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Jim Backus

Actor / Screenwriter / Writer | * 02/25/1913 († 76, 07/03/1989) | Cleveland, Ohio (United States of America (USA))
5,208
James Gilmore Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American actor. Among his Most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island, the father of James Dean's character in Rebel Without a Cause, the voice of the near-sighted cartoon character Mr. Magoo, the rich Hubert Updike III on the radio version of The Alan Young Show, and Joan Davis' character's husband (a domestic court judge) on TV's I Married Joan. He also starred in his own show of one season, The Jim Backus Show, also known as Hot Off the Wire. An avid golfer, Backus Made the 36-hole cut at the 1964 Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament. He was inducted to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. ()
Photo of Jim Backus

Jim Backus (1913–1989) was a radio, television, film, and voice actor.Among his Most famous credits are The Alan Young Radio Show, I Married Joan, Gilligan's Island, and Rebel Without a Cause. He also starred on his own show The Jim Backus Show.

Most frequent genres for this person: Comedies | Drama | Animation

Known for these Movies & Shows

Pete, a young orphan, runs away to a Maine fishing town with his best friend a lovable, sometimes invisible dragon named Elliott! When they are taken in by a kind lighthouse keeper, Nora, and her fath ...

Pete's Dragon

G

1977 | 3.2/5 | 1h 42min
Fantasy, Animation, Comedy, Kids & Family
available on:
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A group of strangers come across a man dying after a car crash who proceeds to tell them about the $350,000 he buried in California. What follows is the madcap adventures of those strangers as each at ...

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

G

1963 | 3.5/5 | 2h 43min
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime
available on:
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After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen Jim Stark is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms ...

Rebel Without a Cause

PG-13

1955 | 3.8/5 | 1h 51min
Drama
available on:
Watch now!
The slapstick adventures of hapless Gilligan, long-suffering Skipper and their gang of mismatched castaways, all stranded on an uncharted desert isle after their tiny ship hit stormy weather. ...

Gilligan's Island

TV-G

1964 | 3.7/5 | 25min per episode
Comedy, Kids & Family
Search on Amazon.com
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Awards & Nominations for Jim Backus

Star On Hollywood Walk of Fame
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Movies with Jim Backus as Actor(148)

as Pat Quaid (archive footage)2012 Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom
as Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (archive footage)2004 Los Angeles Plays Itself
as Himself (archive footage)2001 Surviving Gilligan's Island
as Dealy1985 Prince Jack
as President of the U.S.1982 Slapstick (Of Another Kind)
as Thurston Howell III1981 The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
as Gamba1981 The Enchanted Journey
as himself1980 The Gossip Columnist
as Mr. Perkins1980 There Goes The Bride
as Thurston Howell III1979 The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
as Cmdr. Lindsey March1979 Angels' Brigade
as Mr. Gibbs1979 C.H.O.M.P.S.
as John Hancock1979 The Rebels
as Albert, the Doorman1978 Good Guys Wear Black
as Thurston Howell III1978 Rescue from Gilligan's Island
as The Mayor1977 Pete's Dragon
as Kevin Grady1977 Have I Got a Christmas for You
as Stanley Bunch1977 Never Con a Killer
as Dr. Flamel1976 The Amazing Cosmic Awareness of Duffy Moon
as Jake Mandel1975 Cop on the Beat
as Mr. Albertson1975 Crazy Mama
as Enos Griffith1975 Friday Foster
as Mr. Landry1974 Goodnight Jackie
as Shellhammer1973 Miracle on 34th Street
as Prof. David Tilson1973 The Girl Most Likely to...
as George Benson1972 Magic Carpet
as Senator Robert F. Lyons1972 Of Thee I Sing
as Mike Lorimar1972 Getting Away from It All
as Timothy Forsythe1972 Now You See Him, Now You Don't
as himself1971 Mooch Goes to Hollywood
as Staunch1970 The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County
as Doctor1970 Myra Breckinridge
as T.R. Hollister1969 Hello Down There
as Colonel1969 Wake Me When the War Is Over
as Tru-Blue Lou1968 Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
as Benny Van Buren1967 Damn Yankees
as Carter Sillens1967 Hurry Sundown
as Sergeant1965 Fluffy
as Howard G. Carol1965 Billie
as Whitepaper1965 John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
as Gen. Willoughby1964 Advance to the Rear
as Moon (voice)1964 Rendezvous in Space
as Bullard Bear1963 The Wheeler Dealers
as Chief Pilot Drysdale1963 Sunday in New York
as Louis Murphy1963 Johnny Cool
as Sheriff1963 My Six Loves
as Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)1963 A Child Is Waiting
as Bosun's Mate Ed Fennelly1963 Operation Bikini
as Tyler Fitzgerald1963 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
as Dr. William Von Hagedorn1963 Critic's Choice
as Mr. Quincy Magoo / Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)1962 Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
as Peter Bowers1962 Boys' Night Out
as The King (segment "The Dancing Princess")1962 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
as Prof. Horatio Kellgore1962 Zotz!
as Cmdr. Jeremiah Hammerslag1962 The Horizontal Lieutenant
as Dave Husack1960 Ice Palace
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1959 Bwana Magoo
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1959 Magoo's Lodge Brother
as Mr. Maxwell1959 Ask Any Girl
as Mr. Forbes1959 The Wild and the Innocent
as Uncle Abdul Azziz Magoo (voice)1959 1001 Arabian Nights
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1959 Magoo Meets Boing Boing (The Noise-Making Boy)
as Mr. Magoo1959 Terror Faces Magoo
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1959 Merry Minstrel Magoo
as Jim Gordon1959 A Private's Affair
as Cliff Heldon1959 The Big Operator
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1959 Magoo’s Homecoming
as Sheriff Jim Tyloe1958 Macabre
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1958 Love Comes to Magoo
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1958 Gumshoe Magoo
as Mr. Magoo / Air Traffic Controller / Sully (voice)1958 Magoo’s Three-Point Landing
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1958 Magoo’s Cruise
as Mr Magoo (voice)1958 The Explosive Mr. Magoo
as Paul Mason1958 The High Cost of Loving
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1958 Magoo's Young Manhood
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Magoo's Moose Hunt
as King's Emissary1957 The Pied Piper of Hamelin
as Clarence Locan1957 Man of a Thousand Faces
as Col. Homer W. Gooch1957 Top Secret Affair
as Harvey Graham1957 Eighteen and Anxious
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Magoo Breaks Par
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Matador Magoo
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Magoo Saves the Bank
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Magoo Goes Overboard
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Magoo's Masquerade
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Magoo's Private War
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1957 Rock Hound Magoo
as Mr. Magoo(voice)1956 Magoo Beats the Heat
as Psychiatrist1956 The Opposite Sex
as Tom Culdane1956 Meet Me in Las Vegas
as Willis Haver1956 The Naked Hills
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1956 Magoo's Canine Mutiny
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1956 Calling Doctor Magoo
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1956 Magoo's Problem Child
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1956 Trailblazer Magoo
as Sgt. Hanna1956 The Girl He Left Behind
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1956 Magoo Goes West
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1956 Meet Mother Magoo
as Danker1956 You Can't Run Away from It
as Nick Cellantano1956 The Great Man
as Frank Stark1955 Rebel Without a Cause
as Mr. Magoo1955 Madcap Magoo
as Mr. Magoo1955 Magoo Makes News
as Pat Quaid1955 The Square Jungle
as Mr. Magoo1955 Magoo Express
as E.T. Hutch1955 Francis in the Navy
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1954 Destination Magoo
as Ben Judson1954 Deep in My Heart
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1954 When Magoo Flew
as Jason Ambrose1954 Geraldine
as Mergo1953 I Love Melvin
as Gen. Curtis E. LeMay1953 Above and Beyond
as District Attorney Judson1953 Angel Face
as Joe Randolph1952 Here Come the Nelsons
as Jim Cleary1952 Deadline - U.S.A.
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1952 Hotsy Footsy
as Charles Barry1952 Pat and Mike
as Peter Jones1952 Don't Bother to Knock
as Centurion1952 Androcles and the Lion
as Michael "Iron Mike" Burke1952 The Rose Bowl Story
as Flaherty1951 The Man with a Cloak
as Harvey Landrum1951 I Want You
as Bill Grayson1951 Bright Victory
as Mr. Magoo1951 Grizzly Golfer
as Michael Hogan1951 Half Angel
as Sam Harris1951 I'll See You in My Dreams
as Myron Winton1951 His Kind of Woman
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1951 Fuddy Duddy Buddy
as Milton the Cat1951 Plutopia
as Max Watkins1951 Iron Man
as Mr. Magoo1951 Barefaced Flatfoot
as The Mayor1951 M
as Mitch Davis1951 Hollywood Story
as Mr. Magoo1951 Bungled Bungalow
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1950 Trouble Indemnity
as Ed Hamley1950 Emergency Wedding
as Willie Dennis (uncredited)1950 The Killer That Stalked New York
as Joseph 'Little Joe' Rogers1950 Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town
as Mr. Magoo1950 Spellbound Hound
as Shanghai Chief Agent Thomas Jacoby1950 Customs Agent
as Howard Pritchard1949 One Last Fling
as Dr. Franklin1949 Easy Living
as Higgins1949 The Great Lover
as Police Lt. Nick Ferrone / Narrator (as James Backus)1949 A Dangerous Profession
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1949 Ragtime Bear
as Professor Sullivan1949 Father Was a Fullback
as Smokey the Genie1948 A-Lad-in His Lamp
as Narrator1948 Where Will You Hide?

TV Shows/Series with Jim Backus as Actor(53)

1982 Gilligan's Planet
1979 Eischied
1978 Flying High
as Marvin Waterman1977 The Love Boat
as Mr. Landers1977 The Love Boat
1977 CHiPs
1977 What's New, Mr. Magoo?
as Iggy1976 Charlie's Angels
1975 Ellery Queen
1975 Joe Forrester
1974 Harry O
1974 The New Adventures of Gilligan
1974 The Night Stalker
1974 Chico and the Man
1973 Police Story
1971 Alias Smith and Jones
1970 Nanny and the Professor
1969 Medical Center
1969 The Brady Bunch
1968 The Good Guys
1968 The Mod Squad
1968 Blondie
as himself1967 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
as himself1967 The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
1967 Accidental Family
as Self - Host1966 Continental Showcase
as General Fitzhugh1965 I Dream of Jeannie
1965 The Wild Wild West
as Thurston Howell, III1964 Gilligan's Island
as Will Scataway1964 Daniel Boone
as Mr. Magoo (voice)1964 The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo
as Harold Mason1963 Burke's Law
as Pork Pie Hannigan1963 Burke's Law
as Herkimer Witt1963 Burke's Law
1963 Arrest and Trial
as himself1962 The Merv Griffin Show
as himself1962 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 The Beverly Hillbillies
as Karl Bigger1961 Cain's Hundred
as Monte1961 The Dick Powell Show
1958 77 Sunset Strip
1957 Maverick
as himself1957 Tonight Starring Jack Paar
as Henry Banning1955 The Millionaire
as Reverend Sims1955 Gunsmoke
1955 Matinee Theater
as Detective Herman1954 Climax!
as Judge Bradley Stevens1952 I Married Joan
as Kevin Grady1951 Hallmark Hall of Fame
as himself1950 The Colgate Comedy Hour
as Lucus Edgerton1950 Robert Montgomery Presents
as Self - Panelist1950 What's My Line?
as Tim McTaggart1948 Studio One

Movies with Jim Backus as Crew(2)

Writing/Writer1971 Mooch Goes to Hollywood
Writing/Story1954 Destination Magoo

Full Name: Jim Backus
Born: Tuesday, 02/25 1913 (February) in Cleveland, Ohio (United States of America (USA))
Died: Monday, 07/03 1989 (July) in Los Angeles (aged: 76)
Zodiac sign: Pisces (Chinese zodiac sign: Ox)
Languages: English (EN, native language)
Educated at: American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Kentucky Military Institute, Shaw High School
Spouses (current/former): Henny Backus
Other names for Jim Backus (nicknames, foreign languages etc.):
"James Gilmore Backus"
Jim Backus frequently works together with these people:
Pete Burness (37x, Crew)
Vaughn Taylor (31x, Actor)
Stephen Bosustow (31x, Crew)
J. Pat O'Malley (30x, Actor)
Jerry Hausner (29x, Actor)
Harry Townes (27x, Actor)
Edward Andrews (26x, Actor)
Dick Shaw (24x, Crew)
Cesar Romero (23x, Actor)
Anne Seymour (23x, Actress)
Gregg Palmer (23x, Actor)
Shug Fisher (22x, Actor)
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WatchPlayStream ID: PEOPLE:9690, Added: 05/06/2018, Last updated: 03/27/2024