Los Angeles: July 19, 2012
Actor and comedian Fred Willard was arrested Wednesday night and booked on suspicion of lewd conduct at an adult theater 
in Hollywood, police reported this morning.
The 72-year-old, who appeared in such films as “Best in Show” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” was released on his own recognizance, LAPD Sgt. Chuck Slater told NBC4.
Vice officers arrested Willard at about 8:50 p.m., Slater said.
Stay tuned for more details.
UPDATE: July 21, 2012
In announcing Friday that Fred Willard will not have to face jail time after being arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct, the Los Angeles prosecutor revealed that the actor had been arrested on a similar charge two decades earlier.
The L.A. prosecutor said Willard was arrested in 1990 on lewd conduct charges but did not reveal details or the disposition of the case.
Despite that earlier incident, Willard will be able to enroll in a “pre-filing diversion program” in lieu of a criminal filing, said Frank Mateljan, spokesman for City Atty. Carmen Trutanich.
The program is administered by an outside vendor and costs about $380. There are diversion programs for a variety of offenses, including drug and alcohol abuse in addition to sex-related crimes.
