Ernest Borgnine (born January 24, 1917) is an American actor.

Born Ermes Effron Borgnino in Hamden, Connecticut, he joined the United States Navy after high school and stayed in for ten years. After a few years of drifting, he attended the Randall School of Drama in Hartford. Following graduation, he went to the famous Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. In 1949, he debuted on Broadway in Harvey. In 1951 he moved to Los Angeles, California, receiving his big break in 1953's From Here to Eternity.

In 1955, Borgnine starred in the drama Marty, which gained him an Academy Award for Best Actor. He subsequently appeared in many films sometimes in lead roles but more often supporting major stars in Jubal, The Catered Affair ,The Best Things in Life are Free , Torpedo Run , The Vikings. The Badlanders , Man on a String , Summer of the 17th Doll , Barabbas, The Flight of the Phoenix, The Dirty Dozen, Ice Station Zebra, The Legend of Lylah Clare , The Wild Bunch, The Poseidon Adventure, Jesus of Nazareth (movie), Emperor of the North Pole , and Law and Disorder . From 1962 through 1966 he starred in the popular situation comedy television series McHale's Navy, and starred in the 1964 film version McHale's Navy. Borgnine's later television work included a co-starring role in the action/espionage series Airwolf from 1984 to 1987.

Among his five wives are actresses Ethel Merman (to whom he was infamously wed for only one month) and Katy Jurado.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Ernest Borgnine has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6324 Hollywood Blvd. In 1996, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Since 1999, Borgnine has appeared on the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants as the elderly superhero Mermaid Man. He has also recently appeared in television commercials.

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