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