|
Born
Ermes Effron Borgnino in Hamden, CT, to Italian immigrants,
he spent five years of his early childhood in Milan before
returning to the States for his education. Following a long
stint in the Navy that ended after WWII, Borgnine enrolled
in the Randall School of Dramatic Art in Hartford. Between
1946 and 1950, he worked with a theater troupe in Virginia
and afterward appeared a few times on television before his
1951 film debut in China Corsair. Borgnine's stout build
coupled with his homely face led him to spend the next few
years playing villains. In 1953, he won considerable acclaim
for his memorable portrayal of a ruthless, cruel sergeant in
From Here to Eternity. He was also praised for his
performance in the Western Bad Day at Black Rock. Borgnine
could easily have been forever typecast as the heavy, but in
1955, he proved his versatility and showed a sensitive side
in the film version of Paddy Chayefsky's acclaimed
television play Marty. Borgnine's moving portrayal of a
weak-willed, lonely, middle-aged momma's boy attempting to
find love in the face of a crushingly dull life earned him
an Oscar, a British Academy award, a Cannes Festival award,
and an award from both the New York Film Critics and the
National Board of Review. After that, he seldom played bad
guys and instead was primarily cast in "regular
Joe" roles, with the notable exception of The Vikings
in which he played the leader of the Viking warriors.
In
1962, he was cast in the role that most baby boomers best
remember him for, the anarchic, entrepreneurial Quentin
McHale in the sitcom McHale's Navy. During the '60s and
'70s, Borgnine's popularity was at its peak and he appeared
in many films, including a version of his show in 1964, The
Dirty Dozen (1966) -- and in television sequels inspired by
the film -- Ice Station Zebra (1968) and The Wild Bunch
(1969). Following the demise of McHale's Navy in 1965,
Borgnine did not regularly appear in series television for
several years. However, he did continue his busy film career
and also performed in television miniseries and movies.
Notable features include The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and
Law and Disorder (1974). Some of his best television
performances can be seen in Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Ghost
on Flight 401 (1978), and a remake of Remarque's All Quiet
on the Western Front (1979). In 1984, Borgnine returned to
series television starring opposite Jan Michael Vincent in
the action-adventure series Airwolf. The series ended in
1986; his career has continued to steam along though he
generally plays much smaller roles. Between 1995 and 1997,
he was a regular on the television sitcom The Single Guy. In
1997, he also made a cameo appearance in Tom Arnold's remake
of Borgnine's hit series McHale's Navy. ~ Sandra Brennan,
All Movie Guide
|
