Remembering Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine Mourned
Ernest Borgnine was loved - dearly. The number of heart-felt posts and dedications that he received after passing away was overwhelming, and clearly showed the impact he left on his fans. Social media was flooded with love and admiration for the celebrity whose career lasted for more than six decades.
Ernest Borgnine was not only creatively profound, but he was a very affable character off-screen. If you go through any interview of his, you will find a highly spirited individual who talks about his life and career in an endearing manner.
Ernest Borgnine passed away on Sunday, July 8th, 2012 due to renal failure. He was 95. This Oscar winner will be remembered as the Oscar winner for Marty and also as the ever-famous voice of Mermaid Man in Spongebob Squarepants.
So who is Ernest Borgnine? What made him so famous? This page is a tribute to Ernest Borgnine and his work.
The Beginning
Ernest was born in Connecticut, the U.S on January 24, 1917, to Italian parents. In his childhood, he showed more interest in sports than acting.
He joined the U.S navy in 1935 after graduation and served for around 10 years. After his service, his mother encouraged him to take up a much more creative profession that would put his performing skills in the spotlight. His father was far from enthusiastic but this didn't stop Ernest to join a field that his mother was all enthusiastic about.
Much later, his choice of the profession had him laughing off his critics - he walked away with an Oscar!
The Mermaid Man
Ernest Borgnine might arguably be best remembered as the voice of Mermaid Man in Spongebob Squarepants. Kids all over just love Mermaid Man and all it takes is to tell them that the legendary old character's voice is no more to evoke a sympathetic reaction from them.
As opposed to popular notion, Borgnine did not seem to take offense at being recognized as a cartoon character's voice at all. When asked in a radio show once how it felt to be termed as a silly cartoon character, Borgnine promptly replied with an "I love it!".
Apart from this, he was a well-established actor who had even earned an Oscar. But the truth remains that he is still remembered for his voice as the Mermaid Man and as I see all those tweets at the moment I can confirm that many more people out there feel the same way too.
Ernest Borgnine on Voicing Mermaid Man in Spongebob Squarepants
Ernest Borgnine on Working with Tim Conway (Barnacle Boy in Spongebob Squarepants)
Ernest Borgnine - The Oscar Winner
In 1956, Ernest Borgnine received his Oscar for the film Marty from Grace Kelly. He got around $5000 for this role but later proclaimed that he would have done this role for nothing.
Marty was made on a shoe-string budget but this movie ended up catapulting this gentle speaking man to great heights. It boasted of no big stars and some of the critics literally wrote off the movie, but Ernest Borgnine didn't go unnoticed.
