Jim Backus
Jim Backus ( born February 25, 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio; † July 3, 1989 in Los Angeles, California; actually James Gilmore Backus ) was an American actor and voice actor.
Career
Jim Backus began his Hollywood career in the late 1940s. His voice became known after 1949 millions of Americans, as he borrowed the cartoon character Mr. Magoo. This character he spoke to in the 1970s. Another well-known cartoon character, which he dubbed, is Smoky the Genie from Bugs Bunny. He also played as an actor in numerous television productions and feature films, for example, as a supporting actor in the Tracy / Hepburn comedy Pat and Mike ( 1952). 1952-55 he stepped to the side of Joan Davis in the NBC sitcom I Married Joan, and embodied in 1955 in ... for they know not what they do the Father James Deans.
From 1960 to 1961 Backus had his own Comedy Series: Hot Off the Wire was subtitled The Jim Backus Show. From 1964 to 1967 he starred in the sitcom Gilligan's Iceland millionaire " Thurston Howell III ". This role coined his image most enduring, and he also played in the 1970s and 1980s in many of the successor productions. In the animated adaptations of the series (The New Adventures of Gilligan, 1974-77 and Gilligan's Planet, 1982-83 ) he spoke Howell also.
In addition, Backus had until his death a frequent guest appearances in various television series, including Gunsmoke, three girls and three boys and Charlie's Angels. He also appeared in movies such as the comedy A totally, totally crazy world (1963 ), Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? (1968), There's a crash, it hisses, To have seen is nothin ' (1972 ) or the fantasy film musical Pete's Dragon (1977 ) on. But Backus was also in serious roles, such as defeating the Dark (1951 ), Temptation 809 (1952 ) or ... for they know not what they do (1955 ) can be seen.
With his wife, Henny Backus, he also wrote several humorous books. Also on record Backus was successful, he published in the late 1950s, the two singles Delicious and Cave Man.
Jim Backus died in 1989 from the effects of pneumonia. He was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame can be found at the address 1735 Vine Street.