Sir Knight Ernest Borgnine Oscar Winning Actor and Advocate for Freemasonry by Sir Knight Ivan M
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Sir Knight Ernest Borgnine Oscar Winning Actor and Advocate for Freemasonry By Sir Knight Ivan M. Tribe etween Warner Baxter in 1929 School of Dramatic Art in Hartford for six and John Wayne in 1970, a to- months. Borgnine opted not to go to Yale Btal of five Masons have won since they had so many degree require- the Academy Award for best actor in a ments far removed from theater. Instead motion picture. By far the most active he sought practical experience and went Brother in this hallowed group is the to Abingdon, Virginia, and its somewhat 1955 winner, Ernest Borgnine. While renowned Barter Theater where for the not holding lodge office per se, he has next five years he did everything from served in a variety of roles as a spokes- driving a truck and painting scenery to person for Masonic charities and also walk-on parts and eventually lead roles. been a tireless advocate for the frater- Certainly his best experience for Barter nity. In his screen career, Brother Ernie was as a cast member of Shakespeare’s is neither the legendary figure nor the Hamlet touring Denmark and Germany, matinee idol such as Brother Clark Ga- mostly on military bases. He also had ble, but he has established a solid cellu- parts in such productions as State of the loid persona for some six decades, a rare Union and the Tennessee Williams play feat in his own unique manner. The Glass Menagerie. Born in Hamden, Connecticut on During his years in Virginia, Ernest January 24, 1917 to Italian immigrant Borgnine also became a Mason. Ini- parents, Ermes Effron Borgnino (later tial interest came from his father who Anglicized to Ernest Borgnine) had a had been a Scottish Rite member. Next fairly normal childhood with one ex- came his affection for Abingdon and its ception. At the age of two, his mother friendly people and atmosphere, recall- took him and returned to Italy, coming ing that “I grew to love the town and back to the United States in 1924. In all it offered.” One day he went to the his boyhood, the youth joined the Boy print shop to pick up some show post- Scouts and had a part in a high school ers where the owner, Elmo Vaughn, was play. Not long after completing high a Mason. Ernest told him that his father school in New Haven, Ernest enlisted in was a Mason and asked him about join- the United States Navy. Discharged in ing. Vaughn smiled but said nothing. Lat- mid-1941, he returned to the navy af- er, after asking a third time he received a ter Pearl Harbor and ultimately spent a petition. He says “I didn’t learn ‘til later total of ten years in military service as that in those days you had to ask three a gunner’s mate and chief petty officer. times.” Borgnine took his Entered Ap- Out of the navy, Borgnine’s mother prentice degree on July 7, 1948. Several suggested that he take up acting on the months later on April 25, 1949, he was basis of his “strong personality.” Under passed to the degree of Fellowcraft and the G. I. Bill, he enrolled at the Randall after another week raised a Master Ma- knight templar 9 son on May 2, 1949. Even after moving on to Broadway and Hollywood, Brother Borgnine kept his membership in Abing- don Lodge No. 48. Before permanently set- tling in California, Ernest Borg- nine made a few appearances in Broadway theater produc- tions. His first role came as a male nurse in Harvey. Other stage roles followed in Born Yesterday and Mrs. McThing, playing a gangster in the lat- ter. This led the actor to fre- quently being typecast as a villain when he moved to Cali- fornia in 1951. After a couple of small bit parts, he landed a larger job in From Here to Eternity as the brutal army sergeant “Fatso” Judson who administers a fatal beating to Frank Sinatra. While landing him high marks for his acting, Borgnine also received death threats from those who took Photo courtesy of Sir Knight Ken Jones. his film treatment of a legend- ary screen favorite seriously. Although Brother Borgnine’s stature much of the credit for the film’s success as an actor was increasing, the film that to writer Paddy Chayefsky whom he de- really elevated him to star status came scribed as a master of “kitchen sink real- in 1955 with his Oscar winning title role ism.” In the year following his Oscar win- in Marty, a tender love story in which ning film, Borgnine continued to handle lonely, but plain, people meet and fall such varying roles as an Amish farmer in in love. Marty also won the best picture Violent Saturday, a rancher in Jubal with award. Marty Pilletti, a rather portly and Brother Glenn Ford, a fight promoter in homely but good-hearted Bronx butcher, The Square Jungle, and a harried hus- was portrayed to perfection by Brother band in The Catered Affair with Bette Ernie who demonstrated tremendous Davis and Debbie Reynolds who played versatility. Film critic Bosley Crowther his wife and daughter respectively. wrote in the New York Times calling his In the 1958 western, The Badlanders, work “a performance that burns into the Borgnine and Alan Ladd portrayed two mind.” A more modest Borgnine gave ex-convicts who got revenge by robbing 10 may 2012 a crooked mine owner who had wrong- locales in foreign lands—Brother Er- fully gotten them sent to Yuma Prison. nest Borgnine became more active in One of the film’s female stars, Hispanic Masonic work. He completed his Scot- actress Katy Jurado, subsequently be- tish Rite degrees in the Valley of Los came Ernest’s second wife (he had an Angeles on March 14, 1964. On June earlier marriage to a Navy nurse). Key 6 of the same year he became a Noble parts in military and action dramas be- at Al Malaikah Shrine Temple. The next came his forte as roles like that of Marty year on February 4, 1965, Borgnine Pilletti did not often come along in Holly- became a dual member of Hollywood wood. As a result he continued in a wide Lodge No. 355. However, his Masonic variety of character parts in television work was not yet finished. as well as motion pictures. For instance, More Scottish Rite honors came in he guested on the initial episode of the later years. In 1979, Ernie received the long-running adult western Wagon Train K.C.C.H., the 33rd Degree in 1983, and in September 1957 as “Willy Moran,” a the Grand Cross in 1991. He took his former Union soldier struggling to recov- York Rite Degrees in July 1985 in Long er from a battle with alcoholism. Beach Chapter No. 84 Royal Arch Ma- Although widely known as an ac- sons, Long Beach Council No. 26 Royal tor, Brother Borgnine probably gained and Select Masters, and ultimately was his greatest fame as star of the TV hit knighted in Long Beach Commandery comedy McHale’s Navy from 1962 until No. 40, Knights Templar on July 28, 1985. 1966. As the “gruff but lovable” Lieuten- He is a life member of all of these bodies. ant Commander Quinton McHale, Borg- Not merely content with just being a nine became a familiar figure in millions “celebrity Mason,” Brother Borgnine has of American living rooms. Like most become a public advocate for Masonic military sit-coms, McHale’s Navy bore bodies. Typical of his comments is found little resemblance to reality. As one in a 2007 article titled “Mouth to Ear” in critic argued, the United States would Masons of Texas: not have won World War II if McHale and his inept crew had been typical. “As I’ve advanced in Masonry, Still audiences loved him, servicemen I have found we are an elite also took him to heart, and he became group of people who believe in one of their favorites, no doubt wishing God, country, family, and neigh- that his character had been their own bours [sic]. We work hard to help commanding officer. Injured veterans our fellowman, and through our fondly recall his many visits to military charitable work such as support hospitals. For example, my predecessor for the Childhood Language Dis- as Commander of Athens Commandery orders Centers, we have made No. 15, Ken Jones, treasures his mem- it possible to help many chil- ory of Borgnine’s visit when he was in dren grow into good American Bethesda Naval Hospital recovering citizens. We should always be from injuries sustained in Viet Nam. proud of the order which we During his McHale’s Navy days—no belong to [sic]. Where in all the longer traveling as much to exotic film world do you find so many great knight templar 11 men and Brothers who have Adams and Sammy Davis, Jr.; Legend in helped the whole wide world? Granite (1973) in which he portrayed But—we are hiding our light un- football legend Vince Lombardi; and der a bushel basket.” more recently the lead role in a holi- day season family effort, A Grandpa In practicing what he preaches, for Christmas (2007). Guest spots in Brother Ernie served as honorary chair major dramas included one of the most of the Scottish Ritecare program. Be- memorable episodes of Little House on tween 1972 and 2002 he marched sev- the Prairie (1974) and the final two epi- eral times in a Shrine unit as the “Grand sodes of ER in 2009 which netted him Clown” in the Great Circus Parade in an Emmy nomination.