For kids of the early 1990s, Josh Tygiel became a familiar face as Buddy Ernst on Nickelodeon’s beloved Western comedy Hey Dude. Josh entertained tweens for five seasons as the sunny son of dude ranch owner Mr. Ernst.
But as the sun set on the Dude Ranch, Josh Tygiel seemed to vanish completely. So for nostalgic fans, the question remains: whatever happened to Josh Tygiel?
Hey Dude
Josh Tygiel’s breakthrough came when he was cast as Buddy Ernst in Hey Dude. Hey Dude was Nickelodeon’s first original live-action sitcom, premiering in 1989. It was about the staff of the Bar None dude ranch in Arizona and filmed on location outdoors.
When casting the show, the producers held open call auditions looking for a “real 12-year old” that viewers could relate to as a friend. Josh was chosen out of the local Tucson children who auditioned.
As Buddy, Josh played an outgoing yet clumsy city kid adjusting to ranch life. Buddy loved reading comic books and spent more time trying to avoid doing ranch chores than actually working. He was frequently dragged into the madcap schemes and accidents that happened around the Bar None.
Josh was part of the original cast and acted on Hey Dude for the show’s entire five season run. Though never the breakout star, he played a key role as the kid character for younger viewers to identify with. Along with his co-stars, Josh’s acting on the ambitious show helped kickstart Nickelodeon’s move into producing more narrative-driven, higher-budget programs in the 1990s.
He would star in the show along with Kelly Brown, Christine Taylor, David Lascher, David Brisbin, Joe Torres and Debi Kalman.
Life After Hey Dude
After his acting role on Hey Dude ended in 1991, Josh Tygiel retired from acting and attended the University of Arizona from 1993-1995 where he studied Drama and History. He was part of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity.
Josh then completed his BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, integrating History and English Literature, at the University of Westminster in London between 1995-1998. He remained in London to achieve his MA in Modern History from Royal Holloway University from 1998-1999.
From 1999 onward, Josh built a career writing due diligence reports on business executives and hedge fund managers for companies like First Advantage and BackTrack Reports.
What Is Josh Tygiel Doing Now?
Currently, Josh Tygiel is dedicated to his role as a Senior Editor/Investigator at First Advantage/BackTrack Reports, a position he has held since June 2010. In this capacity, Tygiel works remotely from the Portland area, contributing to the New York-based office. His work involves writing and editing investigative due diligence and business history reports, primarily focusing on individuals in the hedge fund, private equity, and venture capital industries. He also prepares pre-employment histories for C-level managers and is actively involved in caseflow management and training new investigators.
Tygiel has maintained a relatively private life, avoiding public interviews and not maintaining a presence on social media. However, he did make a rare public appearance at the 25th Anniversary Reunion of “Hey Dude” in 2014, marking a brief reconnection with his past in the entertainment industry. Despite his shift from acting to a more behind-the-scenes professional role, his early career on “Hey Dude” remains a cherished part of his life journey.
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