Here's Dana Stevens, Slate's TV columnist, on the pot bust:
"In 1998, at the age of 63, Denver was charged with possession of 35 grams of marijuana, which he claimed at first to have obtained from his friend and former Gilligan co-star Dawn Wells, who played the sharp but innocent Mary Ann. But later in court, Denver refused to narc on Wells, testifying that "some crazy fan must have sent it" (along, presumably, with the 10 other grams of pot and three pipes found in a search of his home). After pleading no contest to the charge, he received six months' probation. Given Denver's role in the creation of two of the archetypal TV slackers of our culture, there's something sweet about this story: The image of the then 59-year-old Mary Ann acting as Gilligan's supplier; his loyalty in refusing to name her in court; and most of all, the image of an aging Gilligan/Maynard G. Krebs, still dreaming away in his hammock or jamming on his bongo drums, smiling, a little high, and not quite ready to leave the island yet."
Read her tribute here:
http://www.slate.com/id/2125800/?nav=fo