Fred Savage, a child actor whose later-stage career has been focused on work behind the camera, was let go on Friday as executive producer and director of ABC’s The Wonder Years.
A spokesperson for 20th Television confirmed this development.
“Recently, we were made aware of allegations of inappropriate conduct by Fred Savage, and as is policy, an investigation was launched.
“Upon its completion, the decision was made to terminate his employment as an executive producer and director of The Wonder Years,” the spokesperson told various outlets.
Savage struck it huge by starring in the original version of The Wonder Years, which aired 115 episodes between 1988 and 1993.
The star played a prominent role on the ABC reboot as an executive producer and director.
He received multiple complaints of alleged misconduct from his time on set, however, including both verbal outbursts and inappropriate behavior.
Deadline broke this unfortunate and troubling news.
Both versions of The Wonder Years take place during the 1960s and are told from the perspective of a 12-year-old kid navigating life with family and friends.
Savage portrayed Kevin Arnold in the original series, while Elisha “EJ” Williams leads the reboot.
The season finale of the revival is scheduled to air on May 18.
As of now, it has not been renewed for a second season.
Savage has yet to release a statement about the allegations.
The accusations come four years after actress Alley Mills — who played Savage’s mother Norma Arnold in the original program — said in 2018 that a sexual harassment lawsuit against the actor and Jason Hervey forced the ending of the show in 1993.
(Hervey portrayed Savage’s older brother, Wayne Arnold.)
Costume designer Monique Long also sued the the actor in 1993, claiming that their alleged verbal and physical harassment prevented her from properly doing her job and led to her being fired.
The lawsuit was ultimately settled and dropped.
Elsewhere in 2018, a judge dismissed a gender-based lawsuit against Savage from a costume designer, Youngjoo Hwang, who alleged he created a hostile environment on set of Fox’s The Grinder.
This woman said that Savage “violently struck” her in the arm three times after she brushed dandruff off of his suit … and that the actor had a reputation for losing his cool with other females on set.
Savage strongly denied the claims.
“I was made aware that a woman working in the costume department of a show I was on almost three years ago has claimed that I treated her harshly on set simply because she was a woman,” he said in a statement four years ago.
“These accusations are completely without merit and absolutely untrue. Fox conducted an extensive internal investigation into her claims, a process in which I fully participated.
“After concluding a thorough investigation, Fox determined that there was absolutely no evidence to support these accusations.
“None of her claims could be substantiated because they did not happen.”