Russell Crowe has appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court today after being charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

The actor allegedly threw a telephone that hit an employee of the Mercer Hotel in New York City.

"This arose because he was trying to get his wife on the phone in Australia," Gerald Lefcourt, Crowe's lawyer, told reporters outside a police station. "He was in his room. He couldn't get a line and there was a disagreement."

Having been arraigned today on the charges of second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, the District Attorney's office told CNN that Crowe will be due in court again on September 14.