Bro Ernest Borgnine Born Ermes Effron Borgnino on the 24th January 1917, Bro Borgnino as an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular performer, he also appeared as a guest on numerous talk shows and as a panellist on several game shows. Borgnine joined the United States Navy in October 1935, after graduation from high school. He served aboard the destroyer/minesweeper USS Lamberton and was honourably discharged from the Navy in October 1941. In January 1942, he reenlisted in the Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor. During World War II, he patrolled the Atlantic Coast on an antisubmarine warfare ship, the patrol yacht USS Sylph. In September 1945, he was once again honourably discharged from the Navy. He served a total of almost 10 years in the Navy. Bro Borgnine’s film career began in 1951 and included supporting roles in China Corsair (1951), From Here to Eternity (1953), Vera Cruz (1954), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), and The Wild Bunch (1969). He also played the unconventional lead in many films, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1956 for Marty (1955), which also won the 1956 Academy Award for Best Picture. Borgnine then starred as the title character in the sitcom McHale’s Navy (1962–1966) and co-starred as Dominic Santini in the action series Airwolf (1984–1986). Borgnine earned his third Primetime Emmy Award nomination at age 92 for his work on the 2009 series finale of ER. He was known as the original voice of Mermaid Man on SpongeBob SquarePants from 1999. Borgnine was a 50 year plus member of Abingdon Lodge No. 48 in Abingdon, Virginia. He received his 50-year pin in the lodge in 2000. He was also a member of the Valley of Los Angeles, joining in 1964. He was coronated a 33° Scottish Rite mason in 1983. Borgnine passed away on the 8th July 2012 from kidney failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and was cremated. He was 95 years old. A bench dedicated to his memory was later installed at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
