Person biography:
Ernest Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino on January 24, 1917, in Hamden, Connecticut. He was an only child to Anna (Boselli) and Camillo Borgnino, who had both emigrated from Italy. Borgnine joined the United States Navy at age 18 and stayed for ten years before leaving in 1945. After a few factory jobs, his mother suggested he pursue a career in acting, which he did by enrolling at the Randall School of Drama in Hartford.
Borgnine's big break came in 1949 when he made his acting debut on Broadway playing a male nurse in "Harvey". He moved to Los Angeles in 1951 to pursue a movie career, making his film debut as Bill Street in "The Whistle at Eaton Falls" (1951). His career took off in 1953 when he was cast in the role of Sergeant "Fatso" Judson in "From Here to Eternity" (1953).
Throughout his career, Borgnine performed memorably in films such as "The Catered Affair" (1956),"Ice Station Zebra" (1968),and "Emperor of the North" (1973). He also appeared in several television series, including "McHale's Navy" (1962-1966) and "Airwolf" (1984). Borgnine was married to Tova Traesnaes from 1973 until his death in 2012 and had a continued role in the animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants" (1999).
Ernest Borgnine passed away on July 8, 2012, at the age of 95, due to renal failure.
