Warning: This article contains mentions of sexual assault. It may not be suitable for all readers.
Many millennials have fond memories of growing up and watching shows like Lizzie McGuire, Doug, Rugrats, iCarly, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Hannah Montana, and more on The Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Those shows still hold a special place in our hearts. Unfortunately, for some of the children who worked on those shows, the memories aren’t as great. In fact, there are some that they would just prefer to forget.
A new documentary is about to air on Investigation Discovery, and it will blow the lid off the dark side of some of your favorite children’s shows. Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV focuses on the reign of terror that enveloped Nickelodeon during the time that Dan Schneider and Brian Peck were a large part of the studio.
In 2003, Brian Beck was arrested on nearly a dozen charges, including sodomy, oral copulation, forced penetration, and committing a lewd act on a child. At the time, no one knew that the charges stemmed from Peck allegedly molesting Nickelodeon star, Drake Bell. Bell was a minor at the time, so his name was not publicly released.
Related: Jenna Ortega Reveals What It Was Like Working for Disney
Peck pleaded no contest to two charges of sexual abuse of a minor and, in 2004, was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He was also required to register as a sex offender. It is important to note that Brian Richard Peck has no relation to Drake Bell’s Drake & Josh costar, Josh Peck.
One would think that, after being convicted of such terrible crimes, Peck would have been ostracized from Hollywood. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Not long after being released from prison and registering as a sex offender, Peck was actually hired to work on a popular Disney Channel Show — The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Peck was hired as the voice of the talking mirror, a role which he held for several episodes.
Perhaps even more disturbing is that at least two of the people who worked on the show knew what Peck had been accused of. They had even written letters defending him to the judge. Those were Rich and Beth Correll — who worked as a director and first assistant director on the show.
The Correll’s said that they had no “involvement” in Peck’s casting, and Peck told them that the “problem had been resolved.” Disney also claimed that they did not know about Peck’s legal trouble.
The Corrells said in a statement to the producers of “Quiet on Set” that they “had no input or involvement in the casting” of Peck on the Disney show. They said that when they asked him about the case, Peck “simply replied that ‘the problem had been resolved.'”
Someone with knowledge of Disney’s records from the time said that while Peck performed voiceover work, he was never on set and had no interaction with the cast or crew, including minors. When Disney learned of his conviction, the person said, Peck was terminated and his voice and on-screen credits were replaced.
However, it is important to note that several Disney stars had also come to Peck’s defense. They also wrote letters to the judge, asking him to be lenient when sentencing Peck. This includes Boy Meets World stars Will Friedle and Rider Strong.
Strong and Friedle recently discussed defending Peck on their podcast, Pod Meets World. They said that Peck had “groomed” and manipulated them. He had convinced them that, even though he was guilty, he had been the real victim in everything. However, when Peck delivered his victim impact statement before Peck was sentenced, they realized how wrong they had been.
Related: Boy Meets World Star Says Talking About On-Set Racism Made Former Cast Closer
Even though many child actors and their families claim that Dan Schneider had made their lives miserable during his time at Nickelodeon, Bell says that Schneider always believed him and was there to support him when the molestation Bell experienced came to light.
Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV premieres on Investigation Discovery on March 17. It is a 2-night special that will air from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. on March 17 and March 18.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault or abuse, please know that there is help available. RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and provides 24/7 support. You can chat with someone online at online.rainn.org. Or you can speak with someone by calling (800) 656-4673.
Do you think that Disney really didn’t know about Peck’s sex offender status when they hired him? Let us know in the comments.
Peck literally narrates a show currently available on Disney + cashed Animal Showdown. I will be canceling my subscription.
Good for you! A family and child friendly program is NO PLACE FOR a convicted child sex offender! What are you thinking, Disney? I won’t be back to Disney World until Brian Peck is fired. And furthermore, I will be telling everyone I know about this! There are still people that ARE concerned about children’s safety. Sexual abuse creates problems that can last a lifetime. Disney, don’t you care???? SHAME ON YOU
Because of where I live, I have visited quite often in the past. Disney you have lost a good customer!
Disney = Poison Factory