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James Gilmore Backus was an American radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles was the voice of nearsighted cartoon character Mr. Magoo, the rich Hubert Updike III on the radio version of The Alan Young Show, Joan Davis' character's husband on TV's I Married Joan, James Dean's character's father in Rebel Without a Cause, and Thurston Howell III, on the 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island. He also starred in his own show of one season, The Jim Backus Show, also known as Hot Off the Wire.
Birth Name
James Gilmore Backus
Born
Tuesday, 25 February 1913
Died
Monday, 03 July 1989
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Unknown Story | Self - Thurston Howell | 2022 |
| History of the Sitcom | Thurton Howell III | 2021 |
| Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins | Jim Cleary in Deadline USA | 2019 |
| The Gilligan Manifesto | Thurston Howell III | 2018 |
| The Sixties | Thurston Howell III | 2013 |
| Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom | Pat Quaid | 2012 |
| These Amazing Shadows | Frank Stark (clip from Rebel Without a Cause (1955)) | 2011 |
| Los Angeles Plays Itself | Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause | 2003 |
| Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History | Himself (archive footage) / Self | 2001 |
| E! True Hollywood Story | Himself | 1996 |
Actor Filmography
| Title | Character | Year |
|---|
| The Unknown Story | Self - Thurston Howell | 2022 |
| History of the Sitcom | Thurton Howell III | 2021 |
| Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins | Jim Cleary in Deadline USA | 2019 |
| The Gilligan Manifesto | Thurston Howell III | 2018 |
| The Sixties | Thurston Howell III | 2013 |
| Tony Curtis: Driven to Stardom | Pat Quaid | 2012 |
| These Amazing Shadows | Frank Stark (clip from Rebel Without a Cause (1955)) | 2011 |
| Los Angeles Plays Itself | Frank Stark in Rebel Without A Cause | 2003 |
| Surviving Gilligan's Island: The Incredibly True Story of the Longest Three Hour Tour in History | Himself (archive footage) / Self | 2001 |
| E! True Hollywood Story | Himself | 1996 |
| Forever James Dean | Frank Stark | 1988 |
| American Masters | Actor 'Rebel without a Cause' | 1986 |
| Prince Jack | Dealy | 1984 |
| Slapstick of Another Kind | President of the U.S. | 1982 |
| Tom Cottle: Up Close | Self | 1982 |
| Gilligan's Planet | Thurston Howell III | 1982 |
| The Enchanted Journey | Gamun / Gamba | 1981 |
| The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | 1981 |
| Hill Street Blues | Mr. Magoo | 1981 |
| There Goes the Bride | Mr. Perkins | 1980 |
| C.H.O.M.P.S. | Mr. Gibbs | 1979 |
| Trapper John, M.D. | Gus | 1979 |
| Eischied | Sy Lazarus | 1979 |
| The Rebels | John Hancock | 1979 |
| Sweepstakes | Major Adams | 1979 |
| Angels' Brigade | Cmdr. Lindsey March | 1979 |
| Rescue from Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | 1978 |
| Flying High | Man | 1978 |
| Good Guys Wear Black | Doorman / Albert, the Doorman | 1978 |
| Pete's Dragon | The Mayor | 1977 |
| CHiPs | Weitzman | 1977 |
| What's New, Mr. Magoo? | Mr. Magoo | 1977 |
| The Love Boat | Mr. Landers / Mr. Marvin Waterman | 1977 |
| Fantasy Island | Cap Truman / H.H. Moran | 1977 |
| The Feather and Father Gang | Stanley Bunch | 1976 |
| Ark II | Arnie Pool | 1976 |
| Liar's Club | Self | 1976 |
| Family Feud | Himself - Celebrity Contestant | 1976 |
| Charlie's Angels | Iggy | 1976 |
| Friday Foster | Enos Griffith | 1975 |
| Mobile One | Macklin | 1975 |
| The Ghost Busters | Eric, the Red | 1975 |
| Crazy Mama | Mr. Albertson | 1975 |
| Joe Forrester | Jake Mandel | 1975 |
| Ellery Queen | Howard Biggers | 1975 |
| Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus | Narrator / Santa Claus | 1974 |
| Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Herb Bresson | 1974 |
| Chico and the Man | Harold Erickson | 1974 |
| The New Adventures of Gilligan | Thurston Howell III | 1974 |
| Bicentennial Minutes | Self - Narrator | 1974 |
| Goodnight Jackie | Mr. Landry | 1974 |
| Tattletales | Self | 1974 |
| Miracle on 34th Street | Shellhammer | 1973 |
| The Girl Most Likely to... | Prof. David Tilson / Tilson | 1973 |
| Match Game | Himself - Panelist | 1973 |
| Police Story | Jake Mandel / Pollack | 1973 |
| Harry O | Ziggy | 1973 |
| Of Thee I Sing | Senator Robert F. Lyons | 1972 |
| ABC Afterschool Specials | Dr. Flamel | 1972 |
| The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters | Self | 1972 |
| Joanne Carson's VIPs | Self | 1972 |
| Now You See Him, Now You Don't | Timothy Forsythe | 1972 |
| The Mouse Factory | Self | 1972 |
| Getting Away from It All | Mike Lorimar | 1972 |
| Mooch | Jim Backus | 1971 |
| Stand Up and Cheer | Self | 1971 |
| Alias Smith and Jones | Joseph P. Sterling | 1971 |
| Myra Breckinridge | Doctor | 1970 |
| The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County | Staunch | 1970 |
| Uncle Sam Magoo | Mr. Magoo | 1970 |
| Can You Top This | Self | 1970 |
| Nanny and the Professor | Dr. Charles Walters | 1970 |
| Wake Me When the War Is Over | Colonel | 1969 |
| It's Your Bet | Self | 1969 |
| Love, American Style | Jerry (segment "Love and the Understanding") / Jerry Franks (segment "Love and the Marriage Counselor") | 1969 |
| The Brady Bunch | Zaccariah T. Brown / Harry Mathews | 1969 |
| The Barbara McNair Show | Self | 1969 |
| The David Frost Show | Self | 1969 |
| Della | Self | 1969 |
| You're Putting Me On | Self | 1969 |
| Medical Center | Dr. Danvers | 1969 |
| Marcus Welby, M.D. | Bill | 1969 |
| Storybook Squares | Mr. Magoo | 1969 |
| Hello Down There | T.R. Hollister | 1969 |
| It Takes Two | Self | 1968 |
| Blondie | J.C. Dithers / Mr. Dithers | 1968 |
| The Good Guys | Henry Arsdale | 1968 |
| Mod Squad | Emile Wade | 1968 |
| Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? | Tru-Blue Lou | 1968 |
| Accidental Family | Uncle Fred | 1967 |
| Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Guest Performer | 1967 |
| Personality | Self | 1967 |
| Don't Make Waves | Self | 1967 |
| The Joey Bishop Show | Self | 1967 |
| Hurry Sundown | Carter Sillens | 1967 |
| The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Self | 1967 |
| Continental Showcase | Self - Host / Himself - Host | 1966 |
| I Dream of Jeannie | General Charles Fitzhugh | 1965 |
| The Wild Wild West | Fabian Swanson | 1965 |
| I Spy | Tom Mathews | 1965 |
| Billie | Howard G. Carol | 1965 |
| Fluffy | Sergeant | 1965 |
| The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) | Self - Panelist / Self - Center Square | 1965 |
| I'll Bet | Self | 1965 |
| John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! | Miles Whitepaper | 1965 |
| ABC's Nightlife | Self | 1964 |
| Daniel Boone | Will Scataway | 1964 |
| The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo | Mr. Magoo / Mr. Magoo (voice) / Squinty Eyes | 1964 |
| Advance to the Rear | Gen. Willoughby / General Willoughby | 1964 |
| Sunday in New York | Chief Pilot Drysdale | 1963 |
| Mr. Magoo---Man of Mystery | Mr. Magoo | 1964 |
| Mr. Magoo in Sherwood Forest | Mr. Magoo | 1964 |
| The Object Is | Self | 1963 |
| The Wheeler Dealers | Bullard Bear | 1963 |
| It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World | Tyler Fitzgerald | 1963 |
| Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III / Thurston Howell, III | 1963 |
| Espionage | McAvoy | 1963 |
| Burke's Law | Pork Pie Hannigan / Herkimer Witt / Harold Mason | 1963 |
| Arrest and Trial | Sam Thayer | 1963 |
| Johnny Cool | Louis Murphy | 1963 |
| Picture This | Self | 1963 |
| My Six Loves | Sheriff | 1963 |
| Operation Bikini | Bosun's Mate Ed Fennelly / Boatswain's Mate Ed Fennelly | 1963 |
| Critic's Choice | Dr. William Von Hagedorn | 1963 |
| A Child Is Waiting | Hot Dog vendor | 1963 |
| Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol | Mr. Magoo / Ebenezer Scrooge / Mr. Magoo (voice) | 1962 |
| The Match Game | Self - Team Captain | 1962 |
| Zotz! | Horatio Kellgore / Prof. Horatio Kellgore | 1962 |
| The Merv Griffin Show | Himself | 1962 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Himself - Guest / Himself | 1962 |
| The Beverly Hillbillies | Marty Van Ransohoff | 1962 |
| McKeever and the Colonel | J.C. Medbury | 1962 |
| The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm | The King ('The Dancing Princess') / The King (segment "The Dancing Princess") | 1962 |
| Boys' Night Out | Peter Bowers | 1962 |
| The Horizontal Lieutenant | Cmdr. Jeremiah Hammerslag | 1962 |
| The Tonight Show | Self - Actor / Self - Comedian / Self | 1962 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Actor / Himself - Actor / Himself - Co-Host / Himself - Comedy Actor / Himself - Comic Actor | 1961 |
| The Errand Boy | Mr. Arbutt | 1961 |
| The Bob Newhart Show | Self | 1961 |
| Password | Self / Self - Celebrity Contestant | 1961 |
| The Dick Powell Theatre | Monte | 1961 |
| Cain's Hundred | Karl Bigger | 1961 |
| Follow the Sun | N.N. Nelson | 1961 |
| The DuPont Show of the Week | Big Boss Buddy Foy | 1961 |
| Mister Magoo | Mr. Magoo | 1960 |
| The Jim Backus Show | Mike O'Toole | 1960 |
| Here's Hollywood | Self | 1960 |
| Inside Magoo | Mr. Magoo / Self | 1960 |
| Ice Palace | Dave Husack | 1960 |
| 1001 Arabian Nights | Uncle Abdul Azziz Magoo (voice) / Uncle Abdul Azziz Magoo | 1959 |
| Take a Good Look | Panelist | 1959 |
| Ask Any Girl | Maxwell / Mr. Maxwell | 1959 |
| A Private's Affair | Jim Gordon | 1959 |
| The Big Operator | Cliff Heldon | 1959 |
| The Wild and the Innocent | Mr. Forbes / Cecil Forbes | 1959 |
| The Untouchables | William Norbert | 1959 |
| 77 Sunset Strip | Maury Samuels | 1958 |
| Macabre | Police Chief Jim Tyloe / Sheriff Jim Tyloe | 1958 |
| The Garry Moore Show | Self - cameo / Self | 1958 |
| The Chevy Showroom Starring Andy Williams | Self | 1958 |
| The High Cost of Loving | Paul Mason | 1958 |
| The Pied Piper of Hamelin | King's Emissary | 1957 |
| Eighteen and Anxious | Harvey Graham | 1957 |
| Goodyear Theatre | Jim Cannaday | 1957 |
| Maverick | Joe Wheelwright | 1957 |
| Man of a Thousand Faces | Clarence Locan | 1957 |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar | Himself / Self | 1957 |
| Magoo's Glorious Fourth | Mr. Magoo | 1957 |
| Top Secret Affair | Col. Homer W. Gooch | 1957 |
| To Tell the Truth | Self - Panelist | 1956 |
| The Great Man | Nick Cellantano | 1956 |
| The Opposite Sex | Psychiatrist | 1956 |
| You Can't Run Away from It | Danker | 1956 |
| The Girl He Left Behind | Sgt. Hanna | 1956 |
| Playhouse 90 | Jerry | 1956 |
| The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna | Arthur Hutchins | 1956 |
| Conflict | Dandy Summers | 1956 |
| Autumn Leaves | Mr. Magoo | 1956 |
| Magoo's Puddle Jumper | Mr. Magoo | 1956 |
| The Naked Hills | Willis Haver | 1956 |
| Meet Me in Las Vegas | Tom Culdane | 1956 |
| The Lee Phillip Show | Self / guest, actor | 1956 |
| Rebel Without a Cause | Frank Stark | 1955 |
| Stage Door Magoo | Mr. Magoo | 1955 |
| Gunsmoke | Reverend Sims | 1955 |
| Francis in the Navy | Commander Hutch / E.T. Hutch | 1955 |
| Magoo's Check Up | Mr. Magoo | 1955 |
| The Millionaire | Henry Banning | 1955 |
| TV Reader's Digest | George Johnson | 1955 |
| The Square Jungle | Pat Quaid | 1955 |
| Destination Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) / Mr. Magoo | 1954 |
| Deep in My Heart | Ben Judson | 1954 |
| The Magical World of Disney | Timothy Forsythe | 1954 |
| Climax! | Detective Herman | 1954 |
| The George Gobel Show | Himself | 1954 |
| Kangaroo Courting | Mr. Magoo | 1954 |
| Magoo Goes Skiing | Mr. Magoo | 1954 |
| Look Who's Driving | Charlie | 1954 |
| When Magoo Flew | Mr. Magoo (voice) / Mr. Magoo | 1954 |
| Geraldine | Jason Ambrose | 1953 |
| Magoo Slept Here | Mr. Magoo | 1953 |
| The United States Steel Hour | Michael John McKane | 1953 |
| Person to Person | Self | 1953 |
| The Danny Thomas Show | Jim Fletcher | 1953 |
| Your Chevrolet Showroom | Self | 1953 |
| Magoo's Masterpiece | Mr. Magoo | 1953 |
| Safety Spin | Mr. Magoo | 1953 |
| I Love Melvin | Mergo | 1953 |
| Androcles and the Lion | Centurion | 1953 |
| Angel Face | District Attorney Judson | 1953 |
| Above and Beyond | Gen. Curtis E. LeMay | 1953 |
| Confidential File | Self | 1953 |
| I Married Joan | Judge Bradley Stevens | 1952 |
| This Is Your Life | Self | 1952 |
| The Rose Bowl Story | Michael "Iron Mike" Burke / Michael 'Iron Mike' Burke | 1952 |
| Pink and Blue Blues | Mr. Magoo | 1952 |
| Don't Bother to Knock | Peter Jones | 1952 |
| Pat and Mike | Charles Barry | 1952 |
| Deadline - U.S.A. | Jim Cleary | 1952 |
| Here Come the Nelsons | Joe Randolph | 1952 |
| Sloppy Jalopy | Mr. Magoo | 1952 |
| I Want You | Harvey Landrum | 1951 |
| Grizzly Golfer | Mr. Magoo | 1951 |
| I'll See You in My Dreams | Sam Harris | 1951 |
| The Man with a Cloak | Flaherty | 1951 |
| His Kind of Woman | Myron Winton | 1951 |
| Iron Man | Max Watkins | 1951 |
| Bright Victory | Bill Grayson | 1951 |
| Hollywood Story | Mitch Davis | 1951 |
| Half Angel | Michael Hogan | 1951 |
| Barefaced Flatfoot | Mr. Magoo | 1951 |
| M | The Mayor | 1951 |
| Bungled Bungalow | Mr. Magoo | 1951 |
| Emergency Wedding | Ed Hamley | 1950 |
| The Killer That Stalked New York | Willie Dennis | 1950 |
| All Star Revue | Self | 1950 |
| Lux Video Theatre | Harry | 1950 |
| Trouble Indemnity | Mr. Magoo | 1950 |
| The Colgate Comedy Hour | Self | 1950 |
| Customs Agent | Shanghai Chief Agent Thomas Jacoby / Thomas S. Jacoby | 1950 |
| Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town | Joseph 'Little Joe' Rogers | 1950 |
| Spellbound Hound | Mr. Magoo | 1950 |
| What's My Line? | Himself - Guest Panelist / Himself - Panelist | 1950 |
| Robert Montgomery Presents | Lucus Edgerton | 1950 |
| A Dangerous Profession | Narrator / Police Lt. Nick Ferrone / Narrator (as James Backus) | 1949 |
| The Great Lover | Higgins | 1949 |
| Easy Living | Dr. Franklin | 1949 |
| Father Was a Fullback | Professor Sullivan | 1949 |
| One Last Fling | Howard Pritchard | 1949 |
| Studio One | Tim McTaggart / Father | 1948 |
| A-Lad-in His Lamp | Genie / Smokey the Genie | 1948 |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | Self - Singer | 1948 |
| Stump the Stars | Himself - Guest Challenger | 1947 |
| Front Row Center | Harry Cooper | 1945 |
