Ernest Borgnine (born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 - July 8, 2012) was an American film and television actor whose career spanned more than six decades. He was also known for being the original voice of Mermaid Man on the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants from 1999, until his death in 2012. He played Harry Booth in the 1979 Disney science-fiction film, The Black Hole.