Uncle Ernie

Uncle Ernie is an antagonist in The Who's Tommy. He is the title character's "wicked uncle", who molests the boy while babysitting him. Because Tommy is deaf, dumb and blind, he is unable to tell his parents what Ernie did to him.

Years later, Tommy has apparently forgiven Ernie and hired him as his assistant in his new church. Ernie's main job is to show the converts to their pinball machines.

In the 1975 film adaptation, he is portrayed by The Who's drummer, Keith Moon, as an alcoholic deviant who molests Tommy offscreen, whooping, hollering and laughing as he does it. When Tommy's parents return home, Uncle Ernie is sitting and reading a newspaper as if nothing has happened. Tommy's father is not fooled, however, and burns Ernie's newspaper while glowering at him threateningly.