NYC- Macho movie star Russell Crowe went “Gladiator” on a SoHo hotel clerk yesterday, hitting him in the face with a thrown phone after he had trouble making a call, police said.

Crowe, 41, was charged with assault and weapons possession – but got star treatment from authorities and was free within hours.

“F— me, I’m sorry,” the Oscar-winner told cops called to the Mercer by concierge Josh Estrada, 28, just before 5a.m., sources said. “I really didn’t mean to hit the guy. I just wanted to get the f—— phones to work.”

Crowe and his parents were staying in the luxury hotel, where suites run $2,300 a night, while he promotes his boxing flick “Cinderella Man.”

In the small hours, the Hollywood hellion tried placing a call to his wife, actress Danielle Spencer, at home in Australia and couldn’t get through.

Furious, he ripped the phone out of his room, stormed into the lobby and heaved it at the front desk, hitting Estrada in the face, police said.

The Brooklyn man, who could not be reached for comment, suffered a 1-inch welt on his right cheek and decided to press charges.

Studio officials were urging Crowe to apologize to Estrada, sources said. But the actor’s publicist, Robin Baum, slammed the worker for his “attitude” when he was asked to replace the “faulty” phone.

“Words were exchanged and Crowe wound up throwing the phone against the wall,” she said. “He regrets that he lost his temper, but at no time did he assault anyone or touch any hotel employee.”

After interviewing Estrada, an officer handcuffed Crowe – described as a “perfect gentleman” by one cop – and took him to the 1st Precinct stationhouse.

Defense lawyer Gerald Lefcourt tried to get the actor released on a desk-appearance ticket but was rebuffed because Crowe is not a citizen and was charged with a felony, sources said.

However, the NYPD and prosecutors agreed to speed up his arraignment and keep him out of the Tombs, the notorious prisoner processing center.

At 11:40 a.m., he emerged from the Tribeca stationhouse, looking scruffy in shades, jeans and a blue jacket with “Cinderella Man” emblems.

He got into an NYPD Ford Explorer with tinted windows and was whisked to the courthouse with a motorcycle escort – a precaution against a paparazzi chase, police said.

Crowe was booked in an isolated area and taken into the Criminal Court building through a back door for arraignment.

Assistant District Attorney Chad Sjoquist asked for $5,000 bail, citing a strong case, including “witnesses to the assault” and Crowe’s admission.

Lefcourt countered that Crowe, a legendary brawler, has never been arrested on American soil. “He is a very charitable, decent human being with an excellent background,” he said.

Judge Martin Murphy released Crowe on no bail and ordered him to return Sept. 14 on the charges, which carry four years in prison.

All told, the star of “A Beautiful Mind” spent less than eight hours in custody, while most other prisoners have been facing 36-hour waits for arraignment.

An NYPD spokesman denied Crowe was treated differently, saying the actor was just lucky to get busted on a slow Monday morning and to have had his own attorney.

After his release, Crowe fled to an unknown destination. But within an hour, his luggage was being carted out of the Mercer, where actress Catherine Deneuve and model Kate Moss also were staying.

A little later, members of Crowe’s entourage left the 75-room hotel on Mercer St. at Prince St. Some were carrying guitars and appeared to be members of his rock band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.

Crowe is scheduled to appear on “Late Show with David Letterman” tomorrow to push “Cinderella Man.”

Meg Bartholomay, a friend of Estrada and his actress fiancée, said she was stunned to learn about the Crowe incident. She described Estrada, a drummer in a band about to put out its first record, as “a pretty low-key guy, totally nonconfrontation,”

“He’s really cool, really nice,” she said.