Actor Ernest Borgnine Dies at 95

NBC 5 Chicago ^ | 7/8/2012

[markomalley]

Ernest Borgnine, the beefy screen star known for blustery, often villainous roles, but who won the best-actor Oscar for playing against type as a lovesick butcher in "Marty'' in 1955, died Sunday. He was 95.

Borgnine died at 1:10 p.m. at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, spokeswoman Simi Singer told NBC4.

His longtime spokesman, Harry Flynn, told The Associated Press that Borgnine died of renal failure with his family by his side.

Television fans loved Borgnine as the scheming Navy officer in the sitcom "McHale's Navy.'' Borgnine was also known as the heavy who beats up Frank Sinatra in ``From Here to Eternity'' and one of the thugs who menaces Spencer Tracy in "Bad Day at Block Rock.''

Younger fans, however, might know him as the voice of Mermaid Man from the cartoon "SpongeBob Squarepants," according to the Internet Movie Data Base (IMDB). Borgnine appeared on television hundreds of times during his long career, including "Airwolf" and "Saturday Night Live." He was on 40 episodes of the classic game show, "The Hollywood Squares."

[dfwgator]

Yep, and he teamed up again with Tim Conway as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy......EEEEVILLL!!!!!

[Ciexyz]

He had an autobiography come out several years ago. Spoke about his great love for Tova his wife. Very classy gentleman.

[spudville]

I met him while I was working in the shipyard at Long Beach, CA. He was filming an episode of Airwolf. During a break he walked down to the on lookers and shook hands and talked with us. Seemed like a real sincere man. Jan Michael Vincent , on the other hand, was not very nice to every one who approached him (To put it mildly). Guess that's why Mr. Borgnine had a long career and Vincent ended up doing liquor commercials on Japanese television.