Ernie Hudson

For someone whose name remains virtually unknown to the moviegoing public, Ernie Hudson is one of the busiest actors around. Starting with the current "Sugar Hill," as Wesley Snipes' nemesis, Hudson will be in five films over the next few months. Though he has garnered decent reviews in supporting roles in hits like "Ghostbusters" and "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," Hudson, 48, hasn't enjoyed as much name recognition as his best-known films.

Actor Ernie Hudson plays a prison warden in HBO's "Oz." Hudson, who was in "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters II," lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Linda, and their sons, Andrew, 11, and Ross, 10. Hudson also has two grown sons from a prior marriage, 30-year-old Rahaman and 33-year-old Ernie Jr., who has joined the "Oz" cast. The series is filmed in New York City's Chelsea district. Question: What's it like working with your son? Answer: You know, he's very good.

Ernie Hudson's newest film, "Butter," airs Friday on HBO. An Early Start: Because I travel so much for work, when I am home I need quality time with my wife, Linda. For that, we start our weekends Friday when the kids are still at school. We walk on the beach in Malibu and have lunch somewhere on the water. A Strict Regimen: Usually I get up early (whether I want to or not) to walk our puppy, Bazooka. Afterward, I work out, alternating between pilates and Nordic Track machines in my home gym.

Ernie Hudson's newest film, "Butter," airs Friday on HBO. An Early Start: Because I travel so much for work, when I am home I need quality time with my wife, Linda. For that, we start our weekends Friday when the kids are still at school. We walk on the beach in Malibu and have lunch somewhere on the water. A Strict Regimen: Usually I get up early (whether I want to or not) to walk our puppy, Bazooka. Afterward, I work out, alternating between pilates and Nordic Track machines in my home gym.

When serious, reputable anchorwoman Diane Sawyer put on a come-hither pose for the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, a lot of people were shocked. But when serious, reputable film producer Sherry Lansing vamps for the newest ad in an American Express series, what does Hollywood do? "They love it," Lansing tells Listen about the picture she considers a spoof of '40s glamour. Dressed in a ve-ry dish-y dress by Bob Mackie (Cher's favorite), poised on the Paramount lot, Lansing smiles for the camera of Annie Leibovitz, who snaps all the pix for the celebrity series.

Actor Ernie Hudson plays a prison warden in HBO's "Oz." Hudson, who was in "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters II," lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Linda, and their sons, Andrew, 11, and Ross, 10. Hudson also has two grown sons from a prior marriage, 30-year-old Rahaman and 33-year-old Ernie Jr., who has joined the "Oz" cast. The series is filmed in New York City's Chelsea district. Question: What's it like working with your son? Answer: You know, he's very good.

Fans of "Ghostbusters" were able to breathe a little easier when this spiffy sequel came out last summer. The filmmakers lost none of their edge and were able to bring back all the original's stars: Sigourney Weaver, Bill Murray (pictured), Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson. (HBO Sunday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 11:30 a.m.; Cinemax Wednesday at 3 p.m.)

*** "Weeds" HBO. $89.99. 1987. R. Nick Nolte is splendid in a virile, emotion-charged performance as a suicidal convict redeemed by his discovery of the world of literature. Jon Hancock's engaging, heart-on-its-sleeve movie was inspired by the experience of ex-convict Rick Cluchey, founder of the Barbed Wire Theater. With Rita Taggart, Ernie Hudson, Bill Forsythe and John Toles-Bay.

Re "Ahmanson Ranch," Letters to the Valley Edition, Dec. 12. Guy Gniadek neglected to mention that the testing that was performed at the ranch is obsolete now, and that it also was done in a very controlled, very small, limited area of the ranch. The ranch itself contains so many wonders of nature, some of which are rumored to be endangered. It is because of the vastness of this land that another test must be conducted in order to cover more of the area and to possibly save some of the endangered species for our children and our children's children to enjoy during their lifetimes.

For someone whose name remains virtually unknown to the moviegoing public, Ernie Hudson is one of the busiest actors around. Starting with the current "Sugar Hill," as Wesley Snipes' nemesis, Hudson will be in five films over the next few months. Though he has garnered decent reviews in supporting roles in hits like "Ghostbusters" and "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," Hudson, 48, hasn't enjoyed as much name recognition as his best-known films.

When serious, reputable anchorwoman Diane Sawyer put on a come-hither pose for the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, a lot of people were shocked. But when serious, reputable film producer Sherry Lansing vamps for the newest ad in an American Express series, what does Hollywood do? "They love it," Lansing tells Listen about the picture she considers a spoof of '40s glamour. Dressed in a ve-ry dish-y dress by Bob Mackie (Cher's favorite), poised on the Paramount lot, Lansing smiles for the camera of Annie Leibovitz, who snaps all the pix for the celebrity series.

Who you gonna call? Come June 16, the fearsome foursome rides again, as Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson don their silver suits in "Ghostbusters II." Explains Hudson: "We find out there's a lot of bad psycho-reactive energy in New York City that's threatening the universe, so we have to work very hard against time to save the world. It's really kind of cute." Then there's "Leviathan."

With his "Ghostbusters II" sidekicks--Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis--getting the Stay-Puft share of glory, fourth Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson insists: "I don't feel like an outsider." The black graduate of Yale Drama School acknowledges that he's often overlooked in media coverage, but adds, "There are a lot of reasons for that. They were and are in different places in their careers. They've had more success than I have. And in the first movie, the script established them as a unit before I was brought in, as their employee."