Content advisory: The following article contains references child sexual abuse, please take care while reading.
In the final episode of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, which focuses in part on Nickelodeon child star Drake Bell, we learn of several Hollywood actors who defended a dangerous child predator by petitioning a Los Angeles criminal court on his behalf. The letter-writers’ names revealed for the first time since court documents were sealed 20 years ago.
Currently streaming on Max, the 4-part series can be agonizing to watch, as it reveals that multiple child predators were working on the sets of Nickelodeon shows. Dan Schneider, the showrunner and head writer who was overseeing it all, has faced heavy scrutiny for being an abusive boss, among other things.
However, the Nickelodeon employee convicted of crimes against Bell was Brian Peck.
Peck, a 40 something dialogue and acting coach, was able to befriend Bell on the set of The Amanda Show, ultimately convincing him that he should be his manager in place of his overprotective father, whose suspicion had already been raised by Peck’s questionable behavior. Eventually, shortly after Bell began living with his mother, Peck convinced the then-15-year old to stay overnight at his house. That’s when the sexual exploitation of the vulnerable teenager began, and would continue as Drake Bell felt shocked, trapped, and helpless for months.
Brian Peck’s arrest, verdict, and sentencing
Eventually, Drake confessed to his mother about Peck’s abuse. They went to the LAPD, and the young actor was able to get Peck to admit to the sexual abuse over the phone. Investigators were recording the conversation, and per Variety,
“Peck was arrested in August 2003 on more than a dozen charges related to sexual abuse allegations involving an unnamed minor. In May 2004, Peck pleaded no contest to performing a lewd act with a 14- or 15-year-old and to oral copulation with a minor under 16….Peck was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to register as a sex offender in October 2004.”
A contributing factor to Peck’s appallingly short sentence were the letters of support sent to the Court by several industry insiders, most of whom asked that Brian only receive probation.
Kate Taylor, the journalist from Business Insider whose work drives the Quiet on the Set series, explained during the final episode, “We wanted to understand who in Hollywood was supporting Brian through this. So, we petitioned the court to unseal the letters of support in this case.”
There were 41 letters written in all, many by unknown friends of Brian Peck. The letters have been sealed since the case concluded, and no one knew who wrote them until the episode aired.
Which actors supported Brian Peck?
If you watched the show, or have paid attention to social media recently, then you know that James Marsden, perhaps most notable for portraying Cyclops in the X-Men movie franchise, was one of the actors who supported Peck. Marsden, 31 at the time, wrote to the judge, “I assure you, what Brian has been through in the last year is the suffering of a hundred men.”
Other actors who wrote letters on Peck’s behalf: Ron Melendez (American Horror Story); Bell’s co-star on The Amanda Show and SNL alum Taran Killam; and Boy Meets World stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle, whose letters prompted Bell to blast them on social media.
Actress Kimmy Robertson (Twin Peaks) wrote a letter of support that read, “I believe with all my heart that Brian was pressured and pushed beyond belief before he caved in.”
Alan Thicke, who played the father on the hit sitcom Growing Pains, where Peck worked from 1987-91, also wrote a letter of support, stating, “I know beyond a doubt how remorseful he is and how dedicated and focused he will be on his rehabilitation.”
Joanna Kerns, who played the mother on Growing Pains, wrote that the abuse “wouldn’t have happened if Brian wasn’t tempted.” Kerns now regrets it, apparently, saying her letter was based on “complete misinformation” and per a statement to the Quiet on Set producers, would “never have written the letter” otherwise.
Investigative reporter and Quiet on Set collaborator Kate Taylor offered her opinion on the letters, saying, “This logic is just victim-blaming,”
Indeed, and it’s the only reasonable conclusion that can be made.
If you or a loved one are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website for confidential support.