Borgnine's longtime spokesman, Harry Flynn, told the news agency that the actor died of renal failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with his wife and children by his side.
Born in Connecticut, Borgnine joined the Navy in 1935 and served on a destroyer during World War II. He left in 1945 and became known for villainous roles in films after his turn in From Here to Eternity. He played against type as a butcher afraid he's too unattractive to be loved in Marty.
Borgnine continued to appear in dramas like The Catered Affair and Bad Day at Black Rock, as well as actions films including The Vikings and The Dirty Dozen. In 1962, Borgnine made the leap to the small screen, starring in the popular comedy McHale's Navy as the commander of a World War II boat and its misfit crew. Its success led Borgnine to also star in the 1964 movie based on the show and a small role in the 1997 theatrical remake.
After the show ended in 1966, Borgnine appeared in films like The Poseidon Adventure, The Greatest and Escape From New York. He also had a recurring role on the NBC sitcom The Single Guy in 1995 and lent his voice to SpongeBob SquarePants as Mermaid Man. After receiving the Screen Actors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, his last role was in the drama The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez, which premiered earlier this year.
Over the years, Borgnine was married five times. He was married to Rhoda Kemins 1949-1958 and had one daughter with her, Nancee. He then wed actress Katy Jurado in 1959 but divorced four years later. His union to singer Ethel Merman only lasted a month in 1964 before their divorce, followed by marriage to Donna Rancourt in 1965. They had a son, Christopher, and two daughters, Sharon and Diana, before divorcing in 1972. However, the fifth time was the charm when he wed Tova Traesnaes in 1973. The two were together for 39 years, until his passing.
