Former Crewmembers of “Doctor Odyssey” File Lawsuit Against 20th Century and Disney for Sexual Harassment
Three former crewmembers of the ABC medical series “Doctor Odyssey” have taken legal action against 20th Century and its parent company Disney, alleging that they were subjected to an “unchecked campaign of sexual harassment” while working on the show. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, names Caroline Mack, Alicia Haverland, and Ava Steinbrenner as plaintiffs, accusing Tyler Patton, the assistant prop master on the series, of engaging in inappropriate behavior towards them.
According to the lawsuit, Patton made sexual jokes, comments, gestures, and images towards the plaintiffs, as well as engaging in unwanted touching, including grabbing a female employee’s buttocks. One incident detailed in the suit involved Patton sending a misleading story to prop department employees, which led to a graphic image being displayed. The plaintiffs also allege that Patton made derogatory remarks towards them, creating a hostile work environment.
The lead prop master on “Doctor Odyssey” was Tammie Patton, Tyler’s wife, who was aware of prior allegations of sexual harassment against him. Tyler Patton had previously been accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed in 2010 against Universal Network Television. Despite this knowledge, Tammie and Disney still hired him, leading to further instances of harassment on the set of “Doctor Odyssey.”
The plaintiffs claim that Patton’s harassment occurred regularly and in the presence of management, with one confrontation revealing his inappropriate behavior towards his colleagues. After the plaintiffs reported Patton’s conduct to human resources, he was terminated, but Tammie Patton allegedly engaged in retaliatory actions towards them, ultimately leading to the entire props department being laid off. Disney then reportedly hired a new set of employees, effectively sweeping the issues under the rug.
The lawsuit argues that Disney and 20th Century attempted to avoid addressing the harassment issues tied to Tyler and Tammie Patton’s misconduct by dismissing the props department. The plaintiffs also claim that they have been blacklisted by Disney as retaliation for speaking out against the harassment they experienced.
As of now, “Doctor Odyssey” has not been renewed for a second season, leaving its future uncertain. Disney has not yet responded to requests for comments on the lawsuit and the allegations made by the former crewmembers.
