Agency drops Timothy Busfield amid child sex abuse case
What's the story
Hollywood actor-director Timothy Busfield has been dropped by his talent agency, Innovative Artists, as he faces child sex abuse charges. The agency confirmed to Deadline that the actor is no longer with them but declined to comment further. Busfield had been associated with IA for several years. He is facing two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and child abuse over allegations involving two boys who acted in The Cleaning Lady, a show he directed.
Legal proceedings
Busfield's dramatic surrender and court appearance
Busfield, 68, surrendered to Albuquerque police on Tuesday after an arrest warrant was issued. He was taken into custody at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center and appeared in front of Judge Felicia Blea-Rivera's courtroom remotely. Despite expectations of a not guilty plea, Busfield entered no plea during his initial court appearance. He is expected to return to court within five business days for another hearing regarding a pre-trial detention motion filed by Bernalillo County DA Sam Bergman's office.
Charges and defense
Allegations against Busfield and his defense
The charges against Busfield involve inappropriate contact with 11-year-old twin boys on the set of The Cleaning Lady, a Fox crime drama he was directing. The alleged incidents occurred over a two-year period when the boys were aged seven and eight. In a video posted online before his surrender, Busfield denied the allegations, calling them "lies" and asserting that he would be exonerated. He said, "I did not do anything to those little boys."
Background
Busfield's career and personal life
Busfield is best known for his roles as a White House reporter on NBC's political drama The West Wing and as an ad agency executive on ABC's 1980s ensemble series Thirtysomething. He is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, a former president of the Screen Actors Guild who rose to fame in the 1970s as a child actor on Little House on the Prairie.