|
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
|