Gilligan&#… Editing Jim Backus 1 You are editing an old version of this page. If you save it, any changes made since this version will be lost. You are editing an old version of this page. If you save it, any changes made since this version will be lost. You are not logged in. The rich text editor does not work with JavaScript switched off. Please either enable it in your browser options, or visit your preferences to switch to the old MediaWiki editor <div class="placeholder placeholder-double-brackets" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22double-brackets%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%7B%7BInfobox%20actor%5Cn%7Cname%20%20%20%3D%20Jim%20Backus%5Cn%7Cimage%20%3D%20Jimbackus.png%7C250px%5Cn%7Ccaption%20%3D%20Jim%20Backus%20in%201970%27s%20TV%20show%20publicity%20photo%5Cn%7Cborn%20%3D%20%7B%7Bbirth%20date%20and%20age%7C1913%7C2%7C25%7D%7D%20%20%20%5Cn%7Cbirth_place%20%3D%20Cleveland%2C%20Ohio%2C%20U.S.%5Cn%7C%20website%20%3D%20%5Cn%7C%20known_for%20%3D%20%20%5C%22Gilligan%27s%20Island%5C%22%5C%2F%5C%22Mr.%20Magoo%5C%22%5Cn%7C%20series%20%3D%20%5C%22Gilligan%27s%20Island%5C%22%5Cn%7C%20character%20%3D%20%5B%5BMr.%20Howell%7CThurston%20Howell%20III%5D%5D%5Cn%7D%7D%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Infobox%20actor%5Cn%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22spacesafter%22%3A%22%22%7D" contenteditable="false" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">​ <table class="infobox actor" data-rte-style="background:#f2f2f2; float:right; border-radius:5px; border:3px solid #3366cc; font-size:89%; width:275px;" style="background:#f2f2f2; float:right; border-radius:5px; border:3px solid #3366cc; font-size:89%; width:275px;" data-rte-attribs=" class=infobox actor style= background:#f2f2f2; float:right; border-radius:5px; border:3px solid #3366cc; font-size:89%; width:275px;" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> <tr data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> <th colspan="2" data-rte-style="border-radius:5px;background-color:#344D0E; border:2px solid black; color:#F8F8F8; font-size:140%; padding:.3em;" style="border-radius:5px;background-color:#344D0E; border:2px solid black; color:#F8F8F8; font-size:140%; padding:.3em;" data-rte-attribs=" colspan=2 style=border-radius:5px;background-color:#344D0E; border:2px solid black; color:#F8F8F8; font-size:140%; padding:.3em; " data-rte-spaces-before="1">Jim Backus </th></tr> <tr data-rte-style="text-align:center;" style="text-align:center;" data-rte-attribs=" style=text-align:center;"> <td class="sb-both" colspan="2" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-both colspan=2"><img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMr.%20Howell%7CThurston%20Howell%20III%5D%5D%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Jimbackus.png%22%2C%22params%22%3A%7B%22alt%22%3A%22Jimbackus%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22%22%2C%22width%22%3A250%7D%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" alt="" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gilligan5935/images/7/71/Jimbackus.png/revision/latest?cb=20140414012419" width="199" height="253" class="image" data-image-name="Jimbackus.png" data-image-key="Jimbackus.png" type="image" /> <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Jim Backus in 1970's TV show publicity photo </p> </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" data-rte-style="border-radius:5px; border:2px solid black; background-color:#3366CC; color:#f2f2f2;" style="border-radius:5px; border:2px solid black; background-color:#3366CC; color:#f2f2f2;" data-rte-attribs=" colspan=2 style=border-radius:5px; border:2px solid black; background-color:#3366CC; color:#f2f2f2; " data-rte-spaces-before="1">Personal Information </th></tr> <tr> <td class="sb-left" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-left"><b>Born:</b> </td><td class="sb-right" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-right"><span data-rte-washtml="1" data-rte-style="display:none" style="display:none" data-rte-attribs=" style=display:none"> (<span data-rte-washtml="1" class="bday" data-rte-attribs=" class=bday">1913-02-25</span>) </span>February 25, 1913<span data-rte-washtml="1" class="noprint ForceAgeToShow" data-rte-attribs=" class=noprint ForceAgeToShow"> (age 107)</span> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="sb-left" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-left"><b>Birthplace:</b> </td><td class="sb-right" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-right">Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. </td></tr> <tr> <td class="sb-left" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-left"><b>Also known for:</b> </td><td class="sb-right" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-right">"Gilligan's Island"/"Mr. Magoo" </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="2" data-rte-style="border-radius:5px; background-color:#DCDCDC; border: 2px solid black; color:#001b46;" style="border-radius:5px; background-color:#DCDCDC; border: 2px solid black; color:#001b46;" data-rte-attribs=" colspan=2 style=border-radius:5px; background-color:#DCDCDC; border: 2px solid black; color:#001b46; " data-rte-spaces-before="1">Character/Series involvement </th></tr> <tr> <td class="sb-left" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-left"><b>Series:</b> </td><td class="sb-right" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-right">"Gilligan's Island" </td></tr> <tr data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> <td class="sb-left" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-left"><b>Character played:</b> </td><td class="sb-right" data-rte-attribs="class=sb-right"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Thurston%20Howell%20III%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Mr.%20Howell%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMr.%20Howell%7CThurston%20Howell%20III%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Mr._Howell" title="Mr. Howell">Thurston Howell III</a> </td></tr> </table> ​</div><b>Jim Backus</b> was a famous television, movie and radio actor, possibly best known for his work in comedy, particularly in "Gilligan's Island" and in the "Mr. Magoo" franchise.<br data-rte-washtml="1" /> <p data-rte-fromparser="true">Born James Gilmore Backus on February 25, 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio, Backus was the son of Russell Gould Backus, a mechanical engineer, and Daisy Gilmore Backus. He was raised in Bratenahl, Ohio in Cleveland, where he attended Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Ohio. While attending Kentucky Military Institute, he was expelled for riding a horse through the mess hall.<br data-rte-washtml="1" /> <!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->Not much is known about Jim's early career, but it is known he worked originally in radio, often portraying characters with an "upper-crust" New England-like air, foreshadowing his role as Thurston Howell III on "Gilligan's Island." He appeared in 'A Dangerous Profession" in 1949 which he also narrated, "Deadline – U.S.A." with Humphrey Bogart, "Pat and Mike," with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, "Rebel Without a Cause" with James Dean in 1955, "The Pied Piper of Hamelin."<br data-rte-washtml="1" /> <!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->Jim gained more notoriety on "The Jack Benny Show, where he portrayed an exceedingly vain character named Hartley Benson on "The Mel Blanc Show" with <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Mel%20Blanc%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Mel%20Blanc%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BMel%20Blanc%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Mel_Blanc" title="Mel Blanc">Mel Blanc</a> on CBS. He also had a similar character named Hubert Updike on "The Alan Young Show" on NBC and starred on the short-lived variety program, "The Jim Backus Show," on the American Broadcasting Network, now ABC Radio Network, but he had great success as the voice of Mr. Magoo, the nearsighted cartoon character during the Fifties. In 1952, he had a brief scene in "Don't Bother to Knock" with Marilyn Monroe, who was a reported model for the character of <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Ginger%20Grant%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Ginger%20Grant%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BGinger%20Grant%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Ginger_Grant" title="Ginger Grant" class="mw-redirect">Ginger Grant</a>. According to a story he told on talk shows, she would ask him to do the Mr. Magoo voice between takes.<br data-rte-washtml="1" /> <!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->After appearing on TV shows as "Cain's Hundred" and "Follow The Sun," Jim starred in movies, such as "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" with <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Phil%20Silvers%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Phil%20Silvers%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BPhil%20Silvers%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Phil_Silvers" title="Phil Silvers">Phil Silvers</a> in 1963, as well as other TV shows as "The Brady Bunch" and "The Beverly Hillbillies," but his career and popularity really soared as <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Thurston%20Howell%20III%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Thurston%20Howell%20III%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BThurston%20Howell%20III%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Thurston_Howell_III" title="Thurston Howell III" class="mw-redirect">Thurston Howell III</a> on "Gilligan's Island" from 1964 to 1967, returning for the revival of the TV series in two cartoon series and in films made between 1978 and 1982. In the third and final film, <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22The%20Harlem%20Globetrotters%20on%20Gilligan%27s%20Island%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22The%20Harlem%20Globetrotters%20on%20Gilligan%27s%20Island%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BThe%20Harlem%20Globetrotters%20on%20Gilligan%27s%20Island%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/The_Harlem_Globetrotters_on_Gilligan%27s_Island" title="The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island">The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island</a>, ill health forced him to only make a cameo appearance, but he also did revivals of "Mr. Magoo" from 1964 to 1977, including "The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo" and "What's New, Mr. Magoo."In 1984, Backus wrote <i>Backus Strikes Back, </i>his autobiography. He also had an earlier writing career, having authored a children's book about a dog named Mooch who goes to Hollywood in an effort to become a star.<br data-rte-washtml="1" /> <!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->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. 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. </p> <h3 data-rte-spaces-before="1" data-rte-spaces-after="1" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> Trivia </h3> <p data-rte-fromparser="true"><span data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cnowiki%3E%2A%3C%5C%2Fnowiki%3E%22%2C%22lineStart%22%3A%22%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22extName%22%3A%22nowiki%22%7D" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" contenteditable="false">*​</span>Jim Backus' failing health sidelined him from doing the third movie, and his character was written out as tending to business matters on the mainland United States, and having his wife and son <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Thurston%20Howell%20IV%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Thurston%20Howell%20IV%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BThurston%20Howell%20IV%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Thurston_Howell_IV" title="Thurston Howell IV">Thurston Howell IV</a> manage the resort. However, Backus was concerned that such a write out would water down the movie, as the earlier problems with <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Tina%20Louise%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Tina%20Louise%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BTina%20Louise%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="200544-20963418995f60a0280732e" href="/wiki/Tina_Louise" title="Tina Louise">Tina Louise</a> refusing to be involved had shown, and insisted on making a cameo at the ending where he returns from the mainland. After filming wrapped, Backus asked Dawn Wells if he gave the crew and cast any trouble, and Wells admitted she told him he did fine, but went off by herself in tears, upset at seeing him in such a frail state after years of working with him. </p> <hr /> <p /> Loading editor Actors Main Cast Deceased Actors Below are some commonly used wiki markup codes. Simply click on what you want to use and it will appear in the edit box above. 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