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Billy Ingram

Ernest Borgnine on Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra

By Billy Ingram

Academy Award-winning actor Ernest Borgnine ( January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) may be best known to classic TV watchers as the star of McHale's Navy but that's only one of dozens of memorable roles in movies, TV and Broadway productions, excelling in both comedic and dramatic parts.

In this excerpt from Borgnine's interview with EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG he talks about his association with two bonafide Las Vegas Legends - none other than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.

Borgnine co-starred with Frank Sinatra in one of the greatest movies of the 20th century. When he learned that he’d be appearing in 'From Here to Eternity' with Sinatra he thought, “Believe me, he [Sinatra] was a sweetheart of a man. But when I heard he was going to be in 'Eternity,' I thought, ‘Holy mackerel, they’re going to make a musical out of it.’ ”

"I do remember," Borgnine says, "When we finished the scene as I was walking off Dean Martin came on and said to the audience, 'Now there's an actor.' I never forgot that. Coming from his mouth, his lips, it hit me in such a way. And I loved him so much, he was just the most wonderful man. Like Frank Sinatra, just two great, wonderful people. They were real."

Borgnine says about Sinatra's reputation, "You know, a lot of people just say bad things about him, 'Oh he's a drunk, he likes to fight and everything.' No such thing. You know what Frank Sinatra did one time? Remember. Lee J. Cobb the actor? He was laying in the hospital with a heart attack and everything else. One day the ambulance backed up and they put Lee J. Cobb in the ambulance. 'Where are you taking me?' No, that's all right, don't worry about it.' 'Well, I've got to pay.' 'Don't worry about it, that's taken care of.' They took him out t Palm Springs and put him in the compound out there with Frank Sinatra. And Frank finally showed up and Lee J. Cobb looked at him and said, 'Sir, why? Why did you do this?' And he [Frank] said, 'I like the way you act.' "

That's one of many acts of kindness by Sinatra that no one knew about, he didn't have the need nor the inclination to brag about such things.

DID YOU KNOW: Borgnine didn't just portray a Navy man on TV, he spent 10 years in the actual U.S. Navy, including time as a ship’s cook where, the actor said, “I made all kinds of stews and fried oysters — and everyone got the cook’s spaghetti, except me! Then I caught bronchitis, and they sent me back into a position on deck.”

Stuff you might not find at other web sites - Vegas Legends collects obscure stories about the greatest entertainers of all time! With rare performances from the casino showrooms and from the world of Television.