HWOF

Jim Backus

Source: nndb.com

Jim Backus was one of the few actors to do it all: radio, Broadway, movies, television and cartoons. After attending prep school in his native Cleveland, Backus enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, to hone his trade. While waiting for parts, he did radio and became friends with such future notables as Garson Kanin and Keenan Wynn. It was not long before Backus began his motion picture career in addition to his radio career. He was typecast in roles as “rich types” but broke the mold when he portrayed James Dean’s father in the classic Rebel Without a Cause (1955). With his career on the rise, Backus also tackled two roles that he would be best known for, “Mr. Magoo” in cartoons and “Thurston Howell III” in the 1960s hit 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”.

• Born: James Gilmore Backus February 25, 1913 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
• Died: July 3, 1989 (aged 76) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Occupation: Actor
• Years active: 1937–1989
• Spouse: Henny Backus (m. 1943–1989) «start: (1943)–end+1: (1990)»“Marriage: Henny Backus to Jim Backus” Location: (linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Backus)

Read more about Jim Backus at Wikipedia or at the Internet Movie Database

'Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol' to screen at Aero Theatre
LA Times Entertainme, 2010-12-18 08:00:00
The first animated yuletide special features the voice of Jim Backus."Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol," the first animated yuletide special, premiered on NBC in 1962 and introduced a lot of youngsters to Charles Dickens' beloved "A Christmas Carol." Featuring a melodic score by Broadway composers Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, and ...

TV Junkie: PaleyFest2011 Announced; More DVDs & Podcasts
LAist - News from LA, 2010-12-16 23:00:48
Last Christmas we saw a leather couch give birth to a greased-up Danny DeVito. What will we see in tonight's Christmas double-header from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" at 10pm on FX The Paley Center for Media has announced some of the lineup for PaleyFest2011. Shows to be highlighted include ...