Ernest Borgnine (born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned more than six decades. He was known for his gruff yet calm voice and his gap-toothed Cheshire Cat smile. A popular performer, he also appeared as a guest on numerous talk shows and as a contestant on several game shows.

Borgnine's film career began in 1951 and included supporting roles in the films The Corsican Brothers (1951), From Here to Eternity (1953), Vera Cruz (1954), Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), and The Wild Bunch (1969). He also played unconventional leading roles in many films, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Marty (1955). He achieved lasting success in the sitcom McHale's Navy (1962–1966), in which he played the lead character, and starred as Dominic Santini in the action series Airwolf (1984–1986), in addition to a wide range of other roles.

Borgnine received his third Primetime Emmy Award nomination at the age of 92 for his work on the 2009 series finale of ER. He was known as the original voice of Mermaid Man in SpongeBob SquarePants from 1999 until his death in 2012. He had previously replaced the late Vic Tayback as the voice of the villain Carface Carruthers in All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996) and All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series (1996–1998).