Hollywood is a land of glamour, secrets, and legendary stories—and few lived through more of them than Ernest Borgnine. From his humble beginnings as the son of Italian immigrants to his Oscar-winning roles and iconic television performances, Borgnine’s journey was as unpredictable as the characters he portrayed. But behind the fame and accolades was a man marked by unforgettable feuds, near-death experiences, and one co-star who left a wound that never healed.
Born Ermes Effron Borgnino in 1917 in Hamden, Connecticut, Borgnine didn’t seem destined for Hollywood greatness. His early years were far from glamorous—his parents separated when he was just two, and his mother took him to Italy for several years before they returned to America. Like many immigrant families of the time, they changed their names to assimilate: “Borgnino” became “Borgnine.” Growing up, Ernest was more drawn to sports than the stage, showing no early signs of the acting spark that would later define his life.
That all changed when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1935. Serving during World War II, Borgnine found purpose, discipline, and camaraderie aboard ships like the USS Lamberton and USS Sylph. After his discharge, it was his mother who saw potential where he didn’t—encouraging him to pursue acting. Taking her advice, he joined the Barter Theatre in Virginia, where his pay often came in the form of vegetables instead of money. He did every job imaginable—acting, cleaning, even chasing chickens across the stage. Those early struggles built the resilience that would define him throughout his career.
Borgnine’s big break came with Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, which led to roles on Broadway alongside major names like James Stewart in Harvey. By observing Stewart closely, Borgnine developed his craft, filling notebooks with lessons that shaped his career. In 1951, he made his television debut in Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Though it wasn’t glamorous, it opened the door to film—and to the role that would make him a star.
In 1953, Borgnine appeared in From Here to Eternity as the sadistic Sergeant Fatso Judson, a performance so convincing that Frank Sinatra, who co-starred in the film, reportedly avoided him off set. Audiences even sent him hate mail, unable to separate the man from the character. But Borgnine shocked everyone two years later when he took on the tender role of a lonely butcher searching for love in Marty. The film was a low-budget gamble that paid off—Borgnine won the Academy Award for Best Actor, beating Hollywood giants like James Dean and Spencer Tracy. In his acceptance speech, he simply thanked his mother—the woman who believed in him before anyone else.
Refusing to be typecast, Borgnine continued to reinvent himself. In The Dirty Dozen (1967), he played a tough military general, doing his own dangerous stunts, and in The Wild Bunch (1969), he became Dutch Engstrom, a ruthless outlaw whose laugh became legendary. Then came McHale’s Navy, where Borgnine’s real-life naval experience helped him create one of television’s most beloved characters, Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale. But even during his success, he faced danger—an on-set pyrotechnic accident left him badly burned, forcing production to halt.
As TV evolved, so did Borgnine. In the 1980s, he starred in Airwolf, surviving a near-fatal helicopter crash. Even in his nineties, he found new fans by voicing Mermaid Man on SpongeBob SquarePants, a role he took on for his grandson’s sake.
Off-screen, Borgnine’s life was as fiery as his characters. He married five times, including a turbulent marriage to Mexican actress Katy Jurado and a famously disastrous union with Broadway legend Ethel Merman. Their honeymoon in Japan ended in chaos, with shouting matches and a diamond ring hurled into a koi pond. Merman’s revenge came in her autobiography—a blank chapter titled “My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine.” Borgnine later admitted that blank page hurt more than any words could. “It was a slap in the face I’ll never forget,” he said.
His time on Johnny Guitar in 1954 exposed him to Hollywood’s most infamous feud between Joan Crawford and Mercedes McCambridge. Borgnine witnessed Crawford’s cruelty firsthand as she tormented McCambridge, allegedly throwing her costumes onto the highway and even burning a crew member with hot coffee. Crawford’s rage was so toxic that scenes had to be filmed separately to keep her and McCambridge apart. Borgnine described Crawford as “a ticking time bomb,” one he tried to avoid whenever possible.
Yet, among all the Hollywood feuds he witnessed, it was Ethel Merman—the woman he briefly called his wife—who left the deepest scar. Their explosive marriage and her silent mockery in print became the one betrayal he could never forgive.
Despite his share of heartbreak and clashes, Borgnine also found lasting love. His final marriage to Norwegian businesswoman Tova Traesnaes endured for nearly forty years. She grounded him, giving him peace and stability in his later years. “I’m 95 and still going strong,” he said near the end of his life. “It’s because of the love I have for Tova.”
When Ernest Borgnine passed away in 2012 at age 95, he left behind more than six decades of unforgettable performances—and the legacy of a man who lived fearlessly, loved deeply, and forgave almost everyone but one. Behind every Hollywood legend is a story of triumph, pain, and the scars that fame can’t heal. For Borgnine, that story was written in grit, laughter, and the silent sting of a blank page.
