge after beating up a civilian customer at a local Waffle House in Atlanta, Georgia. Bob pled guilty to the criminal charge & earned probation, though he's presently being sued by the assault victim in a civil court case.

9. Marshall Mathers -- Who can forget Marshall Mathers. Under the moniker Eminem, Marshall has had several hit records dating back to 1999; he also earned a criminal charge for carrying a concealed weapon. Marshall pled guilty & earned probation.

10. Richie Sambora -- For 11 years, he was Heather Locklear's better half, earning him the position as father to her daughter Ava; he also earned a DUI charge on the heels of Heather divorcing him. The end result -- Richie pled guilty & earned a court-ordered rehab stint along with probation.

I don't know about those of you reading this, but it seems to me that celebrities, compared to us civilians, if they do the crime, they DON'T do time in prison; there have been few exceptions as of recently, a la O.J. Simpson and Phil Spector to name two convicted felon celebrities, but still, if one of us civilians earns a drug charge or DUI and plead guilty, we get 7-10 in the pen. Celebs, what do they get--probation?

[MickeyMac]

You can also add James Brown, Rick James, Ike Turner, Major Lance and Merle Haggard to this list as well.

[megamanj2004]

All 3 of the original Diff'rent Strokes kids definitely fit this category.

Dana Plato - was arrested twice. 1st for getting busted for holding a robbery by carrying a concealed gun at a video store, only to be arrested after later returning to the scene. She was given a 5-year probation and was released on a $13,000 bial by singer Wayne Newton. 2nd time for forging prescription medicine for Valium, given 30 days in jail for violation of her probation.

Todd Bridges - had on and off battles w/ the law everything from drugs to violent assaults

Gary Coleman - was charged with assault in 1998 after he punched a woman. He was working as a security guard, and bus driver Tracy Fields requested his autograph while he was shopping for a bulletproof vest in a California mall. Was given a suspended sentence. Later, was cited in very late 2008 for disorderly conduct and was ordered to pay a $100 for disorderly conduct. was arrested on a domestic violence assault warrant in Santaquin. Coleman was subsequently booked into the Utah County Jail and was later released one day later in early 2010.

I was surprised by David Cassidy's arrest. His arrest isn't as completely bad as his other TPF co-star Danny Bonaduce's arrests.