poor ernie hudson

Ghostbusters (1984)—“Winston Zeddemore”
Ghostbusters 2 (1989)—“ Winston Zeddemore”

EH: Probably the most frustrating job, yet the most rewarding job. Just getting the job was frustrating. But I loved the actors—Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis—and I still consider them very good friends. I’m so thankful that I got a chance to do it. After all these years, almost 30 years later, whenever I’m on the street, someone will call out, “Who you gonna call?” [Laughs.] So I’m glad to have been a part of that. I’m very proud of that, and I’d jump at the chance to do it again if it ever came up. I like Winston. I always felt like the cousin who had come to visit and was trying to find a place at the table. How do you fit in there? And when I look at it now, I realize it was just the way it should’ve been. And I have nothing but good thoughts about it and everyone involved. But it was very frustrating to be a part of it.

AVC: From what was the frustration derived?

EH: Well, you want to be in the mix. Like I said, I’m always looking for ways to stretch and grow and bring everything I got to the table. But not having been included in a lot of the press stuff, including the poster that I sign now wherever I go… I’m on some of them, but fans always ask me about that, because they’re confused [about] why I’m not on a lot of them, and I’m like, “It was the studio’s decision.” So there was always that feeling of wanting to be a full part and not quite feeling that. But the fans see the character; I’ve met people who’ve named their kids after Winston. [Laughs.] And I have a dog named Winston! So I guess it was memorable in its own way.

AVC: This may be an urban legend, but did you audition to do the voice of Winston for the Ghostbusters animated series, only to be passed over for the gig?

EH: Yeah, I did, and it was funny, ’cause they said, “You don’t have to audition for the part, but the director wants to hear you read the material.” So I went in to read the material, and the guy said, “No, no, no, that’s all wrong! When Ernie Hudson did it in the movie...” And I’m like, “Well, wait a minute: I am Ernie Hudson!” [Laughs.] So when I left, they said, “No, it’s not a problem, you’re gonna do the voice.” They called me about it—I was shooting a film; I can’t remember what film I was doing—and then I never heard anything from them. Then I found out that Arsenio [Hall] was doing it. I was very busy doing other stuff, but I was really disappointed because the thought of someone else doing Winston was not something I felt great about. Arsenio’s a friend, so there’s no disrespect to him. But they had me come in and read, and even though they said I wasn’t auditioning, I dunno, I guess I was just there to have the director get on my nerves. Who knows what happened there? Whatever the case, I didn’t get the part. Unfortunately.

jesus that's a charlie kaufman movie right there. (your life being usurped by arsenio hall)

Don't forget the whole Lorenzo Music doing the Murray part and then Murray taking over Garfield from ... Lorenzo Music.

still gives me chills

New York Police Sergeant John Kennedy once guarded Abraham Lincoln for 48 hours while he was campaigning for President of the United States, and came away deeply impressed by the man. Kennedy has infiltrated a cabal and discovered that an assassination attempt will be made as the president-elect makes his way by train via Baltimore to Washington, DC. His boss, Superintendent Simon G. Stroud (an uncredited Tom Powers), dismisses the threat as "hogwash", as does Caleb Jeffers (Adolphe Menjou), a militia colonel with whom Stroud is meeting. Kennedy resigns on the spot to try to foil the conspirators on his own. Having already sent a copy of his report to the Secretary of War, he telegrams Lincoln, urgently requesting a meeting in Baltimore...