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| Ernest Borgnine won an Academy Award in 1955 for "Marty." |
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
Ernest Borgnine spent the better part of six decades as an actor and was performing almost to the end.
He died last week of kidney failure. He was 95 and had recently finished work on “The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez,” a film about a bitter old man who finds fame among the Latino workers at a nursing home.
Perhaps best known as the conniving skipper of PT-73 in
television’s “McHale’s Navy,” Borgnine had no trouble finding work in films and
on television.
He moved back and forth between TV and film with relative
ease.
His TV career included “McHale’s Navy,” “Airwolf” and “The
Single Guy.” He also lent his voice to animated shows including “SpongeBob
Square Pants.” In 2009, at age 92, he was nominated for an Emmy for his
performance in the final two episodes of “ER.”
Borgnine’s personal life was almost as remarkable as his
film career. He was married five times including a 38-day marriage to Ethel
Merman in 1964. Other wives included actress Katy Jurado.
Among his film roles was Green Bay Packers coach Vince
Lombardi in “Legend in Granite.” He also appeared as a general in all four “Dirty
Dozen” films. Didn’t know there were three made-for-TV sequels, did you?
Other performances included “Bad Day at Black Rock,” “Johnny
Guitar,” “Emperor of the North,” and “Ice Station Zebra.”
One of his funnier roles was as the cabbie that chose to
stay in New York in the Kurt Russell adventure film “Escape from New York.”
He also appeared in a bit part as the record keeper in Bruce
Willis’ spy adventure “Red” in 2010.
You can see how good an actor he was by checking out these
six movies available on video, DVD, on-demand and through streaming services.
“From Here to
Eternity” (1953) – Borgnine is a brutal MP who beats Frank Sinatra’s
character to death in the stockade in this film about military life in Hawaii
in the days leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Other stars
include Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Donna Reed and Jack
Warden.
“Marty” (1955) –
Borgnine took home the Academy Award for his performance as an Italian butcher
who unexpectedly finds love in this wonderful film, beating out Frank Sinatra,
James Dean, James Cagney and Spencer Tracy. Other stars include Betsy Blair and
Jerry Paris.
“The Wild Bunch”
(1969) – Borgnine stars as one of the title bunch who find themselves hunted
after a robbery in this Sam Peckinpah Western bloodbath. Other stars include
William Holden, Robert Ryan, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Strother Martin and
L.Q. Jones.
“The Vikings”
(1958) – Borgnine stars as Viking king Ragnar in this epic film about two
brothers fighting each other as much as the English. Other stars include Kirk
Douglas, Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh and James Donald.
“The Poseidon
Adventure” (1972) – Borgnine is one of the survivors trying to find a way
out after a luxury liner hits a tidal wave and capsizes in this epic disaster
film. Other stars include Gene Hackman, Red Buttons, Jack Albertson, Stella
Stevens, Shelley Winters and Pamela Sue Martin.
“A Grandpa for
Christmas” (2007) – Borgnine stars as former song-and-dance man who
discovers he has a granddaughter when he must take care of his estranged
daughter after she’s in a car accident right before Christmas in the
made-for-television Hallmark movie. Other stars include Tracy Nelson, Jamie
Farr, Katherine Helmond and Juliette Goglia.
For more on movies, visit What to Watch.
