Ted Williams detained, then released!

Ted's in L.A. for media appearances, and on Monday night, someone called the LAPD after he got into a loud argument in a Hollywood hotel with his daughter Janey

It basically started out as some kind of family gathering, and the bickering developed into a shouting match . . . possibly fueled by alcohol.

Janey says Ted has relapsed into his alcohol-abusing ways, and that he's been drinking a bottle of vodka a night.

Ted says his daughter hit him and scratched his face, but he was led away in handcuffs, and they were both held at a Hollywood police station for a couple hours.

They were both released, and neither was arrested.