Ernest Goes to Jail_
"Guilty of Maximum Fun in the First Degree!"
Bumbling bank janitor Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, and soon finds himself in trouble when he is covertly switched with a look-a-like crime boss. Ernest must escape from jail to expose the mix-up.
Starring
Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, Bill Byrge
Box Office
$25.0M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
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Year context
Ernest Goes to Jail was released 36 years ago in 1990.
Overview
Bumbling bank janitor Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, and soon finds himself in trouble when he is covertly switched with a look-a-like crime bos...
Ernest Goes to Jail is a Comedy, Family, Crime film with a runtime of 1h 21m.
CAST (20)
Jim Varney
Ernest P. Worrell
Gailard Sartain
Chuck
Bill Byrge
Bobby
Barbara Tyson
Charlotte Sparrow
BS
Barry Scott
Rubin Bartlett
Randall "Tex" Cobb
Lyle
DL
Dan Leegant
Oscar Pendlesmythe
Charles Napier
Warden
Jackie Welch
Judge
CL
Charlie Lamb
Another Con
Jim Conrad
Eddie
Jeffrey Buckner Ford
Defense Attorney
Bruce Arntson
Juror
MM
Mike Montgomery
Warden's Assistant
MH
Mike Hutchinson
Gate Guard
BC
Badd Catt
Jail Guard (uncredited)
MW
Melanie Wheeler
Prosecutor
Daniel Butler
Waiter
Mac Bennett
Con
RS
Rick Schulman
Mean Guard
BOX OFFICE
$25.0M
Revenue
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
81 min (1h 21m)
Country
Rating
5.0/10 (168 votes)
Box Office
$25,029,791
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Ernest Goes to Jail about?
Bumbling bank janitor Ernest P. Worrell is assigned to jury duty, and soon finds himself in trouble when he is covertly switched with a look-a-like crime boss. Ernest must escape from jail to expose the mix-up.
How long is Ernest Goes to Jail?
Ernest Goes to Jail has a runtime of 81 minutes (1h 21m).
Who stars in Ernest Goes to Jail?
The cast of Ernest Goes to Jail includes Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, Bill Byrge, Barbara Tyson, Barry Scott.
How much did Ernest Goes to Jail make at the box office?
Ernest Goes to Jail earned $25,029,791 worldwide at the box office.
What is the rating of Ernest Goes to Jail?
Ernest Goes to Jail has a rating of 5.0 out of 10 based on 168 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Comedy
Family
Crime
