Q: Is Ernest Borgnine still alive and still acting?— Kevin

Swales, Columbus, Ohio

A: The 92-year-old “Marty” Oscar winner is staying quite active professionally, having done two episodes of “ER” just before it ended its NBC run as well as a Turner Classic Movies “Private Screenings” interview special this year.

Borgnine also has made five —count ’em, five—movies in 2009: “Another Harvest Moon,” “The Lion of Judah,” “Wishing Well,“ “The Genesis Code” and “Snatched.” Also, Borgnine still can be heard as the voice of Mermaid Man in “SpongeBob SquarePants” cartoons on Nickelodeon.

Q: What happened to the show “Dirt,” which was shown on FX and starred Courteney Cox?— Kimberly Karr, Appleton,

Wis.

A: As might be indicated by the fact that she’s now starring in the ABC comedy “Cougar Town,” which has been picked up for a full first year, Cox ended “Dirt” a while ago as both star and (along with husband David Arquette) producer.

It’s actually more to the point to say that FX ended “Dirt,” since the network opted not to continue the tabloid-staff drama after two seasons.

Q: Has Mandy Patinkin quit “Criminal Minds”?— Nancy

Goldstone, Stuart, Fla.

A: If you’re only just noticing his absence now, you must be watching the repeats that now run regularly on A&E and Ion Television. After the CBS show’s first two seasons, Patinkin decided he wanted out in 2007, reportedly over creative differences concerning the violence in the program.

The exit of his character, Jason Gideon, was set up very early in the show’s third year. A few more episodes into that season, Joe Mantegna was brought in as Patinkin’s replacement.