Ernie's Big Night

For those of you who missed it, here is Ernest Borgnine's Lifetime Achievement Award presentation from last night's SAG awards. I think I first discovered Ernest Borgnine when I was a kid while watching after school reruns of “McHale’s Navy” on TV. When I was a little older I saw him in “The Poseidon Adventure”, a movie I’ve watched on every New Year’s Eve for the past 20 years. Then when I got interested in acting and movie making, I saw his Oscar-winning performance in “Marty.” It’s hard to believe that Borgnine won his Best Actor Oscar over 55 years ago. But it’s a performance that has stood the test of time. Over the years he’s appeared in many classic films, “From Here To Eternity,” “Vera Cruz,” “Bad Day At Black Rock,” “The Flight of the Phoenix,” “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Wild Bunch.” One of my favorite’s is a hidden gem from 1956 called “The Catered Affair”, starring Borgnine and Bette Davis as a struggling New York couple trying to cope with the high cost of their daughter’s upcoming wedding. Written by Paddy Chayefsky who also penned the original “Marty,” the film is long out-of-print on VHS but can be seen occasionally on TCM. Another favorite of mine is "Emperor of the North" from 1973. See my blog posting on the DVD realease of that film by clicking here. It’s a real treat for those who love classic movies. And as far as class goes, last night, Borgnine, who has made a career out of playing villains and lower class characters, gave one of the most gracious and classy acceptance speeches heard on an award show in years. At 94 years young, this true American original seems to have found the secret for both longevity and a life well lived.

Ernest Borgnine Movies