Jim Backus: movies and TV shows
Jim Backus has 238 credits in the archive: 164 films and 74 TV series, from 1948 to 2022. Highest rated: Hallmark Hall of Fame (8.8/10).
Career timeline
1948 – 2022 · busiest year: 1956 (16 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | The Unknown Story | Self - archive footage | TV | — | 109 |
| 2005 | Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents | Himself (uncredited) | Film | — | 92 |
| 1987 | Hollywood's Hidden Secrets | Self | Film | — | 74 |
| 1986 | The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show | TV | 7.9 | 73 | |
| 1985 | Prince Jack | Dealy | Film | 9.0 | 72 |
| 1982 | Slapstick of Another Kind | President of the U.S. | Film | 3.0 | 69 |
| 1982 | Gilligan's Planet | Thurston Howell, III (voice) | TV | 5.7 | 69 |
| 1982 | Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady | Film | 6.0 | 69 | |
| 1981 | Hill Street Blues | Mr. Magoo (archive footage) (uncredited) | TV | 7.6 | 68 |
| 1981 | The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | Film | 5.2 | 68 |
| 1980 | The Gossip Columnist | Jim Backus | Film | 7.3 | 67 |
| 1980 | There Goes The Bride | Mr. Perkins | Film | 7.0 | 67 |
| 1979 | $weepstake$ | Major Adams | TV | — | 66 |
| 1979 | Eischied | TV | 7.0 | 66 | |
| 1979 | The Rebels | John Hancock | TV | 10.0 | 66 |
| 1979 | Angels' Brigade | Cmdr. Lindsey March | Film | 3.1 | 66 |
| 1979 | C.H.O.M.P.S. | Mr. Gibbs | Film | 5.0 | 66 |
| 1979 | The Castaways on Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | Film | 6.6 | 66 |
| 1978 | Fantasy Island | Cap Truman | TV | 6.5 | 65 |
| 1978 | Flying High | TV | 6.3 | 65 | |
| 1978 | Good Guys Wear Black | Albert, the Doorman | Film | 5.1 | 65 |
| 1978 | Rescue from Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell III | Film | 4.6 | 65 |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Marvin Waterman | TV | 6.3 | 64 |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Mr. Landers | TV | 6.3 | 64 |
| 1977 | CHiPs | Weitzman | TV | 6.8 | 64 |
| 1977 | Pete's Dragon | The Mayor | Film | 6.3 | 64 |
| 1977 | What's New, Mr. Magoo? | Mr. Magoo (voice) | TV | 7.5 | 64 |
| 1977 | Never Con a Killer | Stanley Bunch | Film | 10.0 | 64 |
| 1977 | Have I Got a Christmas for You | Kevin Grady | Film | — | 64 |
| 1976 | Charlie's Angels | Iggy | TV | 6.7 | 63 |
| 1975 | Ellery Queen | Howard Biggers | TV | 7.5 | 62 |
| 1975 | Joe Forrester | TV | 7.0 | 62 | |
| 1975 | Mobile One | Macklin | TV | 5.0 | 62 |
| 1975 | Friday Foster | Enos Griffith | Film | 6.1 | 62 |
| 1975 | Crazy Mama | Mr. Albertson | Film | 5.6 | 62 |
| 1975 | Cop on the Beat | Jake Mandel | Film | 4.7 | 62 |
| 1974 | Harry O | Ziggy | TV | 5.2 | 61 |
| 1974 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker | TV | 7.7 | 61 | |
| 1974 | Chico and the Man | TV | 6.1 | 61 | |
| 1974 | The New Adventures of Gilligan | Thurston Howell III (voice) | TV | 5.6 | 61 |
| 1974 | Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus | Narrator / Santa Claus (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 61 |
| 1974 | Goodnight Jackie | Mr. Landry | Film | — | 61 |
| 1973 | Police Story | TV | 7.0 | 60 | |
| 1973 | Police Story | Jake Mandel | TV | 7.0 | 60 |
| 1973 | The Girl Most Likely To... | Prof. David Tilson | Film | 6.6 | 60 |
| 1973 | Miracle on 34th Street | Shellhammer | Film | 7.0 | 60 |
| 1972 | Now You See Him, Now You Don't | Timothy Forsythe | Film | 6.3 | 59 |
| 1972 | Getting Away from It All | Mike Lorimar | Film | 10.0 | 59 |
| 1972 | Magic Carpet | George Benson | Film | 9.0 | 59 |
| 1972 | Of Thee I Sing | Senator Robert F. Lyons | Film | 7.0 | 59 |
| 1971 | Alias Smith and Jones | TV | 7.0 | 58 | |
| 1971 | Mooch Goes to Hollywood | Jim Backus | Film | 4.8 | 58 |
| 1971 | Mooch Goes to Hollywood | Film | 4.8 | 58 | |
| 1970 | Nanny and the Professor | Dr. Charles Walters | TV | 6.7 | 57 |
| 1970 | Myra Breckinridge | Doctor | Film | 4.5 | 57 |
| 1970 | The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County | Staunch | Film | 6.8 | 57 |
| 1970 | Uncle Sam Magoo | Mr. Magoo | Film | 10.0 | 57 |
| 1969 | Love, American Style | Jerry Franks | TV | 6.2 | 56 |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Bill | TV | 6.6 | 56 |
| 1969 | Medical Center | TV | 6.4 | 56 | |
| 1969 | The Brady Bunch | Zaccariah | TV | 6.7 | 56 |
| 1969 | The Barbara McNair Show | Self | TV | — | 56 |
| 1969 | Hello Down There | T.R. Hollister | Film | 5.9 | 56 |
| 1969 | Wake Me When the War Is Over | Colonel | Film | 5.2 | 56 |
| 1968 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Self (uncredited) | TV | 6.8 | 55 |
| 1968 | The Mod Squad | Emile Wade | TV | 6.1 | 55 |
| 1968 | The Good Guys | TV | 7.0 | 55 | |
| 1968 | Blondie | J.C. Dithers /Mr. Dithers | TV | 7.0 | 55 |
| 1968 | Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? | Tru-Blue Lou | Film | 5.3 | 55 |
| 1967 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Self | TV | 7.4 | 54 |
| 1967 | Accidental Family | TV | 6.5 | 54 | |
| 1967 | Hurry Sundown | Carter Sillens | Film | 6.4 | 54 |
| 1967 | Don't Make Waves | Self (uncredited) | Film | 5.2 | 54 |
| 1967 | Damn Yankees | Benny Van Buren | Film | 5.3 | 54 |
| 1966 | Continental Showcase | Self - Host | TV | 10.0 | 53 |
| 1965 | The Wild Wild West | Fabian Swanson | TV | 7.6 | 52 |
| 1965 | I Dream of Jeannie | General Fitzhugh | TV | 7.8 | 52 |
| 1965 | Billie | Howard G. Carol | Film | 5.0 | 52 |
| 1965 | John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! | Whitepaper | Film | 3.8 | 52 |
| 1965 | Fluffy | Sergeant | Film | 7.0 | 52 |
| 1964 | Daniel Boone | Will Scataway | TV | 7.0 | 51 |
| 1964 | Gilligan's Island | Thurston Howell, III | TV | 7.4 | 51 |
| 1964 | The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | TV | 6.7 | 51 |
| 1964 | Advance to the Rear | Gen. Willoughby | Film | 5.2 | 51 |
| 1964 | Rendezvous in Space | Moon (voice) | Film | — | 51 |
| 1964 | Mr. Magoo in Sherwood Forest | Mr. Magoo | Film | — | 51 |
| 1964 | Mr. Magoo, Man of Mystery | Mr. Magoo | Film | — | 51 |
| 1963 | Burke's Law | Harold Mason | TV | 6.3 | 50 |
| 1963 | Burke's Law | Pork Pie Hannigan | TV | 6.3 | 50 |
| 1963 | Burke's Law | Herkimer Witt | TV | 6.3 | 50 |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trial | Sam Thayer | TV | 8.3 | 50 |
| 1963 | Espionage | McAvoy | TV | 10.0 | 50 |
| 1963 | It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World | Tyler Fitzgerald | Film | 7.0 | 50 |
| 1963 | Johnny Cool | Louis Murphy | Film | 5.3 | 50 |
| 1963 | Sunday in New York | Chief Pilot Drysdale | Film | 6.8 | 50 |
| 1963 | A Child Is Waiting | Hot Dog Vendor (uncredited) | Film | 6.8 | 50 |
| 1963 | The Wheeler Dealers | Bullard Bear | Film | 6.3 | 50 |
| 1963 | Critic's Choice | Dr. William Von Hagedorn | Film | 5.6 | 50 |
| 1963 | Operation Bikini | Bosun's Mate Ed Fennelly | Film | 3.8 | 50 |
| 1963 | My Six Loves | Sheriff | Film | 5.7 | 50 |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson | Self | TV | 7.5 | 49 |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin Show | Self | TV | 6.6 | 49 |
| 1962 | The Beverly Hillbillies | Marty Van Ransohoff | TV | 6.9 | 49 |
| 1962 | Boys' Night Out | Peter Bowers | Film | 5.9 | 49 |
| 1962 | The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm | The King (segment "The Dancing Princess") | Film | 5.9 | 49 |
| 1962 | The Horizontal Lieutenant | Cmdr. Jeremiah Hammerslag | Film | 5.2 | 49 |
| 1962 | Zotz! | Horatio Kellgore | Film | 5.5 | 49 |
| 1962 | Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol | Mr. Quincy Magoo / Ebenezer Scrooge (voice) | Film | 6.3 | 49 |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self | TV | 5.8 | 48 |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show | Self - Co-Host | TV | 5.8 | 48 |
| 1961 | Cain's Hundred | Karl Bigger | TV | 5.3 | 48 |
| 1961 | The Dick Powell Show | Monte | TV | 5.7 | 48 |
| 1961 | Magoo Meets Frankenstein | Mr. Magoo | Film | — | 48 |
| 1960 | The Mr. Magoo Show | Mr Magoo (voice) | TV | 6.6 | 47 |
| 1960 | The Jim Backus Show | TV | 9.0 | 47 | |
| 1960 | Ice Palace | Dave Husack | Film | 6.3 | 47 |
| 1960 | I Was a Teenage Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | — | 47 |
| 1960 | Tom, Dick and Harriet | James | Film | — | 47 |
| 1960 | Inside Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) / Self | Film | — | 47 |
| 1959 | The Untouchables | William Norbert | TV | 8.0 | 46 |
| 1959 | Ask Any Girl | Mr. Maxwell | Film | 6.5 | 46 |
| 1959 | Bwana Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 9.0 | 46 |
| 1959 | Magoo's Lodge Brother | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 9.0 | 46 |
| 1959 | The Wild and the Innocent | Mr. Forbes | Film | 6.3 | 46 |
| 1959 | Magoo’s Homecoming | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 9.0 | 46 |
| 1959 | 1001 Arabian Nights | Uncle Abdul Azziz Magoo (voice) | Film | 6.6 | 46 |
| 1959 | A Princess for Magoo | Narrator | Film | — | 46 |
| 1959 | The Big Operator | Cliff Heldon | Film | 6.0 | 46 |
| 1959 | A Private's Affair | Jim Gordon | Film | 4.7 | 46 |
| 1959 | Merry Minstrel Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 9.0 | 46 |
| 1959 | Terror Faces Magoo | Mr. Magoo | Film | 5.7 | 46 |
| 1959 | Magoo Meets Boing Boing (The Noise-Making Boy) | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | — | 46 |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip | Maury Samuels | TV | 7.2 | 45 |
| 1958 | Gumshoe Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | Magoo’s Three-Point Landing | Mr. Magoo / Air Traffic Controller / Sully (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | The Explosive Mr. Magoo | Mr Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | Macabre | Sheriff Jim Tyloe | Film | 6.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | The High Cost of Loving | Paul Mason | Film | 6.6 | 45 |
| 1958 | Magoo's Young Manhood | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | Scoutmaster Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | Magoo’s Cruise | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 45 |
| 1958 | Love Comes to Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 45 |
| 1957 | Maverick | Joe Wheelwright | TV | 6.9 | 44 |
| 1957 | Tonight Starring Jack Paar | Self | TV | 7.5 | 44 |
| 1957 | Matador Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 44 |
| 1957 | Top Secret Affair | Col. Homer W. Gooch | Film | 4.9 | 44 |
| 1957 | Man of a Thousand Faces | Clarence Locan | Film | 6.8 | 44 |
| 1957 | The Pied Piper of Hamelin | King's Emissary | Film | 5.6 | 44 |
| 1957 | Magoo Goes Overboard | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.3 | 44 |
| 1957 | Magoo Breaks Par | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 44 |
| 1957 | Eighteen and Anxious | Harvey Graham | Film | 7.0 | 44 |
| 1957 | Magoo Saves the Bank | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 44 |
| 1957 | Rock Hound Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 44 |
| 1957 | Magoo's Private War | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 44 |
| 1957 | Magoo's Moose Hunt | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 6.3 | 44 |
| 1957 | Magoo's Masquerade | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 3.3 | 44 |
| 1956 | The Gale Storm Show | Arthur Hutchins | TV | 6.7 | 43 |
| 1956 | Conflict | Dandy Summers | TV | 8.0 | 43 |
| 1956 | The Opposite Sex | Psychiatrist | Film | 5.4 | 43 |
| 1956 | You Can't Run Away from It | Danker | Film | 5.1 | 43 |
| 1956 | Meet Mother Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 10.0 | 43 |
| 1956 | The Girl He Left Behind | Sgt. Hanna | Film | 4.5 | 43 |
| 1956 | Meet Me in Las Vegas | Tom Culdane | Film | 4.5 | 43 |
| 1956 | The Naked Hills | Willis Haver | Film | 4.6 | 43 |
| 1956 | Magoo's Problem Child | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 10.0 | 43 |
| 1956 | Magoo's Canine Mutiny | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.7 | 43 |
| 1956 | The Great Man | Nick Cellantano | Film | 5.0 | 43 |
| 1956 | Magoo's Puddle Jumper | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 5.7 | 43 |
| 1956 | Trailblazer Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.0 | 43 |
| 1956 | Magoo Goes West | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.5 | 43 |
| 1956 | Calling Doctor Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 43 |
| 1956 | Magoo Beats the Heat | Mr. Magoo(voice) | Film | 10.0 | 43 |
| 1955 | Matinee Theater | TV | 5.3 | 42 | |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke | Reverend Sims | TV | 6.7 | 42 |
| 1955 | The Millionaire | Henry Banning | TV | 5.8 | 42 |
| 1955 | Rebel Without a Cause | Frank Stark | Film | 7.5 | 42 |
| 1955 | Francis in the Navy | Commander Hutch | Film | 5.6 | 42 |
| 1955 | The Square Jungle | Pat Quaid | Film | 6.1 | 42 |
| 1955 | Magoo Express | Mr. Magoo | Film | 6.7 | 42 |
| 1955 | Magoo Makes News | Mr. Magoo | Film | 6.5 | 42 |
| 1955 | Madcap Magoo | Mr. Magoo | Film | 8.0 | 42 |
| 1954 | Climax! | Detective Herman | TV | 3.8 | 41 |
| 1954 | The George Gobel Show | Self | TV | 7.8 | 41 |
| 1954 | Destination Magoo | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 8.5 | 41 |
| 1954 | Destination Magoo | Film | 8.5 | 41 | |
| 1954 | Deep in My Heart | Ben Judson | Film | 6.7 | 41 |
| 1954 | When Magoo Flew | Mr. Magoo/Pilot (voice) | Film | 6.7 | 41 |
| 1953 | Geraldine | Jason Ambrose | Film | 6.0 | 40 |
| 1953 | Above and Beyond | Gen. Curtis E. LeMay | Film | 6.2 | 40 |
| 1953 | Angel Face | District Attorney Judson | Film | 7.1 | 40 |
| 1953 | I Love Melvin | Mergo | Film | 6.2 | 40 |
| 1952 | I Married Joan | Judge Bradley Stevens | TV | 7.5 | 39 |
| 1952 | Don't Bother to Knock | Peter Jones | Film | 6.6 | 39 |
| 1952 | Hotsy Footsy | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.5 | 39 |
| 1952 | Deadline - U.S.A. | Jim Cleary | Film | 6.9 | 39 |
| 1952 | Androcles and the Lion | Centurion | Film | 5.9 | 39 |
| 1952 | Here Come the Nelsons | Joe Randolph | Film | 7.0 | 39 |
| 1952 | Pat and Mike | Charles Barry | Film | 6.4 | 39 |
| 1952 | Pink and Blue Blues | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 5.9 | 39 |
| 1952 | The Rose Bowl Story | Michael "Iron Mike" Burke | Film | 4.3 | 39 |
| 1952 | Pete Hothead | Lavery the Floorwalker/Mailman (uncredited) | Film | 8.0 | 39 |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Kevin Grady | TV | 8.8 | 38 |
| 1951 | Bungled Bungalow | Mr. Magoo | Film | 10.0 | 38 |
| 1951 | Half Angel | Michael Hogan | Film | 6.2 | 38 |
| 1951 | Grizzly Golfer | Mr. Magoo | Film | 6.5 | 38 |
| 1951 | The Man with a Cloak | Flaherty | Film | 6.8 | 38 |
| 1951 | His Kind of Woman | Myron Winton | Film | 6.8 | 38 |
| 1951 | Hollywood Story | Mitch Davis | Film | 6.7 | 38 |
| 1951 | Bright Victory | Bill Grayson | Film | 7.1 | 38 |
| 1951 | M | The Mayor | Film | 6.5 | 38 |
| 1951 | I Want You | Harvey Landrum | Film | 5.3 | 38 |
| 1951 | I'll See You in My Dreams | Sam Harris | Film | 4.9 | 38 |
| 1951 | Barefaced Flatfoot | Mr. Magoo | Film | 7.0 | 38 |
| 1951 | Plutopia | Milton the Cat | Film | 5.9 | 38 |
| 1951 | Iron Man | Max Watkins | Film | 6.2 | 38 |
| 1951 | Fuddy Duddy Buddy | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 6.5 | 38 |
| 1950 | Robert Montgomery Presents | Lucus Edgerton | TV | 6.0 | 37 |
| 1950 | What's My Line? | Self | TV | 7.0 | 37 |
| 1950 | The Colgate Comedy Hour | Self | TV | 6.9 | 37 |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatre | Harry | TV | 6.7 | 37 |
| 1950 | Spellbound Hound | Mr. Magoo | Film | 9.0 | 37 |
| 1950 | Trouble Indemnity | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 6.2 | 37 |
| 1950 | Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town | Joseph "Little Joe" Rogers | Film | 6.5 | 37 |
| 1950 | Emergency Wedding | Ed Hamley | Film | 6.0 | 37 |
| 1950 | The Killer That Stalked New York | Willie Dennis (uncredited) | Film | 6.2 | 37 |
| 1950 | Customs Agent | Shanghai Chief Agent Thomas Jacoby | Film | 10.0 | 37 |
| 1950 | The Popcorn Story | Narrator | Film | 6.5 | 37 |
| 1950 | Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthy | Magistrate Backus | Film | — | 37 |
| 1949 | Ragtime Bear | Mr. Magoo (voice) | Film | 7.2 | 36 |
| 1949 | A Dangerous Profession | Police Lt. Nick Ferrone / Narrator (voice) | Film | 5.7 | 36 |
| 1949 | The Great Lover | Higgins | Film | 7.1 | 36 |
| 1949 | Father Was a Fullback | Professor Sullivan | Film | 6.3 | 36 |
| 1949 | Easy Living | Dr. Franklin | Film | 5.7 | 36 |
| 1949 | One Last Fling | Howard Pritchard | Film | 4.8 | 36 |
| 1948 | Studio One | Tim McTaggart | TV | 5.4 | 35 |
| 1948 | A-Lad-in His Lamp | Smokey the Genie (voice) (uncredited) | Film | 7.2 | 35 |
| 1948 | Where Will You Hide? | Narrator | Film | — | 35 |
| Animation Mavericks: The Forgotten Story of UPA | Self / Mr. Magoo (archive footage, audio) | Film | — | — |