Acting
Jim Backus
Born 1913-02-25
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Department: Acting
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
Prominent works featuring Jim Backus
TV
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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
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Movie
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Rebel Without a Cause
1955
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TV
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I Dream of Jeannie
1965
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TV
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The Love Boat
1977
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TV
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The Mike Douglas Show
1961
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Movie
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Pete's Dragon
1977
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Movie
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It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
1963
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TV
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The Merv Griffin Show
1962
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TV
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Charlie's Angels
1976
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TV
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Hill Street Blues
1981
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Filmography & Credits
Complete career catalog (239 titles)
| Poster | Title | Character / Role | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Unknown Story | Self - archive footage | TV Series | 2022 |
 | Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents | Himself (uncredited) | Movie | 2005 |
| Hollywood's Hidden Secrets | Self | Movie | 1987 | |
 | The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1986 |
 | Prince Jack | Dealy | Movie | 1985 |
 | The Unpredictable Pudgy! | Himself | Movie | 1983 |
 | Slapstick of Another Kind | President of the U.S. | Movie | 1982 |
 | Gilligan's Planet | Thurston Howell, III (voice) | TV Series | 1982 |
 | Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady | Self / Appearance | Movie | 1982 |
 | The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | Movie | 1981 |
 | Hill Street Blues | Mr. Magoo (archive footage) (uncredited) | TV Series | 1981 |
 | There Goes The Bride | Mr. Perkins | Movie | 1980 |
 | The Gossip Columnist | Jim Backus | Movie | 1980 |
 | C.H.O.M.P.S. | Mr. Gibbs | Movie | 1979 |
 | Eischied | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1979 |
 | The Rebels | John Hancock | TV Series | 1979 |
 | The Castaways on Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | Movie | 1979 |
 | Angels' Brigade | Cmdr. Lindsey March | Movie | 1979 |
| $weepstake$ | Major Adams | TV Series | 1979 | |
 | Rescue from Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | Movie | 1978 |
 | Flying High | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1978 |
 | Good Guys Wear Black | Albert, the Doorman | Movie | 1978 |
 | Fantasy Island | Cap Truman | TV Series | 1978 |
 | Have I Got a Christmas for You | Kevin Grady | Movie | 1977 |
 | Pete's Dragon | The Mayor | Movie | 1977 |
 | The Love Boat | Marvin Waterman | TV Series | 1977 |
| The Love Boat | Mr. Landers | TV Series | 1977 |
 | CHiPs | Weitzman | TV Series | 1977 |
 | What's New, Mr. Magoo? | Mr. Magoo (voice) | TV Series | 1977 |
 | Never Con a Killer | Stanley Bunch | Movie | 1977 |
 | Charlie's Angels | Iggy | TV Series | 1976 |
 | Friday Foster | Enos Griffith | Movie | 1975 |
 | Mobile One | Macklin | TV Series | 1975 |
 | Ellery Queen | Howard Biggers | TV Series | 1975 |
 | Joe Forrester | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1975 |
 | Crazy Mama | Mr. Albertson | Movie | 1975 |
 | Cop on the Beat | Jake Mandel | Movie | 1975 |
 | Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus | Narrator / Santa Claus (voice) | Movie | 1974 |
 | Chico and the Man | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1974 |
 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1974 |
 | Harry O | Ziggy | TV Series | 1974 |
 | The New Adventures of Gilligan | Thurston Howell III (voice) | TV Series | 1974 |
| Goodnight Jackie | Mr. Landry | Movie | 1974 | |
 | Miracle on 34th Street | Shellhammer | Movie | 1973 |
 | The Girl Most Likely To... | Prof. David Tilson | Movie | 1973 |
 | Police Story | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1973 |
| Police Story | Jake Mandel | TV Series | 1973 |
 | Magic Carpet | George Benson | Movie | 1972 |
 | Of Thee I Sing | Senator Robert F. Lyons | Movie | 1972 |
 | Now You See Him, Now You Don't | Timothy Forsythe | Movie | 1972 |
 | Getting Away from It All | Mike Lorimar | Movie | 1972 |
 | Mooch Goes to Hollywood | Jim Backus | Movie | 1971 |
| Mooch Goes to Hollywood | Writer | Movie | 1971 |
 | Alias Smith and Jones | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1971 |
 | Myra Breckinridge | Doctor | Movie | 1970 |
 | The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County | Staunch | Movie | 1970 |
 | Uncle Sam Magoo | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1970 |
 | Nanny and the Professor | Dr. Charles Walters | TV Series | 1970 |
 | Wake Me When the War Is Over | Colonel | Movie | 1969 |
 | Love, American Style | Jerry Franks | TV Series | 1969 |
 | The Brady Bunch | Zaccariah | TV Series | 1969 |
 | Medical Center | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1969 |
 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Bill | TV Series | 1969 |
 | The Barbara McNair Show | Self | TV Series | 1969 |
 | Hello Down There | T.R. Hollister | Movie | 1969 |
| Blondie | J.C. Dithers /Mr. Dithers | TV Series | 1968 | |
 | The Good Guys | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1968 |
 | The Mod Squad | Emile Wade | TV Series | 1968 |
 | Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? | Tru-Blue Lou | Movie | 1968 |
 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Self (uncredited) | TV Series | 1968 |
 | Accidental Family | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1967 |
 | Don't Make Waves | Self (uncredited) | Movie | 1967 |
 | Damn Yankees | Benny Van Buren | Movie | 1967 |
 | Hurry Sundown | Carter Sillens | Movie | 1967 |
 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Self | TV Series | 1967 |
| Continental Showcase | Self - Host | TV Series | 1966 | |
 | Billie | Howard G. Carol | Movie | 1965 |
 | I Dream of Jeannie | General Fitzhugh | TV Series | 1965 |
 | The Wild Wild West | Fabian Swanson | TV Series | 1965 |
 | Fluffy | Sergeant | Movie | 1965 |
 | John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! | Whitepaper | Movie | 1965 |
 | Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell | TV Series | 1964 |
 | The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | TV Series | 1964 |
 | Daniel Boone | Will Scataway | TV Series | 1964 |
 | Rendezvous in Space | Moon (voice) | Movie | 1964 |
 | Advance to the Rear | Gen. Willoughby | Movie | 1964 |
 | Mr. Magoo, Man of Mystery | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1964 |
 | Mr. Magoo in Sherwood Forest | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1964 |
 | The Wheeler Dealers | Bullard Bear | Movie | 1963 |
 | Sunday in New York | Chief Pilot Drysdale | Movie | 1963 |
 | It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World | Tyler Fitzgerald | Movie | 1963 |
 | Johnny Cool | Louis Murphy | Movie | 1963 |
 | Espionage | McAvoy | TV Series | 1963 |
 | Burke's Law | Harold Mason | TV Series | 1963 |
| Burke's Law | Pork Pie Hannigan | TV Series | 1963 |
| Burke's Law | Herkimer Witt | TV Series | 1963 |
 | Arrest and Trial | Sam Thayer | TV Series | 1963 |
 | My Six Loves | Sheriff | Movie | 1963 |
 | Operation Bikini | Bosun's Mate Ed Fennelly | Movie | 1963 |
 | Critic's Choice | William Von Hagedorn | Movie | 1963 |
 | A Child Is Waiting | Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited) | Movie | 1963 |
 | Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol | Mr. Quincy Magoo / Ebenezer Scrooge (voice) | Movie | 1962 |
 | Zotz! | Horatio Kellgore | Movie | 1962 |
 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Beverly Hillbillies | Marty Van Ransohoff | TV Series | 1962 |
 | The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm | The King (segment "The Dancing Princess") | Movie | 1962 |
 | Boys' Night Out | Peter Bowers | Movie | 1962 |
 | The Horizontal Lieutenant | Cmdr. Jeremiah Hammerslag | Movie | 1962 |
 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | TV Series | 1961 |
| The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Co-Host | TV Series | 1961 |
 | The Dick Powell Show | Monte | TV Series | 1961 |
 | Cain's Hundred | Karl Bigger | TV Series | 1961 |
 | Magoo Meets Frankenstein | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1961 |
 | The Mr. Magoo Show | Mr Magoo (voice) | TV Series | 1960 |
 | The Jim Backus Show | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1960 |
 | Inside Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) / Self | Movie | 1960 |
 | Ice Palace | Dave Husack | Movie | 1960 |
 | I Was a Teenage Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1960 |
 | Tom, Dick and Harriet | James | Movie | 1960 |
 | Magoo Meets Boing Boing (The Noise-Making Boy) | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1959 |
 | 1001 Arabian Nights | Uncle Abdul Azziz Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1959 |
 | The Untouchables | William Norbert | TV Series | 1959 |
 | Ask Any Girl | Mr. Maxwell | Movie | 1959 |
 | A Private's Affair | Jim Gordon | Movie | 1959 |
 | The Big Operator | Cliff Heldon | Movie | 1959 |
 | Terror Faces Magoo | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1959 |
 | The Wild and the Innocent | Mr. Forbes | Movie | 1959 |
 | Magoo's Lodge Brother | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1959 |
 | Merry Minstrel Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1959 |
 | Magoo’s Homecoming | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1959 |
 | Bwana Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1959 |
| A Princess for Magoo | Narrator | Movie | 1959 | |
 | 77 Sunset Strip | Maury Samuels | TV Series | 1958 |
 | Gumshoe Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1958 |
 | Love Comes to Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1958 |
 | Macabre | Sheriff Jim Tyloe | Movie | 1958 |
| Magoo’s Cruise | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1958 | |
 | Magoo’s Three-Point Landing | Mr. Magoo / Air Traffic Controller / Sully (voice) | Movie | 1958 |
 | The High Cost of Loving | Paul Mason | Movie | 1958 |
 | The Explosive Mr. Magoo | Mr Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1958 |
 | Scoutmaster Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1958 |
 | Magoo's Young Manhood | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1958 |
 | Magoo's Private War | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Magoo's Moose Hunt | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | The Pied Piper of Hamelin | King's Emissary | Movie | 1957 |
 | Eighteen and Anxious | Harvey Graham | Movie | 1957 |
 | Rock Hound Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Magoo Saves the Bank | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Maverick | Joe Wheelwright | TV Series | 1957 |
 | Man of a Thousand Faces | Clarence Locan | Movie | 1957 |
 | Magoo's Masquerade | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Tonight Starring Jack Paar | Self | TV Series | 1957 |
 | Magoo Breaks Par | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Matador Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Magoo Goes Overboard | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1957 |
 | Top Secret Affair | Col. Homer W. Gooch | Movie | 1957 |
 | Meet Mother Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | The Great Man | Nick Cellantano | Movie | 1956 |
 | The Opposite Sex | Psychiatrist | Movie | 1956 |
 | You Can't Run Away from It | Danker | Movie | 1956 |
 | The Girl He Left Behind | Sgt. Hanna | Movie | 1956 |
 | Magoo's Problem Child | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | The Gale Storm Show | Arthur Hutchins | TV Series | 1956 |
| Conflict | Dandy Summers | TV Series | 1956 | |
 | Trailblazer Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | Magoo's Puddle Jumper | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | Magoo Beats the Heat | Mr. Magoo(voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | The Naked Hills | Willis Haver | Movie | 1956 |
 | Calling Doctor Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | Magoo Goes West | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | Meet Me in Las Vegas | Tom Culdane | Movie | 1956 |
 | Magoo's Canine Mutiny | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1956 |
 | The Square Jungle | Pat Quaid | Movie | 1955 |
 | Magoo Makes News | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1955 |
 | Matinee Theater | Self / Appearance | TV Series | 1955 |
 | Rebel Without a Cause | Frank Stark | Movie | 1955 |
 | Gunsmoke | Reverend Sims | TV Series | 1955 |
 | Francis in the Navy | Commander Hutch | Movie | 1955 |
 | Madcap Magoo | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1955 |
 | Magoo Express | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1955 |
 | The Millionaire | Henry Banning | TV Series | 1955 |
 | Destination Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1954 |
| Destination Magoo | Story | Movie | 1954 |
 | Deep in My Heart | Ben Judson | Movie | 1954 |
 | Climax! | Detective Herman | TV Series | 1954 |
| The George Gobel Show | Self | TV Series | 1954 | |
 | When Magoo Flew | Mr. Magoo/Pilot (voice) | Movie | 1954 |
 | Geraldine | Jason Ambrose | Movie | 1953 |
 | I Love Melvin | Mergo | Movie | 1953 |
 | Angel Face | District Attorney Judson | Movie | 1953 |
 | Above and Beyond | Gen. Curtis E. LeMay | Movie | 1953 |
 | Androcles and the Lion | Centurion | Movie | 1952 |
 | Hotsy Footsy | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1952 |
 | I Married Joan | Judge Bradley Stevens | TV Series | 1952 |
 | Pete Hothead | Lavery the Floorwalker/Mailman (uncredited) | Movie | 1952 |
 | The Rose Bowl Story | Michael "Iron Mike" Burke | Movie | 1952 |
 | Pink and Blue Blues | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1952 |
 | Don't Bother to Knock | Peter Jones | Movie | 1952 |
 | Pat and Mike | Charles Barry | Movie | 1952 |
 | Deadline - U.S.A. | Jim Cleary | Movie | 1952 |
 | Here Come the Nelsons | Joe Randolph | Movie | 1952 |
 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Kevin Grady | TV Series | 1951 |
 | I Want You | Harvey Landrum | Movie | 1951 |
 | Grizzly Golfer | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1951 |
 | I'll See You in My Dreams | Sam Harris | Movie | 1951 |
 | The Man with a Cloak | Flaherty | Movie | 1951 |
 | Fuddy Duddy Buddy | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1951 |
 | Iron Man | Max Watkins | Movie | 1951 |
 | His Kind of Woman | Myron Winton | Movie | 1951 |
 | Bright Victory | Bill Grayson | Movie | 1951 |
 | Hollywood Story | Mitch Davis | Movie | 1951 |
 | Plutopia | Milton the Cat | Movie | 1951 |
 | Half Angel | Michael Hogan | Movie | 1951 |
 | Barefaced Flatfoot | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1951 |
 | M | The Mayor | Movie | 1951 |
 | Bungled Bungalow | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1951 |
 | The Popcorn Story | Narrator | Movie | 1950 |
 | Emergency Wedding | Ed Hamley | Movie | 1950 |
 | The Killer That Stalked New York | Willie Dennis (uncredited) | Movie | 1950 |
| Lux Video Theatre | Harry | TV Series | 1950 | |
 | Trouble Indemnity | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1950 |
 | The Colgate Comedy Hour | Self | TV Series | 1950 |
 | Customs Agent | Shanghai Chief Agent Thomas Jacoby | Movie | 1950 |
 | Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town | Joseph "Little Joe" Rogers | Movie | 1950 |
 | Spellbound Hound | Mr. Magoo | Movie | 1950 |
 | What's My Line? | Self | TV Series | 1950 |
 | Robert Montgomery Presents | Lucus Edgerton | TV Series | 1950 |
 | Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthy | Magistrate Backus | Movie | 1950 |
 | A Dangerous Profession | Police Lt. Nick Ferrone / Narrator (voice) | Movie | 1949 |
 | The Great Lover | Higgins | Movie | 1949 |
 | Easy Living | Dr. Franklin | Movie | 1949 |
 | Father Was a Fullback | Professor Sullivan | Movie | 1949 |
 | Ragtime Bear | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Movie | 1949 |
 | One Last Fling | Howard Pritchard | Movie | 1949 |
 | Studio One | Tim McTaggart | TV Series | 1948 |
 | A-Lad-in His Lamp | Smokey the Genie (voice) (uncredited) | Movie | 1948 |
| Where Will You Hide? | Narrator | Movie | 1948 | |
 | Animation Mavericks: The Forgotten Story of UPA | Self / Mr. Magoo (archive footage, audio) | Movie | — |