Jim Backus' Most Popular Character Outside Of Gilligan's Island Was A TV And Movie Hit

Jim Backus, the renowned actor from TV and film, gained his most iconic role as Thurston Howell III on the beloved show Gilligan's Island. However, his voice work extended far beyond that beloved castaway character. For nearly four decades, Backus lent his distinctive voice to the beloved animated character Mr. Magoo. Created by United Productions of America in 1949, the lovable bumbling old man was first seen in an animated short called Ragtime Bear.

Backus took the role of Magoo, an elderly, nearsighted individual with a bulbous nose and squinty eyes, and made it his own. According to animation historian Jim Korkis, Backus based Magoo's voice on a character he played in his nightclub act—a loud-mouthed, dirty old salesman who liked to tell crude jokes. While Backus initially struggled with being typecast as Mr. Magoo, he eventually warmed up to the role.

He even jokingly expressed his desire to "bury the old creep" and land more dramatic roles in movies. Despite the mixed feelings, Backus remained committed to voicing Magoo, often driving around Hollywood with a "Q MAGOO" license plate. Magoo's misadventures were featured in numerous TV specials, theatrical shorts, and his very own animated feature film, 1001 Arabian Nights, in which Magoo played the role of Aladdin's uncle.

Backus also starred in a 1962 holiday special, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, as well as three animated series, The Mr. Magoo Show, The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, and What's New, Mr. Magoo? Backus continued to voice the character until his passing in 1989, leaving behind a legacy of bringing charm and humor to the visually impaired buffoon.