After some drinks at New York’s Eight Mile Creek bar, Crowe returned to his nearby deluxe Mercer Hotel, where he had been staying while in New York publicizing his new movie, Cinderella Man.

Frustrated with attempts to call his wife in Australia, the Australian star allegedly lobbed a phone at a concierge at the five start hotel, resulting in being charged with second-degree assault and possession of a weapon.

The assault allegedly happened at about 4.20am in the hotel’s lobby.

Crowe remained in hiding after spending six hours on Monday in a New York police station cell and, later, a Manhattan court where he faced serious charges of assault in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.

Meanwhile, a tape from a security camera inside the hotel may hold the key to Russell Crowe’s fate.

Russell Crowe was a perfect gentleman and guest at an Aussie-style pub in New York just hours before Monday’s headlining fracas at the Mercer Hotel.

Eight Mile Creek manager, Andrew Jordan, said Crowe stopped by for a few beers and was not drunk and was in good spirits when he left.

“He came in and had a couple of drinks,” Jordan told AAP.

“He’s been in a few times recently and he’s an absolute gentleman.

“He’s very generous and was buying drinks for the tables around him and was a lovely fellow.”

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