Editing Ernest Borgnine (section)

=== 1983–2011: Final appearances ===
[[File:President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan with Ernest Borgnine and Tova Borgnine.jpg|thumb|right|220px|upright|Borgnine, [[Nancy Reagan]], [[Tova Borgnine]] and President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1987]]
Borgnine returned to Universal Studios in 1983, for a co-starring role opposite [[Jan-Michael Vincent]], on ''[[Airwolf]]''. After he was approached by producer [[Donald P. Bellisario]], who had been impressed by Borgnine's guest role as a wrestler in a 1982 episode of ''Magnum, P.I.'', he immediately agreed to join the series. He played Dominic Santini, a helicopter pilot, which became an immediate hit. Borgnine's strong performances belied his exhaustion due to the grueling production schedule, and the challenges of working with his younger, series lead. The show was canceled by [[CBS]] in 1986.

In 1989, Borgnine went to [[Namibia]] to shoot the film ''[[Laser Mission]]'', starring [[Brandon Lee]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 29, 1989|title=Borgnine to play scientist|work=The Courier-Journal}}</ref> It was released in 1990.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hartl|first=John|date=August 17, 1990|title=Chong's 'Far Out, Man!' is en route to rental stores|work=York Daily Record|volume=229}}</ref>  

in 1995 he appeared with [[Jonathan Silverman]] in ''[[The Single Guy]]'' as doorman Manny Cordoba, which lasted two seasons. According to Silverman, Borgnine came to work with more energy and passion than all other stars combined. He was the first person to arrive on the set every day and the last to leave. 

In 1996, Borgnine starred in the televised fantasy/thriller film ''[[Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders]]'' (partially adapted from the 1984 horror film ''[[The Devil's Gift]]''). As narrator and storyteller, Borgnine recounts a string of related supernatural tales, his modern-day fables notably centering on an enchanted and malicious [[cymbal-banging monkey toy]] stolen from the wizard [[Merlin]]. The film was later featured in the parodical television series ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'', and has since gained a prominent cult following.<ref name="mstk.info">{{cite web|url=http://www.mst3kinfo.com/?p=5768|title=Episode guide: 1003 – Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders|publisher=Satellite News|access-date=July 9, 2012}}</ref> Also in 1996, Borgnine toured the United States on a bus to meet his fans and see the country. The trip was the subject of a 1997 documentary, ''[[Ernest Borgnine on the Bus]]''. He also served one year as the chairman of the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans, visiting patients in many [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Department of Veterans Affairs]] medical centers.

[[File:Ernest Borgnine 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|left|200px|Borgnine at the Creative Arts Emmys, in 2009]]
In 1997, Borgnine appeared in the big-screen adaptation comedy film ''[[McHale's Navy (1997 film)|McHale's Navy]]'', where he played Rear Admiral Quinton McHale, who was also the father of Tom Arnold's character, Quinton McHale Jr. In 1998, Borgnine appeared in the [[Trey Parker]] and [[Matt Stone]] comedy ''[[BASEketball]]'' as entrepreneur Ted Denslow. Starting in 1999, Borgnine provided his voice talent to the [[animated sitcom]] [[SpongeBob SquarePants]] as the elderly superhero Mermaid Man (where he was paired up with ''McHale's Navy'' co-star Tim Conway as the voice of Mermaid Man's sidekick Barnacle Boy). He expressed affection for this role, in no small part for its popularity among children. After his death, Nickelodeon reaired all of the episodes in which Mermaid Man appeared, in memoriam. Borgnine also appeared as himself in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode "[[Boy-Scoutz 'n the Hood]]", in addition to a number of television commercials. In 2000, he was the executive producer of ''[[Hoover (film)|Hoover]]'', in which he was the only credited actor.

In 2007, Borgnine starred in the [[Hallmark Cards|Hallmark]] original film ''[[A Grandpa for Christmas]]''. He played a man who, after his estranged daughter ends up in the hospital because of a car accident, discovers that he has a granddaughter he never knew about. She is taken into his care, and they soon become great friends. Borgnine received a [[Golden Globe]] nomination for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture made for Television for his performance. At 90, he was the oldest Golden Globe nominee ever. In 2010 he costarred in ''[[The Wishing Well (film)|The Wishing Well]]''. Borgnine's autobiography ''Ernie'' was published by [[Citadel Press]] in July 2008. ''Ernie'' is a loose, conversational recollection of highlights from his acting career and notable events from his personal life. On April 2, 2009, he appeared in several episodes of the final season of the long-running medical series ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]''. His role was that of a husband dealing with the decline of his wife, who would die in the final episode of the series. In his final scene, his character is in a hospital bed lying beside his just-deceased wife. His performance garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, his third nomination and his first in 29 years (since being nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special in 1980 for ''[[All Quiet on the Western Front (1979 film)|All Quiet on the Western Front]]'').

In 2009, at age 92, he starred as Frank, the main character of ''[[Another Harvest Moon]]'', directed by Greg Swartz and also starring [[Piper Laurie]] and [[Anne Meara]]. On October 2, 2010, Borgnine appeared as himself in a sketch with [[Morgan Freeman]] on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. On October 15, 2010, he appeared in ''[[Red (2010 film)|Red]]'', which was filmed earlier that year. In late 2011, Borgnine completed what was his last film, playing Rex Page in ''[[The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez]]''.