Today,  Hollywood mourns the loss of Academy Award-winning actor ERNEST BORGNINE, who passed away after a battle with renal failure at the age of 95. Despite being known for playing villains and heavies, it was his role as a lovesick butcher in the 1955 romantic drama MARTY that won him a Best Actor Oscar from the Academy. After successfully conquering the big screen in films such as FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK, JOHNNY GUITER and THE CATERED AFFAIR, he set his sights on television where his titular role on the slapstick sitcom McHALE’S NAVY guaranteed him a spot in the television hall of fame. Never abandoning his work in film for too long, BORGNINE made a huge impression on audiences with his work in WILLARD, THE DIRTY DOZEN, THE WILD BUNCH and, of course, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. Completely reinventing his career by taking on voice-over work, BORGNINE became a popular kid’s favorite with roles in such animated fare as ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN and SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS.

Sitting down with reporters not too long ago, BORGNINE talked about breaking into movies in Hollywood. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)

He loved working on McHALE’S NAVY but reminded us that, in the beginning, the U.S. Navy wasn’t too crazy about the show. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE was a landmark film for him and cemented his lifelong friendship with co-star STELLA STEVENS. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO) LANGUAGE NSFW

And, BORGNINE got a genuine kick out of being recognized by a whole new generation for his work in animation (especially as Mermaid Man on SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS).  (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)

ERNEST BORGNINE 1917 - 2012