What Was Ernest Borgnine's Net Worth?
Ernest Borgnine was a renowned American film and television actor with a net worth of $15 million at the time of his death in 2012. Borgnine had a diverse career that spanned more than sixty years, gracing both the silver screen and television. He is best remembered for his roles in films like "From Here to Eternity," "Bad Day at Black Rock," "The Wild Bunch," and "Marty," for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Borgnine's television appearances included notable roles in "McHale's Navy" and "Airwolf." He was married five times and had four children, and his contributions to acting were honored with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2011. Borgnine passed away due to kidney failure on July 8, 2012, at the age of 95.
Early Life
Ernest Borgnine was born Ermes Effron Borgnino on January 24, 1917, in Hamden, Connecticut, to Italian immigrants Camillo and Anna. His parents separated when he was two but later reconciled in 1923, moving the family to New Haven. Borgnine had a younger sister named Evelyn. He attended James Hillhouse High School, where he actively participated in sports.
Military Service
After high school, Borgnine enlisted in the US Navy, serving on the USS Lamberton and earning an honorable discharge in 1941. He reenlisted following the attack on Pearl Harbor, serving on the USS Sylph during the war before another honorable discharge.
Career Beginnings
Returning to Connecticut after his naval service, Borgnine was dissatisfied with factory work. Encouraged by his mother to pursue acting, he studied at the Randall School of Drama and joined the Barter Theatre in Virginia. Borgnine made his stage debut in 1947 with "State of the Union" and appeared in "The Glass Menagerie" before making his Broadway debut in 1949 in "Harvey."
Film Career in the 50s
Borgnine's film career began in 1951 with appearances in "China Corsair," "The Whistle at Eaton Falls," and "The Mob." He gained prominence in 1953 with "From Here to Eternity," playing the sadistic Staff Sergeant James R. "Fatso" Judson. This role led to more villainous parts in films like "Johnny Guitar" and "Bad Day at Black Rock." Borgnine won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1955 romantic drama "Marty," which also won Best Picture. Other notable films from the decade include "Run for Cover," "The Last Command," "Jubal," and "The Vikings."
Further Film Career
Borgnine's film career thrived through the 60s, 70s, and 80s. His notable 60s films include "The Flight of the Phoenix," "The Dirty Dozen," and "The Wild Bunch." In the 70s, he starred in "The Poseidon Adventure," "Convoy," and "The Black Hole." The 80s saw Borgnine in "Escape from New York" and "Laser Mission." In the 90s and 2000s, he continued to work prolifically, appearing in "Gattaca," "BASEketball," "Hoover," and "Red." His final performance was in the 2012 film "The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez."
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Television Career
In 1951, Borgnine made his television debut in "Captain Video and His Video Rangers." He appeared in shows like "The Lone Wolf" and "Wagon Train" before his breakthrough role as Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale in "McHale's Navy" from 1962 to 1966. Borgnine earned an Emmy nomination for his role in "All Quiet on the Western Front" in 1979 and starred as Dominic Santini in "Airwolf" from 1984 to 1986. He voiced Mermaid Man on "SpongeBob SquarePants" from 1999 to 2012. Borgnine's later television credits include "A Grandpa for Christmas" and "ER," for which he received an Emmy nomination.
Personal Life and Death
Borgnine married five times, first to Rhoda Kemins with whom he had a daughter, Nancee. His second marriage to actress Katy Jurado ended in 1963. His shortest marriage, to singer Ethel Merman, lasted 42 days. From 1965 to 1972, he was married to Donna Rancourt; they had a son, Christopher, and two daughters, Diana and Sharon. His final marriage was to businesswoman Tova Traesnaes in 1973. Borgnine passed away in 2012 at the age of 95 due to kidney failure.
Real Estate
Ernest and Tova Borgnine split their time between Beverly Hills, California, and West Chester, Pennsylvania, where Tova was a QVC entrepreneur. After Ernest's death, Tova listed their Beverly Hills home for $3.4 million, eventually selling it to Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka for $3 million in 2013.
