“Ghostbusters” star Ernie Hudson found out about Harold Ramis’ death on a flight to Los Angeles Monday, and thanked the 69-year-old comedy icon for his entire career when the paparazzi approached him at the airport.
“Harold was the glue. There wouldn’t a ‘Ghostbusters’ without Harold Ramis. Harold Pulled it together,” Hudson told TMZ. “And I know I probably wouldn’t be in the business had I not had the chance to work with Harold at that time in my career. He taught me a lot, not overtly by trying to teach me, just watching him work and how he dealt with things. He will be missed.”
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Hudson starred alongside Ramis in both “Ghostbusters” films as the fourth addition to the team, Winston. It sounds like Hudson was looking forward to reprising the role for a third time, but doesn’t think another “Ghostbusters” would work without Ramis.
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“There can’t be another ‘Ghostbusters’ without Harold. There can be another ‘Ghost’-something,” Hudson added. “That was always my fear, was that something would happen before we all got together.”
Hudson is the latest in a long line of admirers, friends, and colleagues to comment Ramis’ passing. The actor, writer and director died early Monday morning due to complications from auto-immune inflammatory vasculitis, a rare disease that causes swelling of the blood vessels.