Producer Gary Goddard accused of molesting multiple ex-child actors

Gary Goddard, Hollywood producer and director of the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie, has been accused by seven more former child stars of sexual abuse.

In a story run in the Los Angeles Times, it’s alleged that Goddard molested or attempted to molest children from a theatre group he ran in Santa Barbara in the 1970s.

One former actor, Mark Driscoll, claims that Goddard sexually abused him over a period of three years.

The news comes following allegations from ER and Top Gun actor Anthony Edwards, who said that Goddard abused him too when he was a child.

Following the claims, Goddard took a leave of absence from his company The Goddard Group, an entertainment design company which makes theme park attractions.

In an essay on Medium, Edwards wrote: “My vulnerability was exploited. I was molested by Goddard, my best friend was raped by him - and this went on for years. The group of us, the gang, stayed quiet.”

Edwards said that as an adult he confronted Goddard, who then ‘swore to his remorse and said that he had gotten help… I felt a temporary sense of relief. I say temporary because when Goddard appeared in the press four years ago for alleged sexual abuse, my rage resurfaced’.

Among the new allegations are claims from another former actor Bret Nighman, who says Goddard tried to molest him on four occasions when he was 16, and says he witnessed the producer sexually abusing Edwards.

Another actor, Linus Huffman, said that Goddard molested him when he was 13 during a production of ‘Oliver!’, while others have spoken about incidents of ‘surprise attacks’ of ‘aggressive kissing’.

“This is a man who’s attracted to little boys, and attracted in the sickest way,” said Edwards. “This is not love, this is not friendship what he was doing. It is a horror because it is manipulating young hearts and minds.”

Previous allegations of sexual assault emerged when Goddard and the director Bryan Singer were sued by the actor Michael Egan III in 2014.

Egan claimed they sexually assaulted him when he was a minor in incidents that were videotaped, but later withdrew the suit.

Goddard’s publicist has denied the latest accusations.

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