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“The Wonder Years” will be making a return in the fall even though former executive producer and director Fred Savage will not be on set.
ABC confirmed Friday that the show, inspired by the 1980s series by the same name, had been renewed. Disney announced that it had cut ties with Savage, who starred in the original series, last week after an investigation into allegations of “inappropriate conduct” was launched.
In a statement to Fox News, 20th Television, a subsidiary of Disney Television Studios, addressed the Savage matter.
Inspired by the beloved award-winning series by the same name, “The Wonder Years” is a coming-of-age story set in the late 1960s that takes a nostalgic look at a black middle-class family in Montgomery, Ala., through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean.
(Erika Doss/ABC via Getty Images)
“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,'” a spokesperson said.
FRED SAVAGE FIRED FROM ‘WONDER YEARS’ REBOOT AFTER ‘INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT’ ALLEGATIONS
Following Savage’s dismissal, reports surfaced that the actor was “quick to anger” while on the show’s set. Sources close to the director cited his anger taking a toll on people he worked with.
“He works his crews pretty hard by always doing more takes than necessary,” the insider told People magazine.
Fred Savage was fired as executive producer and director on “The Wonder Years” after allegations of “inappropriate conduct” were made against him.
(Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
“Some directors just overshoot. Sometimes they feel like they didn’t get the performance or want to try another angle or things like that. He overshoots, and the days are longer, therefore giving more opportunities to snap at people.”
A second source told the outlet Savage “can have a temper and occasional outbursts.”
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This isn’t the first time Savage has been the subject of a harassment scandal.
As previously reported in 2018, his on-screen mom on “The Wonder Years,” Alley Mills, claimed that the show was not picked up for a seventh season due to ongoing harassment allegations against him.
Jason Hervey, Olivia d’Abo, Fred Savage, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, Josh Saviano and Danica McKellar in “The Wonder Years.”
(ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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In 1993, a costume designer, Monique Long, filed a lawsuit in L.A. alleging she was unable to do her job because Savage, then 16, reportedly made sexual remarks, propositioned her for an affair and requested to hold her hand. She was eventually fired from the show. The case was dropped after an undisclosed out-of-court settlement.
Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
