Trivia

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 (1939).

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 voice was actress Lenore Kingston. 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.

When Backus was doing radio plays, one of his characters Hubert Updyke III would become the basis for Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island (1964).

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1735 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.

Suffered from Parkinson's disease in later years and had to be carried into Gilligan's Island (1964) creator Sherwood Schwartz's 70th birthday party in 1987 because he could not manage the steps into Schwartz's house.

In November 1957, Eva Gabor was his landlady - he sublet her New York City apartment.

Attended the Kentucky Military Institute. One of his classmates was future fellow actor Victor Mature.

Jim Backus passed away on July 3, 1989, six months before his Gilligan's Island (1964) co-star Alan Hale Jr.'s death. He was the first cast member of the situation comedy to die.

He provided the voice of Wally the Bird on the Western Airlines commercials of the 1950s. His one-liner was simply "Western Airlines, the O-O-ONLY way to fly." He repeated this line in It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963).

Best remembered by the public for his roles as the voice of Mr. Quincy Magoo and as Thurston Howell III on the situation comedy Gilligan's Island (1964).

Was the first choice to play Abner Kravitz on Bewitched (1964), but turned down the role, as he was already working on Gilligan's Island (1964). The role went to George Tobias.

Used to work as a radio announcer in New York City.

Had appeared with Natalie Wood in four films: Father Was a Fullback (1949), The Rose Bowl Story (1952), Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and The Girl He Left Behind (1956).

Following his death, he was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.

He not only played Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island (1964), once he also did a double-role, portraying a man, that impersonated Thurston Howell III, but was a criminal, in Will the Real Mr. Howell Please Stand Up? (1966). The man later falls off a yacht, while drinking wine from a lady's slipper.

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

He was the only person ever to play opposite himself on the three major networks of that period. He was on Mister Magoo, Gilligan's Island and The Hollywood Squares, at the same time.

Had played the same character (Thurston Howell III) on three different series: Gilligan's Island (1964), The New Adventures of Gilligan (1974) and Gilligan's Planet (1982).

Had appeared with Mickey Rooney in four films: The Big Operator (1959), It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963), The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970) and Pete's Dragon (1977).

Had appeared with Charles McGraw in four films: Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950), His Kind of Woman (1951), The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962) and It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963).

Attended and graduated from University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio.

Attended and graduated from Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Ohio.

He was once roommates with Martin Gabel.

Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. pg. 34-35. New York: Facts on File (1992). ISBN 0816023387.

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 43-45. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons (1999).

Graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) (1933).

Second husband of Betty Kean.

Ex-brother-in-law of Jean Kean.