And let's not forget him as "Cabbie" in Escape from New York:
Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.
A Few years ago he was on a flight from LA to San Luis Obispo for a film award event held up here. We were flying on a puddle jumper. He was warm and friendly with folks in the airport in LA, out on the tarmac before we were to depart, signing autographs and chatting with people. We were not the first on board so we ended up in the very last row in the back of the plane where seats do not recline. The flight attendant came back when there was one seat left and offered it to him and he declined..said he was just fine here and did not want to disturb others..offered the seat to us..Then after we took off, the flight attendant was going about offering the usual peanuts and beverages but asked if there was anything special he would like and he said he was fine with what all the rest of us were having..he wanted nothing special for himself.
Then he and my husband and I talked all about our service days..he was in the Navy and my husband and he had lots of Navy stories to swap. It was the most pleasant flight I have ever taken. Ernie Borgnine is a gentleman right down to the ground..Oh he loved making McHales Navy.
And let's not forget him as "Cabbie" in Escape from New York: