Sidney Poitier directed it. Bill Cosby starred in it. On paper, the 1990 supernatural comedy should have been a massive hit. Instead, it became a strange, slightly uncomfortable footnote in cinematic history. When people search for the cast of Ghost Dad, they're usually looking for more than just a list of names—they're looking for that weird, nostalgic connection to a movie that felt ubiquitous on basic cable for a decade but has since vanished into the shadows of controversy and poor reviews.
Honestly, the movie is a fever dream. Cosby plays Elliot Hopper, a workaholic widower who literally dies in a taxi accident and has to learn how to be a father while being invisible. It’s a premise that tries to balance "family fun" with the existential dread of being a ghost. Looking back at the ensemble now, it’s wild to see where everyone ended up.
The Central Figure: Bill Cosby as Elliot Hopper
Bill Cosby was the sun that this entire production orbited around. In 1990, he was still the "America's Dad" archetype, fresh off the massive success of The Cosby Show. The film was essentially built as a vehicle for his specific brand of physical comedy and mugging for the camera.
He plays Elliot, a man obsessed with landing a massive corporate merger. After he dies, he has to navigate the physical world—at one point he falls through a floor and lands in a trash can. It’s slapstick. It’s dated. But at the time, his presence was the only reason the film got greenlit. The dynamic on set was reportedly professional, but Poitier and Cosby had very different styles. Poitier, a legend of prestige cinema, was trying to find the heart, while Cosby was leaning into the "ghostly" antics.
The Kids: Kimberly Russell, Salim Grant, and Brooke Fontaine
The heart of the cast of Ghost Dad was supposed to be the children. They’re the ones who have to carry the emotional weight of seeing their father as a floating entity.
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Kimberly Russell played Diane Hopper, the eldest daughter. She was really the breakout star here. Before this, she was known for Head of the Class, and she brought a certain level of groundedness to a movie that was otherwise flying off the rails. She had the tough job of acting against... well, nothing, since her dad was supposed to be invisible. She’s since moved into more guest-starring roles and voice work, but for a moment in 1990, she was the "it" girl of family comedies.
Salim Grant played Danny. He was the middle child. After Ghost Dad, Grant stayed busy in the industry, popping up in Sister, Sister and Boy Meets World. He’s actually a pretty accomplished musician and producer now, which is a common pivot for child stars who realize the Hollywood grind is a bit much.
Brooke Fontaine was the youngest, Amanda. She was the "cute" factor. You know the type—the kid who says the insightful thing that makes the grown-ups realize what really matters. Her career didn't extend much further than the early 90s, but she’s forever immortalized as the kid who could "see" her ghost dad when nobody else could.
The Supporting Players: Ian Bannen and Denise Nicholas
The adult supporting cast is actually where the film gets its bit of gravitas.
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- Ian Bannen played Sir Edith Moser. Yes, that was the character's name. Bannen was a heavy-hitting Scottish actor, a two-time BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee. Seeing him in a movie where Bill Cosby is walking through walls is... jarring. He plays a paranormal researcher who helps Elliot understand his new spectral state. Bannen brought a level of Shakespearean seriousness to the role that the script probably didn't deserve.
- Denise Nicholas played Joan, Elliot's love interest. Nicholas and Cosby had a long history; she had appeared on The Cosby Show and was a staple of black cinema and television in the 70s and 80s. Their chemistry was one of the few things critics actually liked. It felt natural, even if the plot was supernatural.
Why the Direction Matters (The Sidney Poitier Factor)
You can't talk about the cast of Ghost Dad without mentioning the man behind the camera. Sidney Poitier. It’s still one of the most baffling career moves in Hollywood. Why would the man who starred in In the Heat of the Night and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner direct a movie about a ghost who can't hold a telephone?
Poitier had a long-standing friendship with Cosby. They had worked together on Uptown Saturday Night and Let's Do It Again in the 70s. Those movies were legendary. Ghost Dad was an attempt to recapture that magic for a younger generation. Unfortunately, the script by Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson (the guys who wrote Tremors, ironically) just didn't have the soul Poitier was known for. He reportedly struggled with the heavy special effects, which were primitive even for 1990.
The Ghostly Special Effects: The "Invisible" Cast Member
Technically, the "ghost" version of Elliot Hopper was a character in itself. The film used a lot of bluescreen work and practical rigs to make objects float. For the actors, this meant staring at tennis balls on sticks.
The production was plagued by technical glitches. Imagine being Kimberly Russell and having to cry while looking at a piece of tape on a wall. It’s tough work. The film’s failure at the box office ($27 million against a $20 million budget) was largely blamed on these "cheesy" effects. Audiences in 1990 had just seen Ghost with Patrick Swayze, which handled the afterlife with way more style and budget.
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Legacy and Where They Are Now
Where is the cast of Ghost Dad today? It’s a mixed bag.
Cosby's legacy is, of course, entirely tarnished by his criminal convictions and the dozens of sexual assault allegations that came to light years later. This has essentially scrubbed Ghost Dad from television syndication. You won't find it playing on a rainy Tuesday afternoon on TBS anymore.
Kimberly Russell remains a respected figure in the industry, often appearing at nostalgia conventions. She’s been very open about the fact that working with Poitier was the highlight of her career, regardless of the film's critical reception.
The film remains a "cult" object for those who grew up in the early 90s. It’s not "good" in the traditional sense. It’s awkward. The pacing is weird. The tone shifts from "dad is dead" to "dad is falling down" in seconds. But it represents a specific era of Hollywood where big stars could take massive, weird swings.
How to Revisit the Film (If You Actually Want To)
If you're looking to dive back into the film for nostalgia's sake, keep a few things in mind.
- Check Digital Renting: It’s rarely on major streamers like Netflix or Max. You’ll usually have to find it on VOD services like Amazon or Apple.
- Watch the Directing: Look past the ghost effects. Notice how Poitier frames the family scenes. There is a genuine warmth there that is typical of his style, even if it's buried under 90s neon.
- Compare the "Afterlife" Rules: If you're a film nerd, compare the "rules" of being a ghost in this movie versus Beetlejuice or Ghost. It’s fascinating how inconsistent Ghost Dad is with its own logic.
The story of the cast of Ghost Dad is really a story about the end of an era. It was the tail end of the 80s superstar power, the beginning of CGI taking over practical effects, and a moment where a legendary director tried to help a friend make a hit. It didn't work. But for a generation of kids who caught it on VHS, it’s a memory that won't quite stay dead.