Jim Backus was born James Gilmore Backus on February 25, 1913 in Cleveland, Ohio. He was one of the few actors to do it all: radio, Broadway, movies, television and cartoons. After attending preparatory school in his hometown Cleveland, Backus enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Art, to ply his trade. While waiting for parts, he did radio and became friends with such future notables as 'Garson Kanin' . After the series' run ended, he continued doing guest spots on television and movies, before passing away on July 3, 1989.
Following his death, he was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.
One of his teachers in grade school was Margaret Hamilton , who would later play the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz .
Attended the Kentucky Military Institute. One of his classmates was future fellow actor Victor Mature.
Used to work as a radio announcer in New York City.
When Backus was doing radio plays, one of his characters Hubert Updyke III would become the basis for Thurston Howell III on "Gilligans Island" .
Was an avid golfer.
Biography in: "Whos Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. pg. 34-35. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387
He was once roommates with Martin Gabel.
He not only played Thurston Howell III on "Gilligans Island" , once he also did a double-role, portraying a man, that impersonated Thurston Howell III, but was a criminal, in "Gilligans Island" {Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up? } . The man later falls off a yacht, while drinking wine from a ladys slipper.
He reached the United States Top 40 Pop charts for a couple of weeks in 1958 with his novelty recording, "Delicious!" on Jubilee Records featuring instrumental backing from Appleknocker and His Group. The female part was comedienne Phyllis Diller. It was basically the two of them taking a drink of champagne and exclaiming "Delicious!". As the record progresses, they get drunker and giddier, slurring the word and laughing hysterically.
He provided the voice of Wally the Bird on the Western Airlines ads of the 1950s. His one-liner was simply "Western Airlines, the O-O-ONLY way to fly." He repeated this line in Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World .
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives." Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 43-45. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1999.
Was the first choice to play Abner Kravitz on "Bewitched" , but turned down the role, as he was already working on "Gilligans Island" .
Suffered from Parkinsons disease in later years and had to be carried into "Gilligans Island" creator Sherwood Schwartz s 70th birthday party in 1987 because he could not manage the steps into Schwartzs house.
In November 1957, Eva Gabor was his landlady - he sublet her New York City apartment.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1735 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
Had played the same character (Thurston Howell III) on three different series: "Gilligans Island" , "The New Adventures of Gilligan" and "Gilligans Planet" .
Had appeared with Charles McGraw in four films: Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town , His Kind of Woman , The Horizontal Lieutenant and Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World .
Had appeared with Mickey Rooney in four films: The Big Operator , Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World , Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County and Petes Dragon .
Had appeared with Natalie Wood in four films: Father Was a Fullback , The Rose Bowl Story (1952) , Rebel Without a Cause and The Girl He Left Behind .
Best remembered by the public for his roles as the voice of Mr. Magoo and as Thurston Howell III on "Gilligans Island" .
Jim Backus passed away on July 3, 1989, six months before his "Gilligans Island" co-star Alan Hale Jr. s death.
Second husband of Betty Kean. Ex-brother-in-law of Jean Kean.
Many a man owes his success to his first wife and his second wife to his,success.
