| In 1948, was arrested for marijuana possession and served 43 days at a prison farm. His case was later overturned. |
| Claimed that his sad, sagging eyes were caused by chronic insomnia and a boxing injury. |
| In 1957, recorded the album Calypso Is Like So, while filming Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison in the Caribbean. |
| Dropped out of school after 1930 and traveled the country via boxcar, briefly serving time on a Georgia chain gang for vagrancy. |
| Cowrote and performed "The Ballad of Thunder Road," the theme song of the 1958 movie Thunder Road, in which he starred. |