Ernie Hudson
Acting • Born 1945-12-17
Biography
Earnest Lee Hudson (born December 17, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters franchise. Hudson has also acted in the films Leviathan (1989), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), The Crow (1994), Airheads (1994), The Basketball Diaries (1995), Congo (1995), Miss Congeniality (2000), and The Ron Clark Story (2006). His most prominent role on television was Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz (1997–2003). Hudson has also appeared in the television shows St. Elsewhere (1984), The Last Precinct (1986), 10-8: Officers on Duty (2003–2004), Desperate Housewives (2006–2007), The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013), Law & Order (2009–2010), the voice of Agent Bill Fowler in Transformers: Prime (2010–2013), Franklin & Bash (2012–2014), Grace and Frankie (2015–2020), and L.A.'s Finest (2019–2020). From 2022 to 2024, Hudson appeared as Herbert "Magic" Williams on the NBC drama Quantum Leap.
Filmography
242 credits
Ghostbusters
Movie • 1984
Winston Zeddemore
Miss Congeniality
Movie • 2000
Harry McDonald
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Movie • 2005
Harry McDonald
Joni
Movie • 1979
Earl
Congo
Movie • 1995
Captain Monroe Kelly
The Watcher
Movie • 2000
FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Ibby
The Basketball Diaries
Movie • 1995
Reggie
Ghostbusters II
Movie • 1989
Winston Zeddemore
All Hat
Movie • 2007
Jackson Jones
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Movie • 1992
Solomon
The Wrong Guys
Movie • 1988
Dawson
Stealth Fighter
Movie • 1999
President Westwood
October 22
Movie • 1998
Arthur
Going Berserk
Movie • 1983
Muhammed Jerome Willy
The Octagon
Movie • 1980
Quinine
Everything's Jake
Movie • 2000
Jake
The Human Tornado
Movie • 1976
Bo
The Ron Clark Story
Movie • 2006
Principal Turner
You're Not You
Movie • 2014
John
The Crow
Movie • 1994
Albrecht
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone
Movie • 1983
Washington
Airheads
Movie • 1994
Sergeant O'Malley
A Town Without Christmas
Movie • 2001
Ted
Dragonball Evolution
Movie • 2009
Master Mutaito
Shark Attack
Movie • 1999
Lawrence Rhodes
Best of the Best 4: Without Warning
Movie • 1998
Detective Gresko
The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission
Movie • 1988
Joe Hamilton
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball
Movie • 2010
Anthony Vejar
Leviathan
Movie • 1989
Justin Jones
Beebo Saves Christmas
Movie • 2021
Santa Claus (voice)
Tornado!
Movie • 1996
Dr. Joe Branson
Michael Jordan: An American Hero
Movie • 1999
Speechless
Movie • 1994
Ventura
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror
Movie • 2006
Roscoe
Nobel Son
Movie • 2007
Bill Canega
Stasis
Movie • 2010
Stranger
Pastor Brown
Movie • 2009
Deacon Harold Todd
Confessions of an Action Star
Movie • 2005
Self / Commander
Fakin' Da Funk
Movie • 1997
Joe Lee
Interceptors
Movie • 1999
Major
Final Approach
Movie • 2008
Agent Lorenzo Dawson
Penitentiary II
Movie • 1982
Half Dead
Fatal Secrets
Movie • 2009
Detective Carter
Sugar Hill
Movie • 1994
Lolly Jonas
Clifford's Really Big Movie
Movie • 2004
P.T. (voice)
The Cowboy Way
Movie • 1994
Officer Sam 'Mad Dog' Shaw
Prisoner's Daughter
Movie • 2023
Hank
Joy of Sex
Movie • 1984
Mr. Porter
The Retirement Plan
Movie • 2023
Joseph
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Movie • 2024
Winston Zeddemore
Weeds
Movie • 1987
Bagdad
Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story
Movie • 2005
Perry Beasley
Collision Course
Movie • 1989
Shortcut
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!
Movie • 2012
Pedro (voice)
Doonby
Movie • 2013
Leroy Jackson
Underground Aces
Movie • 1981
African General
Anne B. Real
Movie • 2003
Principal
For Which He Stands
Movie • 1996
DEA Agent Baxter
Butter
Movie • 1998
Curtis '8-Ball' Harris
Lackawanna Blues
Movie • 2005
Dick Barrymore
Deer Crossing
Movie • 2012
Captain Bailey
Clover
Movie • 1997
Gaten Hill
Paper Bullets
Movie • 2000
Detective Ron Mills
Battledogs
Movie • 2013
Max Stevens
Call Me Crazy: A Five Film
Movie • 2013
Percy
Mad Bull
Movie • 1977
Black Bart
Walking Shadow
Movie • 2001
Hawk
Ambush at Dark Canyon
Movie • 2012
Cyrus Parker
White Mama
Movie • 1980
Counsellor
Cleanin' Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters
Movie • 2020
Self
Levitation
Movie • 1997
Downbeat
To Hell and Back
Movie • 2014
Joe
Showing Up
Movie • 2014
Self
The Grim Sleeper
Movie • 2014
Detective Gerry Claymar
A Stranger in the Kingdom
Movie • 1999
Rev. Walter Andrews
Deep Blue Breath
Movie • 2011
Lord Vater (voice)
Red Letters
Movie • 2000
Detective Glen Teal
The $5.20 an Hour Dream
Movie • 1980
Homer Burden
The Substitute
Movie • 1996
Claude Rolle
Dear Secret Santa
Movie • 2013
Pastor Avery
Love on the Run
Movie • 1985
Lamar
The Last Precinct
Movie • 1986
Night Train
Operation Delta Force
Movie • 1997
Major Tipton
The Man in the Silo
Movie • 2016
Marcus Wells
Nowhere to Land
Movie • 2010
Danny Gorlin
Hijack
Movie • 1999
Senator Douglas Wilson
Leadbelly
Movie • 1976
Archie
Machete Joe
Movie • 2010
Sheriff Taylor
Game of Death
Movie • 2011
Clarence
Skag
Movie • 1980
No Escape
Movie • 1994
Hawkins
Champions
Movie • 2023
Coach Phil Peretti
Gallows Road
Movie • 2015
Bob Collins
Crazy Times
Movie • 1981
Harold 'Jazzman' Malloy
The Main Event
Movie • 1979
Killer
Touched
Movie • 2014
Dr. Beck
A Matter of Life and Death
Movie • 1981
Mr. Harrison
Oswald: Down The Rabbit Hole
Movie
Oswald Jebediah Coleman
God's Not Dead 2
Movie • 2016
Judge Stennis
Batman: Bad Blood
Movie • 2016
Lucius Fox (voice)
Merry Ex-Mas
Movie • 2014
Pastor Ed
Spaceman
Movie • 2016
Joe
The Cherokee Kid
Movie • 1996
Nat Love aka Deadwood Dick
Ghostbusters
Movie • 2016
Uncle Bill
Two of a Kind
Movie • 1983
Det. Skaggs
California Girls
Movie • 1985
Ernie
Ghostheads
Movie • 2016
Self
Infinity Train
Movie • 2016
Atticus (voice)
Heaven Sent
Movie • 2016
Donatello
Trapper County War
Movie • 1989
Jefferson Carter
The Jazz Singer
Movie • 1980
Heckler
Mr. Beebee
Movie
Wayne Proctor
Nappily Ever After
Movie • 2018
Richard Jones
Just Your Luck
Movie • 1996
Willie
The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy
Movie • 2012
Ivan Stumpwater
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
Movie • 2006
Blake Rische
Turning Point
Movie • 2013
Joe Johnson
Last of the Good Guys
Movie • 1978
El Coliph
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Movie • 2021
Winston Zeddemore
Underground Entertainment: The Movie
Movie • 2011
Ernie
Adventure Force 5
Movie • 2019
Dr. Lawrence Abel
Lonely Street
Movie • 2009
Captain Morgan
In Search of Tomorrow
Movie • 2022
Self - Interviewee
The Last Song
Movie • 2014
Guest
Mr. Magoo
Movie • 1997
Agent CIA Gus Anders
High & Outside: A Baseball Noir
Movie • 2018
Sanzone
Redemption Day
Movie • 2021
Ed Paxton
Women of San Quentin
Movie • 1983
Charles Wilson
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2
Movie • 2011
Pedro
Halfway Decent
Movie • 2005
Tom
Deepest, Darkest
Movie
Famous
Movie
Beautiful People
Movie • 2012
Jack
Sisters in Italy
Movie
Toy Story 5
Movie • 2026
Combat Carl (voice)
FEEL
Movie • 2025
Sitter 10
Man from Atlantis IV: The Disappearances
Movie • 1977
Minion
Horror Icon: Inside Michael's Mask with Tony Moran
Movie • 2015
Self
John Candy: I Like Me
Movie • 2025
Self - Actor (archive footage)
On the Scene with the Ghostbusters
Movie • 1984
Hal
Movie
Darrin's Dance Grooves: The Untold Darrin Henson Story
Movie • 2023
Self (voiceover)
St. Elsewhere
TV • 1982
Jerry Close
The Ben Stiller Show
TV • 1992
How I Met Your Mother
TV • 2005
Ernie Hudson
Law & Order
TV • 1990
Frank Gibson
Psych
TV • 2006
William Guster
Desperate Housewives
TV • 2004
Detective Ridley
The A-Team
TV • 1983
Cal Freeman
Little House on the Prairie
TV • 1974
William Thomas
Heroes
TV • 2006
Captain Lubbock
Bones
TV • 2005
David Barron
Cold Case
TV • 2003
Moses Jones
Tales from the Crypt
TV • 1989
Zambini
Everwood
TV • 2002
Bill Hoover
Crossing Jordan
TV • 2001
Colonel Wirth
Diff'rent Strokes
TV • 1978
Flamingo Road
TV • 1981
The View
TV • 1997
Self
Comic Book Men
TV • 2012
Self
Wild Palms
TV • 1993
Tommy Lazlo
Webster
TV • 1983
Bosom Buddies
TV • 1980
Without a Trace
TV • 2002
Manny Aybar
Private Practice
TV • 2007
Captain Frank
Superman: The Animated Series
TV • 1996
Professor Felix (voice)
Full House
TV • 1987
Reggie "The Sandman" Martin
Stargate SG-1
TV • 1997
Pernaux
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
TV • 2008
Dr. Ken Fields
Infinity Train
TV • 2019
Atticus (voice)
MacGyver
TV • 2016
Milton Bozer
ER
TV • 1994
Colonel James Gallant
The White Shadow
TV • 1978
Johnson
The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians
TV • 1985
Cyborg (voice)
10-8: Officers on Duty
TV • 2003
Senior Deputy John Henry Barnes
The Last Precinct
TV • 1986
Sergeant Lane
Highcliffe Manor
TV • 1979
Smythe
Super Friends
TV • 1973
Cyborg (voice)
Batman: The Animated Series
TV • 1992
Security Guard (voice)
Meteor
TV • 2009
Gen. Brasser
Detective School
TV • 1979
Transformers: Prime
TV • 2010
Agent William Fowler (voice)
Broken Badges
TV • 1990
Toby Baker
Oz
TV • 1997
Leo Glynn
Beautiful People
TV
Jack
White Collar
TV • 2009
Mr. Jeffries
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV • 2014
Self - Guest
Modern Family
TV • 2009
Miles
Rizzoli & Isles
TV • 2010
Admiral Frost
APB
TV • 2017
Ned Conrad
Graves
TV • 2016
Jacob Mann
Childrens Hospital
TV • 2008
Hubert McGraw
Taxi
TV • 1978
Terry Carver
Scorpion
TV • 2014
Brooks
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
TV • 2020
Prince Humperdinck
Blue Bloods
TV • 2010
Darryl Ward
Once Upon a Time
TV • 2011
King Poseidon
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!
TV • 1989
The Kelly Clarkson Show
TV • 2019
Self
Scandal
TV • 2012
Commander Randolph Boles
Lethal Weapon
TV • 2016
Hank Peterson
Carl Weber's The Family Business
TV • 2018
L.C. Duncan
Franklin & Bash
TV • 2011
Judge Lawrence Perry
Angie Tribeca
TV • 2016
Pete Tribeca
Quantum Leap
TV • 2022
Herbert 'Magic' Williams
City on a Hill
TV • 2019
Franklin Ward
Celebrity Ghost Stories
TV • 2009
Self
Twin Peaks
TV • 1990
Colonel Davis
Sherri
TV • 2022
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
TV • 2014
Self
Las Vegas
TV • 2003
Bob Casey
Grey's Anatomy
TV • 2005
Brad McDougall
The Movies That Made Us
TV • 2019
Winston Zeddemore (archive footage)
Robot Chicken
TV • 2005
Detective Ernie / Judge Hudson Jr. / Justin's Dad (voice)
L.A.'s Finest
TV • 2019
Joseph Vaughn
Torchwood
TV • 2006
Stuart Owens
The Incredible Hulk
TV • 1977
Lee
The Jennifer Hudson Show
TV • 2022
Self
Ballers
TV • 2015
Mr. Hagerty
Arrow
TV • 2012
Roy Stewart
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
TV • 2021
Grini Millegi (voice)
Ironside
TV • 2013
Bludso
Hart of Dixie
TV • 2011
Ernie Hayes
Hot in Cleveland
TV • 2010
Ernie Hudson
Reunited Apart
TV • 2020
Self
Grace and Frankie
TV • 2015
Jacob
The Insiders
TV • 1985
Brewster
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Norm McCloud
Criminal Minds
TV • 2005
Lt. Al Garner
Guys with Kids
TV • 2012
The Judge
Angry Birds Mystery Island
TV • 2024
Marlon (voice)
The New Odd Couple
TV • 1982
Moses Brown
Fantasy Island
TV • 1978
Jamu
The Last Leg
TV • 2013
Self
Key & Peele
TV • 2012
Dad
The Masked Singer
TV • 2019
Self - Special Guest
Boston Blue
TV • 2025
Rev. Edwin Peters
The Millers
TV • 2013
Walter
Angel Street
TV • 1992
Thurman Nickens
Roots: The Next Generations
TV • 1979
Muslim at Door
Cop Rock
TV • 1990
Cmdr. Warren Osborne
Arli$$
TV • 1996
Warden Leo Glynn