ERNEST BORGNINE : FROM "MARTY" TO "MCHALE" TO "MR. MERMAID", HE WAS A SIX DECADE PRESENCE IN MOTION PICTURES AND ON TELEVISION............

Ninety five years old and still active and working, questioning the wisdom of retiring saying, "retire to what ?" actor Ernest Borgnine died yesterday in California after a sixty one year acting career in motion pictures and television.  Born January 24, 1917, in Hamden, Connecticut, and named Ermes Effron Borgnino, to Italian immigrant parents, his parents separated when he was 2, and his mother took him to Italy for a few years.  A few months after he graduated from Hamden High School in 1935, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for ten years through the end of World War II.  Unsure what kind of work he wanted to pursue after his discharge from the Navy, he soon followed the suggestion of his mother to give acting a try. She told him after all, "You're always making a fool of yourself in front of people".  He attended the Hartford, Connecticut Randall School pof Dramatic Arts on the G.I. Bill for six months, then got a job with the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia where he soon secured a position as a road company actor for $30.00 a week.  During the next four years he made his Broadway playing a hospital attendant in, "Harvey"; and appeared in television roles, notably as a villian in, "Captain Video and his Video Rangers".  In 1951, he broke into acting parts in the movies, in three films that year, and then in 1953, came to prominence in a tough guy role in the popular motion picture, "From To Eternity".  Then two years later, he captured the leading role in a Paddy Chevesky film of a teleplay Rod Steiger had played on television, portraying an pudgy and romantically undesirable Bronx butcher named 'Marty'.  His performance in the motion picture, "Marty", was so endearing it garnered Ernest Borgnine a Best Actor Oscar nomination in 1955, in contention with fellow actor nominees, James Cagney, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, and Spencer Tracy.  And the winner was Ernest Borgnine, which established him as a A List Hollywood Actor. Borgnine continued making through the rest of the 1950's and for the rest of his life, his lasr film, "The Man Who Shook The Hand Of Vicente Fernandez", is still making the rounds of various film festivals.  In it, he plays a retired DJ, whose unfilled desire for stardom frustrates him and he finds himself living in a nursing home with a group of Latin American immigrants.  Five years ago he starred in a Hallmark Channel movie, "A Grandpa For Christmas", portraying an old song and dance man, striving to reconnect with his estranged daughter, as he comes to know his young pre-teen granddaughter.  He gained a 2008 Golden Globe nomination for the role.  Last year he was honored by the Screen Actors Guild with their Life Achievement Award, for his 60 years in the Entertainment community as an Actor.  On television from 1962 until now he starred in several television series from the ratings smash situation comedy, "McHale's Navy", as Commander of a World War II PT Boat #73, Quinton McHale, from 1962-1966, with co[stars, Joe Flynn and Tim Conway; to co-starring with Jan Michael Vincent in, "Airwolf"; and Jonathan Silverman in, "The Single Guy", in the 1980's.  For the past several years he has been the voice of the animated character, "Mr. Mermaid", tv cartoon series, "Sponge Bob Square Pants", up until the time of his death yesterday.  Off screen the Los Angeles Times quotes sources as describing Borgnine to be, "soft spoken and affable, - a simple, unassuming, average man".  Married five times, including to Broadway musical Legend, Ethel Merman for a mere 38 days in 1964, he is survived by his wife of 39 years, Tova, a native Norwegian; daughters, Nancee and Sharon; son, David; a sister, Evelyn; and 6 grandchildren.  Ernest Borgnine's nine and a half decade life and venerable sixty one year acting career, came to an end as a result of renal failure on Sunday.  Until yesterday he was the oldest living Oscar winner, fifty seven years after he won the Academy Award.  Thanks to his beloved performances in "Marty", "McHale's Navy", "SpongeBob SquarePants", and for me and many more, "A Grandpa For Christmas", among his myriad of acting roles, his memory and entertainment will continue to find audiences and fans old and new.  McHale's Navy presently has a two episode daily slot on cable's Antenna TV.  For his dedication and allegiance to motion pictures, television, and theatre, entertaining the masses may he be remembered and lifted up.  God Be Good To You Forever Ernest Borgnine !!!............Fr.  Troy