Ernest Borgnine

Born: 24 January 1917, Hamden, Connecticut, USA

Ernest Borgnine spent 10 years in the US navy, serving during WWII, prior to becoming an actor.

A veteran performer in Westerns - some of his early roles included parts in 'Johnny Guitar', Robert Aldrich's 'Vera Cruz' and the André De Toth directed Randolph Scott westerns 'The Stranger Wore a Gun' and 'The Bounty Hunter'.

His won an Oscar for another early role as 'Marty' (1955), the story of a lonely butcher approaching middle-age, opening up more diverse roles for the talented actor.

His best Spaghetti Western role is as Sandoval in 'Bullet for Sandoval'.

Borgnine was, of course, also a member of Peckinpah's 'Wild Bunch'.

He was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1996.