Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Home > All persons > Jim Backus
Jim Backus is a Actor and Scriptwriter American born on 25 february 1913 at Ohio (USA)

Jim Backus

Jim Backus
If you like this person, let us know!
Birth name James Gilmore Backus
Nationality USA
Birth 25 february 1913 at Ohio (USA)
Death 3 july 1989 (at 76 years) at Los Angeles (USA)

James Gilmore "Jim" Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of nearsighted cartoon character Mr. Magoo, the rich Hubert Updike III on the radio version of The Alan Young Show, Joan Davis's character's husband (a domestic court judge) on TV's I Married Joan, James Dean's character's father in Rebel Without a Cause and Thurston Howell, III on the 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island. He also starred in his own show of one season, The Jim Backus Show, also known as Hot off the Wire.

An avid golfer, Backus made the 36-hole cut at the 1964 Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament.

Biography

James Gilmore Backus entre l'institut militaire du Kentucky le 18 septembre 1928, en même temps que Victor John Mature, dans le corps des cadets. Il est expulsé avant d'être diplômé pour avoir chevauché dans le hall du mess.

Il débute dans des troupes de répertoire et vaudeville. Il n'est venu au cinéma qu'après quinze ans d'intense activité radiophonique à New York, où il a participé à des milliers d'émissions (jusqu'à quatorze dans la même semaine). Débuts à l'écran en 1949.

Il est l'auteur de deux livres : On the Roof et Back to Backus.

Usually with

William J. Tuttle
William J. Tuttle
(14 films)
Bess Flowers
Bess Flowers
(12 films)
Henry Grace
Henry Grace
(11 films)
Bud Westmore
Bud Westmore
(10 films)
Leslie Irwin Carey
Leslie Irwin Carey
(9 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Jim Backus (97 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Slapstick of Another Kind
Slapstick of Another Kind (1982)

Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Comic science fiction
Themes Comedy science fiction films
Actors Jerry Lewis, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Jim Backus, Merv Griffin, Pat Morita
Roles President of the U.S.
Rating25% 1.278071.278071.278071.278071.27807
The People's Republic of China is severing relations with all other nations. They have mastered the art of miniaturization, and have shrunk all their people to the height of 2 inches. The ambassador of China, Ah Fong (Pat Morita), announces during a press conference that the key to all knowledge can be found from twins.
The Enchanted Journey
The Enchanted Journey (1981)
, 1h25
Genres Adventure, Animation
Actors Yū Mizushima, Orson Welles, Jim Backus, Takeshi Aono, Corinne Orr, Rihoko Yoshida
Roles Gamba
Rating70% 3.5109453.5109453.5109453.5109453.510945
A domestically raised chipmunk, Glikko, befriends a carrier pigeon named Pippo (pee-poh), who tells Glikko of an enormous forest where chipmunks roam free. Enthralled by the story, Glikko leaves his home in the city and sister in search of the Vast North Forest. Along the way he meets up with another chipmunk named Nono, whom Glikko reluctantly allows to accompany him. On their journey they are faced with dangers such as predators and the Winter climate.
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981)
, 1h30
Directed by Peter Baldwin, Peter Baldwin
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Sports films, Transport films, Basketball films, Disaster films, Films about seafaring accidents or incidents
Actors Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Dawn Wells, Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, David Ruprecht
Roles Thurston Howell III
Rating42% 2.117622.117622.117622.117622.11762
The former castaways own and operate a vacation resort on the formerly-deserted island, called "The Castaways", which was introduced in the previous film, The Castaways on Gilligan's Island. The Harlem Globetrotters, a traveling troupe of merry basketball players, are on a plane ride over the Pacific Ocean when it has engine trouble and they are forced into an emergency landing onto Gilligan's Island. After a brief time struggling in the jungle, they are discovered by Gilligan and Skipper and welcomed to "The Castaways." Meanwhile, J.J. Pierson, a corporate raider and the worst business rival of Thurston Howell III, has a plan to bamboozle the owners of The Castaways (Gilligan and his friends) into signing over ownership to him, as the island contains "supremium", an ore which provides large sources of energy. Eventually Gilligan and the Skipper uncover the conspiracy, with Pierson agreeing to tear up the fraudulent contracts if the Globetrotters play his team, the New Invincibles, which is a team of robot players. Notable sports broadcasters Chick Hearn and Stu Nahan appear as part of the basketball game scene, with Hearn calling the play-by-play action of the climactic showdown. The Globetrotters have no idea how to defeat a team of robots, until Gilligan unknowingly says they have not done any of their fancy tricks, causing the Professor to give a halftime pep talk to the Globetrotters that the New Invincibles would be caught off-guard. The Globetrotters start scoring against the New Invincibles, but when injuries sideline a couple of the players, Gilligan and Skipper must serve as substitute Globetrotters.
C.H.O.M.P.S.
C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979)
, 1h31
Directed by Don Chaffey, Burt Topper
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Comedy
Themes Films about animals, Children's films, Robot films
Actors Wesley Eure, Red Buttons, Valerie Bertinelli, Conrad Bain, Jim Backus, Chuck McCann
Roles Mr. Gibbs
Rating49% 2.459022.459022.459022.459022.45902
Brian Foster (Wesley Eure), a young inventor, creates a robotic dog for use as part of a home protection system. C.H.O.M.P.S. is an acronym for "Canine HOMe Protection System." Ralph Norton (Conrad Bain) is his boss who he constantly argues with. Norton's daughter Casey (Valerie Bertinelli) and Foster develop a relationship. A rival company wants the dog and sends a few petty criminals to dognap "C.H.O.M.P.S."
Angels' Brigade
Angels' Brigade (1979)
, 1h37
Directed by Greydon Clark
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Liza Greer, Margaret Ladd, Sylvia Anderson, Peter Lawford, Neville Brand, Jack Palance
Roles Cmdr. Lindsey March
Rating22% 1.1182051.1182051.1182051.1182051.118205
The movie focuses on seven women who decide to fight the local drug cartel after the brother of Michelle Wilson, a Las Vegas pop singer, is found severely beaten. When taken to the hospital, the young man is found to have been on illegal drugs. The singer meets with April, her brother's teacher, and the two hatch a plan to destroy the local drug processing plant. They recruit four more women with special skills and connections to help them carry out their audacious goal. As they plan their first strike, they discover high-schooler Trish spying on them. The student gets relegated to phone duty, but eventually worms her way into their escapades. The "Angels" not only destroy the processing plant, but also manage to intercept one of the shipments. As a result, the women receive unwelcome attention from the local drug cartel.
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979)
, 1h30
Directed by Earl Bellamy
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Disaster films, Films about seafaring accidents or incidents
Actors Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Dawn Wells, Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Russell Johnson
Roles Thurston Howell III
Rating54% 2.7114352.7114352.7114352.7114352.711435
The movie picks up directly after the end of Rescue from Gilligan's Island. The castaways are once again stranded on the same island that they had been on for so many years. The storm has contaminated all of the underground springs, and they are desperately searching for fresh water. Gilligan stumbles upon a couple of planes that are hidden in the jungle that they had somehow never noticed before during their fifteen years on the island. It is revealed that the island was a base of operations for the Army Air Corps during World War II, and the hangar was abandoned and overgrown by jungle brush. The tidal wave destroyed the foliage and exposed the hangar. The Professor believes that he can combine the two planes into one and fly them all back to civilization. He succeeds in cobbling together an airworthy plane and, dubbing it Minnow III, they head back. This occurs despite the fact that in two different episodes of the original series, it was established that the Professor cannot fly a plane.
The Rebels
The Rebels (1979)
, 4h
Directed by Russ Mayberry
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Historical
Themes Political films
Actors Andrew Stevens, Don Johnson, Kim Cattrall, Doug McClure, Jim Backus, Richard Basehart
Roles John Hancock
Rating63% 3.1948953.1948953.1948953.1948953.194895
Philip Kent takes part in the American Revolution and the newly formed congress.
Good Guys Wear Black
Good Guys Wear Black (1978)
, 1h35
Directed by Ted Post
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Martial arts, Action, Martial arts
Themes Politique, Sports films, Martial arts films, Political films
Actors Chuck Norris, Anne Archer, Soon-Tek Oh, Dana Andrews, James Franciscus, Lloyd Haynes
Roles Albert, the Doorman
Rating51% 2.5532452.5532452.5532452.5532452.553245
Back in 1973, one United States Senator Conrad Morgan (James Franciscus), the chief delegate diplomat in negotiating the terms of the end of Vietnam War, made a deal in Paris, France with Kuong Yen, the North Vietnamese negotiator. The deal called for Yen to release certain key CIA POWs in exchange for Morgan setting up a death-trap for an elite group of CIA assassins, known as the Black Tigers. The treaty signed, the Black Tigers were sent into the jungles of 'Nam to their unknowing demise, under the guise that they were on mission to liberate American POWs. However, the truly important thing to understand is that the negotiators failed to realize one thing: the commando's team leader was one Major John T. Booker (Chuck Norris). So, needless to say and despite all odds, Booker survives. As do the four men wise enough to have remained in his general vicinity.
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978)
, 1h35
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Disaster films, Films about seafaring accidents or incidents
Actors Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Vincent Schiavelli, Dawn Wells, Jim Backus, Art LaFleur
Roles Thurston Howell III
Rating53% 2.6503452.6503452.6503452.6503452.650345
The story picks up 15 years after the original shipwreck. Gilligan has a nightmare about the island melting. The film then notes that far away from Gilligan's Island in an unidentified country (one may assume the U.S.S.R.), a military unit is monitoring a satellite that is experiencing technical problems. The scientists controlling the satellite activate a self-destruct mechanism to prevent the satellite from crashing to Earth, as it contains a disc that holds some very important, top-secret information. The metal disc from the satellite is not destroyed, instead making it through the Earth's atmosphere and landing at the lagoon, eventually being found by Gilligan.
Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon (1977)
, 1h45
Directed by Don Bluth, Don Chaffey
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Films about music and musicians, Films about dragons, Musical films, Children's films, Films about child abuse
Actors Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, Shelley Winters, Sean Marshall
Roles The Mayor
Rating62% 3.149923.149923.149923.149923.14992
In the early 1900s, a young orphan named Pete flees his abusive adoptive hillbilly family, the Gogans. As Lena Gogan and company pursue him ("The Happiest Home in These Hills"), an unseen force, which Pete calls Elliott, knocks them into a mud pit. The next morning, Pete and Elliott, a green and purple dragon who has the power of invisibility, share breakfast ("I Love You, Too") and visit Passamaquoddy, a village where the unseen Elliott, performing clumsy antics, causes Pete to be labeled a source of ill luck. Lampie, the drunken old lighthouse keeper, stumbles out of a tavern and encounters Pete. A mischievous Elliott makes himself visible, and a terrified Lampie runs into the saloon to warn the townsfolk ("I Saw a Dragon"). In a seaside cave, Pete scolds Elliott for causing trouble. Just as they make up, Lampie's daughter Nora appears, having spotted Pete earlier. She says that due to the ongoing tides from the sea, that it's unsafe for Pete to stay, thus leaving Elliott to remain there. She offers him shelter at the lighthouse, and they talk ("It's Not Easy"). Pete learns the story of Nora's fiancé, Paul, whose ship was reported lost at sea the previous year. Pete promises to ask Elliott about Paul, and Nora accepts, believing Elliott to be an imaginary friend.
Crazy Mama
Crazy Mama (1975)
, 1h23
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Comedy-drama, Action, Crime
Actors Cloris Leachman, Stuart Whitman, Ann Sothern, Linda Purl, Jim Backus, Don Most
Roles Mr. Albertson
Rating54% 2.7056952.7056952.7056952.7056952.705695
In 1958, a Long Beach, California beauty parlor run by Melba Stokes (Leachman), her mother Sheba (Ann Sothern) and daughter Cheryl (Linda Purl), is repossessed. They flee when landlord Mr. Albertson comes to demand the back rent.
Friday Foster
Friday Foster (1975)
, 1h29
Directed by Arthur Marks
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action
Actors Pam Grier, Carl Weathers, Eartha Kitt, Paul Benjamin, Thalmus Rasulala, Yaphet Kotto
Roles Enos Griffith
Rating59% 2.9995452.9995452.9995452.9995452.999545
Friday Foster (Grier) is a ex-magazine model turned magazine photographer who refuses to heed her boss's admonitions against becoming involved in the stories to which she is assigned. After witnessing an assassination attempt on the nation's wealthiest African American Blake Tarr (Thalmus Rasulala) and then seeing her best friend Cloris Boston (Miles) murdered, Friday finds herself targeted for death. She teams up with private detective Colt Hawkins (Kotto) to investigate, and soon the two are hot on the trail of a plot to eliminate the country's African-American political leadership.