James Gilmore Backus
Sign | Pisces |
Born | Feb 25, 1913 Cleveland, OH |
Died | Jul 3, 1989 Los Angeles, CA |
Age | Died at 76 |
Jim Backus | |
Job | Actor |
Years active | 1937-1989 |
Known for | Grouchy growlers, over-hearty businessmen; Mr. Magoo, Thurston Howell III on TV's Gilligan's Island |
Top Roles | Professor 'Sully' Sullivan, Col. Homer W. Gooch, Jim Cleary, Charles Barry, Harvey Landrum |
Top Genres | Comedy, Drama, Romance, Musical, Crime, Thriller/Suspense |
Top Topics | World War II, True Story (based on), Romance (Comic) |
Top Collaborators | Otto Preminger (Director), Joe Pasternak (Producer), Jeff Richards, Larry Keating |
Shares birthday with | Zeppo Marx, George Harrison, Jane Nigh see more.. |
Jim Backus Overview:
Legendary character actor, Jim Backus, was born James Gilmore Backus on Feb 25, 1913 in Cleveland, OH. Backus appeared in over 240 film and TV roles -- including LOTs of Mr. Magoo shorts (as Mr. Magoo of course!), and playing multi-millionaire Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island (1964-1967), and Judge Bradley Stevens (Joan's husband) on TV's I Married Joan opposite Joan Davis (1952-1955). He also starred as Mike O'Toole in his own show aptly called The Jim Backus Show (1960-1961). His best known films include Rebel Without a Cause (as Frank Stark, James Dean's dad), It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (as Tyler Fitzgerald) and Man of a Thousand Faces (as Clarence Locan). Backus died at the age of 76 on Jul 3, 1989 in Los Angeles, CA .
MINO BIO:
Comedy actor Jim Backus was usually seen either beaming or scowling as there were few half-measures with his characters. After military service in World War II, he became a familiar part of the cinema for 20 years playing grouchy growlers and over-hearty businessmen. He was also popular as the long-suffering husband of Joan Davis in TV's I Married Joan, and as the rasping tones of cartoonland's short-sighted Mr. Magoo.
(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Illustrated Dictionary of Film Character Actors).HONORS and AWARDS:
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He was honored with one star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Television. Backus was never nominated for an Academy Award.
BlogHub Articles:
Jim Backus Quotes:
Dupin: In bitterness, Flaherty, it was said in bitterness!
Flaherty: That's the way I was asking for it.
Frank Stark: I wouldn't make a hasty decision. Nobody can make a snap decision. We've got to consider the pros and cons, make a list, get advice... Have I ever stopped you from doing anything?
Jim Stark: [sitting down, hugging his father's legs helplessly] Help me!
Frank Stark: Look, Jim. You can depend on me. Trust me. Whatever comes, we'll, we'll fix it together. I swear it. Now Jim, stand up. I'll stand up with you. I'll try and be as strong as you want me to be. Come on.
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