REEL MEMORIES NO. 167

REEL MEMORIES NO. 167

Ermes Effron Borgnino

by William V. Reynolds

Ermes Effron Borgnino was born in Hamden, Connecticut of immigrant parents from Italy. His parents separated when he was two years old and he and his mother went to live in Italy for five years. His parents reconciled and the family settled in North Haven, Connecticut where he attended public schools. His mother gave him a lot of encouragement in all his activities. Finally, she would encourage him to become an actor.

But in 1935 after graduating from James Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut Ermes joined the Army and served until he was discharged in 1941. But the onset of World War II led to his reenlistment where he served until 1945 reaching the highest rank of Gunners Mate First Class. He received several military decorations including the American Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the American Defense Service Medal.

After the war he returned home with no job and no direction. He wasn’t willing to settle for a dead end job in one of the factories, so his mother suggested that he pursue a career on stage. He surprised his mother by taking her suggestion even though his father was not enthusiastic about the choice. Ermes’ first roles were at the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia. He performed in such plays as State of the Union and Tennessee Williams’ the Glass Menagerie.

Moving to Los Angeles, California in 1951, he eventually received his big break in From Here to Eternity (1953) playing the cruel Sgt. “Fatso” Judson in charge of the stockade. Ermes built a reputation as a dependable character actor and most of his early film roles were as villains in such films as Johnny Guitar(1954), Vera Cruz(1954), and Bad Day at Black Rock(1955) with Spencer Tracy. But in 1955 he landed the starring role as a warmhearted butcher in the film version of the television play Marty(1955). This role earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor in competition with Frank Sinatra and Spencer Tracy as well as James Cagney.

In the 1960s and following Ermes made his mark on television in shows like Little House on the Prairie, The Love Boat, Magnum P. I. , Highway to Heaven, Murder She Wrote, Walker Texas Ranger, Touched by an Angel, and ER. But his most outstanding role in a Western was probably as a member of the Wild Bunch. He is quoted as saying “Everything I do has a moral to it. Yes, I’ve been in films that have had shootings. I made The Wild Bunch (1969), which was the beginning of the splattering of blood and everything else. But there was a moral behind it. The moral was that, by golly, bad guys got it. That was it. Yeah.”

Although he’s in his 90s, Ermes continues to work in film today. Here’s a reel memories salute to Ermes Borgnino a.k.a. Ernest Borgnine.

William V. Reynolds is the author of “Murder in the Okefenokee” available at The Curiosity Shop in Murphy, McCaysville Market Place Whistle Stop and Pat’s Country Kitchen in McCaysville; Parris Pharmacy, The Book Nook and Ingles in Blue Ridge; Book Nook in Blairsville; and Phillips and Lloyd in Hayesville.