Jim Backus
American radio, television, film, and voice actor (1913-1989) · United States · On the map · Actors · Died at 76
James Gilmore Backus 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...
Jim Backus is read about 694 times a day, in 23 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 9 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 111 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
Slapstick of Another KindFilm, President of the U.S.1981
Hill Street BluesSeries, Mr. Magoo (archive footage) (uncredited)1978
Good Guys Wear BlackFilm, Albert, the Doorman1977
The Love BoatSeries, Marvin Waterman
Pete's DragonFilm, 1977The Mayor1976
Charlie's AngelsSeries, Iggy1973
The Girl Most Likely To...Film, Prof. David Tilson1972
Now You See Him, Now You Don'tFilm, Timothy Forsythe1967
Don't Make WavesFilm1965
I Dream of JeannieSeries, General Fitzhugh1963
Burke's LawSeries, Harold Mason
A Child Is WaitingFilm, 1963Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited)1962
The Beverly HillbilliesSeries, Marty Van Ransohoff
Boys' Night OutFilm, 1962Peter Bowers1959
The UntouchablesSeries, William Norbert1958
MacabreFilm, Sheriff Jim Tyloe1956
Magoo's Puddle JumperFilm, Mr. Magoo (voice)1955
Matinee TheaterSeries
Francis in the NavyFilm, 1955Commander Hutch1954
Climax!Series, Detective Herman1953
Angel FaceFilm, District Attorney Judson1952
Deadline - U.S.A.Film, Jim Cleary1950
The Killer That Stalked New YorkFilm, Willie Dennis (uncredited)1948
Studio OneSeries, Tim McTaggart1913Born25 February 1913People around Jim
Joe Pasternak Produced Ask Any Girl and Meet Me in Las Vegas
Abe Levitow Directed Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)
José Ferrer Directed The Great Man (1956)
Robert Foulk Also in Rebel Without a Cause and Pete's Dragon
Otto Preminger Directed Angel Face and Hurry Sundown
Nicholas Ray Directed Rebel Without a Cause (1956)
William Castle Produced Macabre and Zotz!
Mark Robson Directed Bright Victory and I Want You
Alan Hale, Jr. Also in Gilligan's Island- Don Chaffey Directed Pete's Dragon and C.H.O.M.P.S.
Ron W. Miller Produced Pete's Dragon (1978)- Albert Zugsmith Produced The Square Jungle and The Big Operator
Don Weis Directed I Love Melvin and Billie- Martin Ransohoff Produced The Wheeler Dealers and Boys' Night Out
David Weisbart Produced Rebel Without a Cause (1956)
Terry-Thomas Also in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
Bess Flowers Also in Angel Face and Don't Bother to Knock
Larry Keating Also in Above and Beyond and Bright Victory
George Wells Produced I Love Melvin (1953)
Chester Erskine Directed Androcles and the Lion (1952)
Greydon Clark Directed Angels Revenge (1984)- Ira Wallach Wrote Don't Make Waves and The Wheeler Dealers
Roy Engel Also in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and M- Stephen Bosustow Produced 1001 Arabian Nights (1959)
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Rebel Without a Cause 1955
Angel Face 1953
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World 1963
Deadline - U.S.A. 1952
A Child Is Waiting 1963
Filmography 40
239 credits on file
Television 24
Media & music
Awards
About this person
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's character's husband 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.
