Ernest Borgnine Movies

ernie 11111Want to know the best Ernest Borgnine movies?  How about the worst Ernest Borgnine movies?  Curious about Ernest Borgnine’s box office grosses or which Ernest Borgnine movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Ernest Borgnine movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well, you have come to the right place…. because we have all of that information.

Ernest Borgnine (1917-2012) was an American Oscar® winning actor whose career spanned over 60 years.  His IMDb page shows 207 acting credits from 1951 to 2012. This page will rank Ernest Borgnine movies.  Movies will be ranked from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos, movies that grossed less than $1 million in rentals and movies that were not released in theaters in North America were not included in the rankings.

Drivel part of the page:  I have not met too many Oscar® winners in my lifetime…. but I did get to meet Mr. Ernest Borgnine.  The place:  Fort Sumter …. Charleston, South Carolina.  The time:  The late 1970s. The situation:  While touring Fort Sumter (this is where the Civil War officially started) ….my dad noticed that one of the other tourists was Ernest Borgnine.  My dad told me not to bother him…. well for the next 30 minutes or so…. I resisted the temptation to go and talk to him…. but I never let him out of my sight.  As we left the Fort and headed to the parking lot…. I could resist no longer.  I ran up to him and said….”Aren’t you the guy on McHale’s Navy?” ….. being a kid, I did not even know of the existence of Marty or From Here to Eternity. Mr. Borgnine said, “Yes I am son.”  I then said….”I love that show…. Ensign Parker is my favorite character because he is so funny”…. Ensign Parker was the Tim Conway role…while Borgnine played McHale.  Mr. Borgnine laughed out loud patted me on my head and said….”Yes, indeed he is a very funny man…. glad you like the show…. thanks for taking the time to tell me that…. enjoy the rest of your day.”  He then climbed into a long white limousine and drove away.   So, with over 400 UMR pages…. I finally have one on somebody that I actually have had a short conversation with…. sorry it took so long to do your request Steve Lensman and Flora.

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Ernest Borgnine won an Oscar for his role in 1955’s Marty.

Ernest Borgnine Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.

Ernest Borgnine Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table

The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.

  • Sort Ernest Borgnine movies by co-stars of his movies
  • Sort Ernest Borgnine movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort Ernest Borgnine movies by yearly domestic box office rank
  • Sort Ernest Borgnine movies how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie
  • Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Ernest Borgnine movie received.
  • Sort Ernest Borgnine movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score.  UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.

Ernest Borgnine Adjusted World Wide Box Office Grosses

Ernest Borgnine in 1953's From Here To Eternity
Ernest Borgnine in 1953’s From Here To Eternity

Possibly Interesting Facts About Ernest Borgnine

1.Ermes Effron Borgnino was born in Hamden, Connecticut in 1917.

2. Ernest Borgnine served in the United States Navy from 1935 to 1945.  He received the Navy Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, American Campaign Medal with 3⁄16” bronze star, and the World War II Victory Medal for his service.

3. After the war Ernest Borgnine’s mother suggested to him that his personality would be well suited for the stage.  He took her advance and studied acting.  In 1949 he debuted in 1949’s Harvey.  By 1951 he appeared in his first movie.  60 years later he was still making movies.

4. In 1955, Ernest Borgnine, received his one and only Oscar® nomination.  But he only needed one nomination to win a Best Actor Oscar®.  He did this for his role in Marty.

5. While on location in Mexico filming 1954’s Vera Cruz, he and fellow cast member Charles Bronson found themselves with some extra time on their hands and decided to go to the nearest town to get some cigarettes. Still in full costume — including bandoliers and pistols — they mounted their horses and headed out. Along the way they were spotted by a truckful of Mexican “federales” — federal police — who mistook them for bandits and held them at gunpoint until their identities could be verified.

6. Ernest Borgnine was one of the main influences for George Lucas in creating the character Dexter Jettster for 2002’s Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

7. Ernest Borgnine’s career adjusted domestic box office total is $5.08 BILLION!

8.  Ernest Borgnine was married five times. He had four children.

9. Ernest Borgnine was the very first “center square” on The Hollywood Squares (during its premiere week in October 1966).

10.  Check out Ernest Borgnine‘s career compared to current and classic actors.  Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.

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28 thoughts on “Ernest Borgnine Movies”

  1. Hi

    A fantastic character actor. Brilliant as a heavy in From Here to Eternity and equally the good guy as in Marty. He really was a mean guy in Eternity, you couldn’t help but sympathize with Clift for doing him over. But I think my favourite Borgnine performance was in The Poseidon Adventure, as the loud mouth know all. He really had a fantastic career, I loved the way that he didn’t come into acting until he was 30, so just shows that it’s never too late.

    Reply

    1. Hey Chris…..Yep he indeed has great. He got Sinatra…but Monty got him…not thinking too many people were upset when Fatso bought the farm. I have not seen Poseidon Adventure in a very long time…I actually bought it on Blu-Ray…and have never opened the DVD….might watch that tonight. Yep after 10 years in the Navy….he had no idea what to do…..well I think he figured out the right way to go. Thanks for sharing your Borgnine thoughts.

      Reply

  2. One of the big screens greatest character actors gets his own movie page, cheers Bruce.

    I’m envious that you met and talked to him, I probably wouldn’t know what to say except maybe ‘hey aren’t you that guy from that movie?’ or ‘Hey you look familiar, are you on TV?’. [wink]

    I’ve seen 30 of the 65 films you’ve listed here. Favorites include The Dirty Dozen, The Wild Bunch, The Vikings, From Here to Eternity, The Poseidon Adventure and Escape from New York. I have no problems with the UMR and Critics chart toppers.

    I have to confess that despite being a fan I’ve never seen the film that made Ernest Borgnine a star and nabbed him an Oscar – Marty. And I don’t think I’ve seen McHale’s Navy either [cue groans].

    I think the most recent film I’ve seen him in was Red?

    Great stats and facts on a Hollywood legend. Voted Up!

    Reply

    1. He got the role of Marty while he was making the film Bad day at Bad Rock. He was in makeup for the film al dirtied up for the audition and thought he had lost the role.

      He turned around to do the audition so his face was back of the people auditioning him.

      He turned around and the men were crying.

      That is how he knew he had gotten the role.

      Reply

      1. Thanks for that info Flora. Bad Day at Black Rock is a favorite of mine, Spencer Tracy was superb in that. I will look out for Marty next time its on. Stallone mentioned that Marty was one of the inspirations for Rocky.

        Reply

        1. And you call yourself a movie buff….and you have not seen Marty……for shame I tell ya…for shame…lol.

          Reply

      2. Thanks Flora….I also read that Burt Lancaster was so impressed with Borgnine on Vera Cruz that he was trying to find a movie for him….Lancaster’s production company produced Marty…I think Burt helped him out a lot.

        Great behind the scenes story you shared….I really enjoyed reading that.

        Reply

    2. Hey Steve.
      1. I agree he was one of the greatest character actors ever….actually considering how few starring roles in actually had…it is even more amazing that he is a Best Actor Oscar winner.
      2. I am sure he got asked questions like the one I asked and the one you would have asked all the time…..he was with two stunning ladies who were wearing full length expensive looking mink coats…I think he was having a good day….lol.
      3. Tally count….you 30…me and Flora at 22….congrats on your victory.
      4. I like all of your favorites….all good to great movies.
      5. Steve Lensman wrote….”I have no problems with the UMR and Critics chart toppers”….I will be printing this, framing this and putting it up on my autograph wall…..proud day I tell ya….proud day….lol.
      6. You gotta see Marty…I think it is one of the shortest movies in the history of Best Picture Oscar Winners….just barely over 90 minutes look….and Ernie is awesome in the movie.
      7. He wanted to make the sequel of Red as well….but he passed before they got around to making that one….I enjoyed his scenes with Willis in that one.
      Thanks for the visit, the comment and the kind words….all are greatly appreciated.
      6.

      Reply

  3. Thanks for my requested page, Bruce!

    I love Borgnine. I know some of his films are clinkers, but most are good films. I think he was a wonderful person off screen too.

    The highest ranked film I have seen is From Here to Eternity.

    The highest ranked film I have not seen is Number 11.

    The lowest ranked film I have seen is 53: The Catered Affair

    I have seen the top 10.
    I have seen 12 of the top 20.
    I have seen 16 of the top 30.
    I have seen 19 of the top 40.
    I have seen 20 of the top 50.
    I have seen 22 overall.

    My favourite Borgnine films are;

    1. The Dirty Dozen
    2. Marty
    3.Bad Day at Black Rock
    4. Ice Station Zebra
    5. Torpedo Run.

    Very cool you met him and that he was good natured about it.

    Reply

    1. Hey Flora.
      1. Yep another subject off the request hotline….glad you like your page.
      2. I think many people feel he was a good person off screen….have never heard many people say otherwise….which is refreshing.
      3. Youer %s…..100%, 60%, 53%, 47%, 40%, 33%…..looks like UMR got the better movies to the top of the rankings.
      4. Tally count….Steve 30….you and me at 22….a victory for Steve.
      5. I have seen all of your Top 5 with the exception of Torpedo Run….gotta admit I am surprised that The Dirty Dozen got the top spot….I would not have predicted that at all.
      6. He and Richard Dreyfuss are the two Best Actor Oscar Winners that I have met….and they were both in Red….which I got a kick out of that little piece of trivia.
      As always…..thanks for stopping by.

      Reply

  4. Love this! My top 5 Ernie roles. Marty, Cabbie, Rogo, Lucius and Mr. Martin. If you know his career well you will know which movies they are from. Loved the story about you and him at Fort Sumter.

    Reply

    1. Hey Greg….thanks for sharing your Top 5 roles…I got the first two roles pretty easily….as Marty and Escape From New York are two of my favorite Borgnine movies. I admit I had to cheat and look at IMDb to get Posideon Adventure, Barabbas & Willard. I have not seen Willard but I enjoyed the first two movies…though his part in Barabbas is very brief. Glad you liked my Fort Sumter story….it is a very fond memory for me.

      Reply

  5. Fatso was one of the great heavies of movies. So many great movies listed here and so many not so great movies listed here. Good actor that is missed.

    Reply

    1. Hey Natason….I agree Fatso was one of the great heavies in movies. I also agree with you about the about of not so great movies. When I reached the 1980s when researching this page….the quality of the movies seemed to drop off very dramatically. So many movies that never saw theaters…and ones I have never even heard of….and I think I know a little about movies….thanks for the comment and the visit.

      Reply

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