Actor Ernest Borgnine: America 'an Amazing Country'(Good Morning America audience: loud applause)

NewsBusters ^ | August 12, 2008 | Justin McCarthy

[Stoat]

Actor Ernest Borgnine: America 'an Amazing Country'

By Justin McCarthy (Bio | Archive)
August 12, 2008 - 15:37 ET

 

 

Veteran actor Ernest Borgnine, still acting at age 91, does not represent the mainstream ideology of the Hollywood elite, or even a potential first lady named Michelle. Borgnine, unlike most of his fellow Hollywood elitists, believes America is "an amazing country" and that one has to "prove" one is "a good American by being an American."

Appearing on the August 12 edition of "Good Morning America," Borgnine promoted his new autobiography. When given the opportunity, Borgnine, the son of Italian immigrants, offered praise to America.

"It hit me when I was given the Medal of Honor over at the Ellis Island thing, you know, because my parents came over from Italy although I was born here in New Haven, Connecticut. But, you know, I took it upon myself to speak that day about the people that were around me, generals, admirals, police chiefs, everything that you could possibly imagine, all from different parts of the world who have come to this country to make this great country.

And people forget that, you know, people forget that they came from people from the other side, you know. It’s an amazing country. People just don’t realize how wonderful this place is. And they just take it as a lock and ‘oh yes, I deserve this.’ You don’t deserve anything. You’ve got to prove that you’re a good American by being an American. That’s what I feel anyway."

 

The audience followed with loud applause.

—Justin McCarthy is a news analyst at Media Research Center.

[Stoat]

Thanks to Orbusmax for the article link

Orbusmax ™ Northwest News - 'Around The World In 80K'

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Academy Award winner and actor Ernest Borgnine shows off his new Chief Petty Officer (CPO) cover at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, District of Columbia (DC). Mr. Borgnine was made an honorary US Navy (USN) CPO by Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Terry Scott [not shown] on October 15, 2004. Mr. Borgnine served in the Navy for ten years from 1935-1945 and left the service as a Gunners Mate First Class (GM1). (Released to Public)

Ernest Borgnine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Uriah_lost]

Pound for pound, Americas finest actor! Who can forget Airwolf?
Seriously, what a great guy...God bless him!

[Stoat]

More FR threads on Ernest Borgnine

Ernest Borgnine turning 90 on Wednesday

PT-73 Skipper Gets Navy Honor (Borgnine)

[Chode]

Bravo Zulu!!!

[FlingWingFlyer]

I didn’t know he was still alive! Amazing! What a great guy and awesome actor.

[Clemenza]

[Trajan88]

E.B. was great in “Escape from New York” and in the way underrated tv sit-com “Single Guy” (he played an apartment doorman to perfection).

[Nowhere Man]

You’re a class act, Mr. Borgnine! I love “Airwolf” and “Mermaid-Man!” “McHale’s Navy” also rules!

[kbennkc]

Many young people have never seen or perhaps heard of the movie “Marty” . I recommend it to all .

[TheWasteLand]

Here’s to you Sergeant “Fatso” Judson.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

He does a great Mermaid Man on Spongebob.

[Lijahsbubbe]

I saw theinterview this morning. It was embarrassing. Ernest Borgnine deserved to be interviewed by someone better than the lightweight that interviewed him.

Whoever he is, he had no depth of understanding and made silly comments. Especially at the end when he remarked that coming up next was animal adoptions, and oh look, this pug looks like Ernest. Totally disrespectful.

[PackerBoy]

I wrote to Ernest Borgnine once, trying to get a copy of the made for TV movie he did in the 70s -- where he played Vince Lombardi. I think it was called "Seven Blocks of Granite: The Vince Lombardi Story." Never heard back from him.

I wonder if that movie still exists anywhere.

[Stoat]

I’m very sorry to hear that. Do they even have a reasonable, coherent person on that show? I don’t watch it so I honestly don’t know.

Mr. Borgnine deserves far better than the treatment you report. He’s such an experienced hand in Hollywood though, I’m guessing that he just laughed it off because he’s accustomed to being surrounded by psychos and intellectual lightweights in the entertainment industry.

[Bobkk47]

What a great actor. I especially liked him playing a General in “The Dirty Dozen” (1967), one of my favorite flicks.

[Lijahsbubbe]

He’s such an experienced hand in Hollywood though, I’m guessing that he just laughed it off because he’s accustomed to being surrounded by psychos and intellectual lightweights in the entertainment industry.

You're exactly right, he didn't miss a beat. It's such a cliche but, what a class act.

[dr_who]

I can. And Escape From New York. And especially Poseidon Adventure. The Vikings had some promise to it, but was a real letdown. But I just love that guy and wish he’d show up in just about any cruddy movie/tv show and upstage everybody.

[dfwgator]

"There's Evil Afoot!"

[Bishop_Malachi]

I just watched “Marty” for the first time -this past weekend- with my wife. It’s no wonder he won an award for that role...a great movie.

[dfwgator]

“TO THE MEATLOAF!!!”

[tang-soo]

I like the story in his autobiography about the "dutch oven" he pulled on his wife at the time, Ethel Merman.

Seriously, here are his credits on imdb.com.

[Revolting cat!]

Ernest Borgnine for President!

[HiramQuick]

BRAVO ZULU indeed!!!

One of the last of the good guys .... And one that deserves becuse he earned it, respect from all. I wish him well.

Hmmm ... wonder if he went through Chief’s Initiation ... Hey, all the rest of you Navy Chiefs out there ... are you game??

[Califreak]

One of my favorites!

[aruanan]

“McHale’s Navy” also rules!

I watched McHale's Navy when I was a boy. I really miss programs that could be fun and funny.

[Clemenza]

Fine film. Haven’t seen it in many years.

[Kirkwood]

Such a great actor... he could play a sweet, lovable guy and in the next film, be a scary, sinister villian.

[Clemenza]

Marty is a forgotten film in many ways, but it won both best picture at both the Academy Awards and Cannes, I believe. One of Paddy Chayevsky's better screenplays (although I also enjoyed "The Hospital" with GC Scott and "Network").

Ernest Borgnine was always a class act, and even I will forgive him for "Superfuzz."

[stylin19a]

great movie....and no one’s mentioned it

[stevem]

Mr. Borgnine served in the Navy for ten years from 1935-1945 and left the service as a Gunners Mate First Class (GM1). (Released to Public)

I believe he was also a Navy Commander and served as Captain of PT73 in both the South Pacific AND in the Mediterranean. In this assignment he had probably the funniest XO in the history of the Navy.

[Ticonderoga34]

Don’t forget that he was in the “The Wild Bunch” too. A file many consider a classic.

[FortWorthPatriot]

He was great in that movie. I also thought his finest performance was as Sgt "Fatso" Judson in From Here To Eternity.

[stevem]

I watched McHale's Navy when I was a boy. I really miss programs that could be fun and funny.

Surely up there among the funniest sitcoms in the history of TV...and week after week!

[FortWorthPatriot]

"great movie....and no one’s mentioned it."

Unfortunately I was behind you by mere seconds...

[Radix]

I don’t suppose that Commander McHale will be getting any new work in lefty Hollywierd soon.

[Stoat]

Pound for pound, Americas finest actor! Who can forget Airwolf?
Seriously, what a great guy...God bless him!

I liked Airwolf also!  It seems like such a long time ago.....

YouTube - supercopter airwolf intro

[Radix]

"Such a great actor... he could play a sweet, lovable guy and in the next film, be a scary, sinister villian."

 

 

I saw the movie "The Adventurers" before I actully read the book. Your quote above is spot on.

[shield]

Thank You, Mr. Ernest Borgnine.

He represents the great old Hollywood...he's not part of today's Hollyweirdo.

[WorkingClassFilth]

A great actor and a great American.

His pinnacle, for me, was ‘Shack’ in ‘The Emperor of the North.’ An awesome, brutal film and Ernie was really terrifying.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Bingo! His best role - ever!

[sheik yerbouty]

He was great in “Pay or Die!”

[good old days]

Ernie is class all the way. “Marty” is one of my very favorite movies of all time. God bless you, Ernie!

[beelzepug]

“Bingo! His best role - ever!”

Yes, a real classic. I don’t own many movies but that one is in my collection.

[cyclotic]

There is a retro TV network (sub channel from the new digital antenna box) that plays McHale’s Navy every night at 11pm. I’ve been enjoying it.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

He is also a 33rd degree Master Mason, with membership in Lodge No. 48, Abingdon, Virginia (home of the venerable Barter Theater, where he got his start after distinguished service in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a Gunner's Mate).

Ernest Borgnine, 33°, G.C., Receives 50-Year Pin

[MarkL]

I can’t believe that nobody’s mentioned his part in “Baseketball,” the movie by Zucker, Parker, and Stone (from Southpark and Orgasmo). Some really bad taste, but imagine a the minds behind Airplane and Southpark making a movie.

Until you’ve seen Ernest Borgnine sing and dance to Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy,” you haven’t seen Academy Award level comedy!

Mark

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I look at the cast of that show and lament the fact that all of the talented people there wouldn’t even get a second look by today’s TV/Hollywood casting directors if they were new actors even for bit parts.

[Nowhere Man]

BTW, if you get the Retro Television Network (RTN), they do show “Airwolf” from time to time. I have my converter boxes for HDTV on my sets and our NBC station here in Pittsburgh piggybacks RTN on it’s signal. At 7 PM Saturdays and Sundays, they play Airwolf. So far we saw one old episode and a few of the newer ones. I think different areas might get different shows so if you can get RTN, Airwolf might not be on in your area.

[BlueLancer]

And he was also pretty good in ICE STATION ZEBRA.

[Maverick68]

My parents were stupid hippies. When I was around 7 years old they took me to see “The Devil’s Rain”. Needless to say, I love Mr. Borgnine (after years of therapy)