Ernest Borgnine, the Oscar-winning actor famed for his sturdy, blue-collar roles, has died of renal failure at the age of 95. He was surrounded by close family at the time of his passing.
Borgnine won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1955, when he wowed the Academy with his heart-rending portrayal of a love-deprived butcher in Delbert Mann's Marty , that year's winner of Best Picture. Other notable roles included appearances in From Here To Eternity , The Poseidon Adventure and The Dirty Dozen .
"It's a very sad day," said Borgnine's manager, Lynda Bensky. "The industry has lost someone great, the caliber of which we will never see again. A true icon, but more importantly the world has lost a sage and loving man who taught us all how to 'grow young'. His infectious smile and chuckle made the world a happier place."
Borgnine was still racking up critical plaudits well into his old age, becoming the oldest actor ever to be nominated for a Golden Globe for his turn in TV movie, A Grandpa For Christmas , before scooping an Emmy nomination for his work on E.R. aged 92!
"For six decades, Ernie entertained us with an impressive body of work and, at the age of 95, he continued to have a remarkably busy life and career," said Ken Howard, co-president of the Screen Actors Guild. "We will genuinely miss his smile and generous, joyous spirit. Our deepest sympathies go out to Tova and the Borgnine family."
