Jim Backus

Jim Backus (born February 25, 1913-died July 3, 1989) played the part of Thurston Howell III in the CBS-TV series Gilligan's Island, and the three made for-TV film specials, Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978). Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979) and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981).

Jim had an extensive acting career and worked steadily in Hollywood over five decades, often portraying characters with an "upper-crust", New England-like air, such as Thurston Howell, III in Gilligan's Island. He appeared in A Dangerous Profession (1949) (as well as narrating), Deadline – U.S.A. (1951) with Humphrey Bogart, Pat and Mike (1952) with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957) and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). He also made an appearance on "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962).

Backus was the voice of the nearsighted cartoon character Mr. Magoo. In 1952, he had a brief scene in "Don't Bother to Knock" with Marilyn Monroe. Years later, when Backus was a frequent talk show guest, he would recount the time Monroe urgently beckoned him into her dressing room. Once there, she exclaimed in her breathy voice, "Do Mr. Magoo!".

Jim frequently could be heard on prime-time radio programs in the postwar era, including "The Jack Benny Program", and portrayed an exceedingly vain character named Hartley Benson on "The Mel Blanc Show" on the CBS Radio Network, as well as a similar character named Hubert Updike on "The Alan Young Show" on the NBC Radio Network. He also starred on the short lived variety program "The Jim Backus Show" on the ABC Radio Network in 1957 and 1958, when that network changed its name to ABN (The American Broadcasting Network) and tried out a "Live and Lively" format of "Big Time Radio" with orchestras and audiences.

In stark contrast to his usual affluent characters, he appeared on "The Brady Bunch" as an old gold prospector, a role he also played in a dream sequence on a Gilligan's Island episode. He also appeared in the final season episode "The Hustler,"  in which he plays Mike's boss, Mr. Matthews

Jim stayed with Gilligan's Island for the entire series' run (1964-1967) on CBS-TV and did revivals of the TV series in TV films made between 1978 and 1982 (though in the third and final film, The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island, ill health forced him to only make a cameo appearance). He also did revivals of "Mr. Magoo" from 1964 to 1977, which included "The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo" and "What's New, Mr. Magoo".

In 1977, Backus appeared in "Never Con a Killer," the pilot for the ABC crime drama The Feather and Father Gang. An avid golfer, Backus made the 36-hole cut at the 1964 Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament.

Death
On July 3, 1989, Backus died in Los Angeles, California from complications of pneumonia, after suffering from Parkinson's disease for many years. Jim was buried at the southwest corner of Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, Los Angeles.