Person

Jim Backus

Acting · 1913–1989 · Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Biography

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.

Known for

Filmography

2022The Unknown StorySelf - archive footage
2005Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant InnocentsHimself (uncredited)
1987Hollywood's Hidden SecretsSelf
1986The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show
1985Prince JackDealy
1982Slapstick of Another KindPresident of the U.S.
1982Gilligan's PlanetThurston Howell, III (voice)
1982Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
1981The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's IslandThurston Howell III
1981Hill Street BluesMr. Magoo (archive footage) (uncredited)
1980There Goes The BrideMr. Perkins
1980The Gossip ColumnistJim Backus
1979C.H.O.M.P.S.Mr. Gibbs
1979Eischied
1979The RebelsJohn Hancock
1979The Castaways on Gilligan's IslandThurston Howell III
1979Angels' BrigadeCmdr. Lindsey March
1979$weepstake$Major Adams
1978Rescue from Gilligan's IslandThurston Howell III
1978Flying High
1978Good Guys Wear BlackAlbert, the Doorman
1978Fantasy IslandCap Truman
1977Have I Got a Christmas for YouKevin Grady
1977Pete's DragonThe Mayor
1977The Love BoatMarvin Waterman
1977CHiPsWeitzman
1977What's New, Mr. Magoo?Mr. Magoo (voice)
1977Never Con a KillerStanley Bunch
1976Charlie's AngelsIggy
1975Friday FosterEnos Griffith
1975Mobile OneMacklin
1975Ellery QueenHoward Biggers
1975Joe Forrester
1975Crazy MamaMr. Albertson
1975Cop on the BeatJake Mandel
1974Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa ClausNarrator / Santa Claus (voice)
1974Chico and the Man
1974Kolchak: The Night Stalker
1974Harry OZiggy
1974The New Adventures of GilliganThurston Howell III (voice)
1974Goodnight JackieMr. Landry
1973Miracle on 34th StreetShellhammer
1973The Girl Most Likely To...Prof. David Tilson
1973Police Story
1972Magic CarpetGeorge Benson
1972Of Thee I SingSenator Robert F. Lyons
1972Now You See Him, Now You Don'tTimothy Forsythe
1972Getting Away from It AllMike Lorimar
1971Mooch Goes to HollywoodJim Backus
1971Alias Smith and Jones
1970Myra BreckinridgeDoctor
1970The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico CountyStaunch
1970Uncle Sam MagooMr. Magoo
1970Nanny and the ProfessorDr. Charles Walters
1969Wake Me When the War Is OverColonel
1969Love, American StyleJerry Franks
1969The Brady BunchZaccariah
1969Medical Center
1969Marcus Welby, M.D.Bill
1969The Barbara McNair ShowSelf
1969Hello Down ThereT.R. Hollister
1968BlondieJ.C. Dithers /Mr. Dithers
1968The Good Guys
1968The Mod SquadEmile Wade
1968Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?Tru-Blue Lou
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSelf (uncredited)
1967Accidental Family
1967Don't Make WavesSelf (uncredited)
1967Damn YankeesBenny Van Buren
1967Hurry SundownCarter Sillens
1967The Smothers Brothers Comedy HourSelf
1966Continental ShowcaseSelf - Host
1965BillieHoward G. Carol
1965I Dream of JeannieGeneral Fitzhugh
1965The Wild Wild WestFabian Swanson
1965FluffySergeant
1965John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!Whitepaper
1964Gilligan's IslandThurston Howell, III
1964The Famous Adventures of Mr. MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1964Daniel BooneWill Scataway
1964Rendezvous in SpaceMoon (voice)
1964Advance to the RearGen. Willoughby
1964Mr. Magoo, Man of MysteryMr. Magoo
1964Mr. Magoo in Sherwood ForestMr. Magoo
1963The Wheeler DealersBullard Bear
1963Sunday in New YorkChief Pilot Drysdale
1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldTyler Fitzgerald
1963Johnny CoolLouis Murphy
1963EspionageMcAvoy
1963Burke's LawHarold Mason
1963Arrest and TrialSam Thayer
1963My Six LovesSheriff
1963Operation BikiniBosun's Mate Ed Fennelly
1963Critic's ChoiceDr. William Von Hagedorn
1963A Child Is WaitingHot Dog Vendor (uncredited)
1962Mister Magoo's Christmas CarolMr. Quincy Magoo / Ebenezer Scrooge (voice)
1962Zotz!Horatio Kellgore
1962The Merv Griffin ShowSelf
1962The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf
1962The Beverly HillbilliesMarty Van Ransohoff
1962The Wonderful World of the Brothers GrimmThe King (segment "The Dancing Princess")
1962Boys' Night OutPeter Bowers
1962The Horizontal LieutenantCmdr. Jeremiah Hammerslag
1961The Mike Douglas ShowSelf
1961The Dick Powell ShowMonte
1961Cain's HundredKarl Bigger
1961Magoo Meets FrankensteinMr. Magoo
1960The Mr. Magoo ShowMr Magoo (voice)
1960The Jim Backus Show
1960Inside MagooMr. Magoo (voice) / Self
1960Ice PalaceDave Husack
1960I Was a Teenage MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1960Tom, Dick and HarrietJames
1959Magoo Meets Boing Boing (The Noise-Making Boy)Mr. Magoo (voice)
19591001 Arabian NightsUncle Abdul Azziz Magoo (voice)
1959The UntouchablesWilliam Norbert
1959Ask Any GirlMr. Maxwell
1959A Private's AffairJim Gordon
1959The Big OperatorCliff Heldon
1959Terror Faces MagooMr. Magoo
1959The Wild and the InnocentMr. Forbes
1959Magoo's Lodge BrotherMr. Magoo (voice)
1959Merry Minstrel MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1959Magoo’s HomecomingMr. Magoo (voice)
1959Bwana MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1959A Princess for MagooNarrator
195877 Sunset StripMaury Samuels
1958Gumshoe MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1958Love Comes to MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1958MacabreSheriff Jim Tyloe
1958Magoo’s CruiseMr. Magoo (voice)
1958Magoo’s Three-Point LandingMr. Magoo / Air Traffic Controller / Sully (voice)
1958The High Cost of LovingPaul Mason
1958The Explosive Mr. MagooMr Magoo (voice)
1958Scoutmaster MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1958Magoo's Young ManhoodMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Magoo's Private WarMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Magoo's Moose HuntMr. Magoo (voice)
1957The Pied Piper of HamelinKing's Emissary
1957Eighteen and AnxiousHarvey Graham
1957Rock Hound MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Magoo Saves the BankMr. Magoo (voice)
1957MaverickJoe Wheelwright
1957Man of a Thousand FacesClarence Locan
1957Magoo's MasqueradeMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Tonight Starring Jack PaarSelf
1957Magoo Breaks ParMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Matador MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Magoo Goes OverboardMr. Magoo (voice)
1957Top Secret AffairCol. Homer W. Gooch
1956Meet Mother MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1956The Great ManNick Cellantano
1956The Opposite SexPsychiatrist
1956You Can't Run Away from ItDanker
1956The Girl He Left BehindSgt. Hanna
1956Magoo's Problem ChildMr. Magoo (voice)
1956The Gale Storm ShowArthur Hutchins
1956ConflictDandy Summers
1956Trailblazer MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1956Magoo's Puddle JumperMr. Magoo (voice)
1956Magoo Beats the HeatMr. Magoo(voice)
1956The Naked HillsWillis Haver
1956Calling Doctor MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1956Magoo Goes WestMr. Magoo (voice)
1956Meet Me in Las VegasTom Culdane
1956Magoo's Canine MutinyMr. Magoo (voice)
1955The Square JunglePat Quaid
1955Magoo Makes NewsMr. Magoo
1955Matinee Theater
1955Rebel Without a CauseFrank Stark
1955GunsmokeReverend Sims
1955Francis in the NavyCommander Hutch
1955Madcap MagooMr. Magoo
1955Magoo ExpressMr. Magoo
1955The MillionaireHenry Banning
1954Destination MagooMr. Magoo (voice)
1954Deep in My HeartBen Judson
1954Climax!Detective Herman
1954The George Gobel ShowSelf
1954When Magoo FlewMr. Magoo/Pilot (voice)
1953GeraldineJason Ambrose
1953I Love MelvinMergo
1953Angel FaceDistrict Attorney Judson
1953Above and BeyondGen. Curtis E. LeMay
1952Androcles and the LionCenturion
1952Hotsy FootsyMr. Magoo (voice)
1952I Married JoanJudge Bradley Stevens
1952Pete HotheadLavery the Floorwalker/Mailman (uncredited)
1952The Rose Bowl StoryMichael "Iron Mike" Burke
1952Pink and Blue BluesMr. Magoo (voice)
1952Don't Bother to KnockPeter Jones
1952Pat and MikeCharles Barry
1952Deadline - U.S.A.Jim Cleary
1952Here Come the NelsonsJoe Randolph
1951Hallmark Hall of FameKevin Grady
1951I Want YouHarvey Landrum
1951Grizzly GolferMr. Magoo
1951I'll See You in My DreamsSam Harris
1951The Man with a CloakFlaherty
1951Fuddy Duddy BuddyMr. Magoo (voice)
1951Iron ManMax Watkins
1951His Kind of WomanMyron Winton
1951Bright VictoryBill Grayson
1951Hollywood StoryMitch Davis
1951PlutopiaMilton the Cat
1951Half AngelMichael Hogan
1951Barefaced FlatfootMr. Magoo
1951MThe Mayor
1951Bungled BungalowMr. Magoo
1950The Popcorn StoryNarrator
1950Emergency WeddingEd Hamley
1950The Killer That Stalked New YorkWillie Dennis (uncredited)
1950Lux Video TheatreHarry
1950Trouble IndemnityMr. Magoo (voice)
1950The Colgate Comedy HourSelf
1950Customs AgentShanghai Chief Agent Thomas Jacoby
1950Ma and Pa Kettle Go to TownJoseph "Little Joe" Rogers
1950Spellbound HoundMr. Magoo
1950What's My Line?Self
1950Robert Montgomery PresentsLucus Edgerton
1950Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthyMagistrate Backus
1949A Dangerous ProfessionPolice Lt. Nick Ferrone / Narrator (voice)
1949The Great LoverHiggins
1949Easy LivingDr. Franklin
1949Father Was a FullbackProfessor Sullivan
1949Ragtime BearMr. Magoo (voice)
1949One Last FlingHoward Pritchard
1948Studio OneTim McTaggart
1948A-Lad-in His LampSmokey the Genie (voice) (uncredited)
1948Where Will You Hide?Narrator
—Animation Mavericks: The Forgotten Story of UPASelf / Mr. Magoo (archive footage, audio)

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