Want to know the best Jim Backus movies? How about the worst Jim Backus movies? Curious about Jim Backus box office grosses or which Jim Backus movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Jim Backus movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well, you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
Jim Backus (1913-1989) was an American supporting actor. Backus was best known for playing Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom Gilligan’s Island, playing James Dean’s father in Rebel Without a Cause, and providing the voice of nearsighted cartoon character Mr. Magoo. His IMDb page shows 252 acting credits from 1948 to 1992. This page will rank Ward Bond movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. To do well in our overall rankings a movie has to do well at the box office, get good reviews by critics, be liked by audiences, and get some award recognition.
Jim Backus Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Jim Backus Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies any way you want.
- Sort Jim Backus movies by his co-stars
- Sort Jim Backus movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Jim Backus movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort Jim Backus movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Jim Backus movie received.
- Sort Jim Backus movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
Jim Backus’s Adjusted World Wide Box Office Grosses
Possibly Interesting Facts About Jim Backus
1. James Gilmore Backus was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1913.
2. One of Jim Backus teachers in grade school was Margaret Hamilton, who would later play the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939).As an older student Jim Backus attended Kentucky Military Institute, which is outside Louisville, Kentucky. He was expelled from the Institute for riding a horse through the mess hall.
3. Jim Backus later got enrolled at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan and graduated from there in 1933.
4. Jim Backus rose to fame in the radio program The Alan Young Show (1940). He played a character called Hubert Updyke III.
5. Jim Backus’ character Hubert Updyke III from fact #4, was one of the main influences for his character Thurston Howell III on Gilligan’s Island.
6. In 1949, Jim Backus was selected to lend his voice to a cartoon character called Quincy Magoo. He would provide the voice for Mr. Magoo for many many years.
7. Years later, when Jim Backus was a frequent talk show guest, he would recount the time Marilyn Monroe urgently beckoned him into her dressing room. Henny Backus, Jim’s wife, recalled the story: “Jim was in the 1952 film Don’t Bother to Knock, with Marilyn Monroe. He came home one night during the filming and told me that Miss Monroe in her most seductive breathy voice asked him to meet her in her dressing room. His curiosity got the better of him and he went. Once there, she exclaimed like an excited child, ‘Do Mr. Magoo!’ And Jim did.”
8. Jim Backus 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.
9. Jim Backus proved his multi-talented persona by writing some novels. He authored ‘Rocks on the Roof’ on his own in 1958. He wrote several other books jointly with his wife, Henny including ‘What Are You Doing After the Orgy’ (1962) and ‘Backus Strikes Back’ (1984). The first book was about their marriage and the life experiences and the second one is about his battle with the Parkinson’s disease.
10. Jim Backus was the only person ever to play opposite himself on the three major networks (ABC, CBS & NBC) of that period. He was on Mister Magoo, Gilligan’s Island and The Hollywood Squares, at the same time.
Bonus Round: An avid golfer, Jim Backus made the 36-hole cut at the 1964 Bing Crosby Pro-Am tournament in Pebble Beach, California.
Check out Jim Backus’ career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
Jim Backus played Mr. Dithers on the short-lived 1968 TV series Blondie. His wife Henny played Cora Dithers in 3 episodes.
Jim Backus is no longer on the Oracle of Bacon top 1000. He was # 532 on the first top 1000. Jim is the # 256 most connectible actor of the 1950’s and the # 402 most connected of the 1960’s.
These are the actors on the 2021 list he has appeared with.
2 MICHAEL CAINE Hurry Sundown (1967)
10 DENNIS HOPPER Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
13 MORGAN FREEMAN Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? (1968)
16 ERNEST BORGNINE The Square Jungle (1955)
27 FRANK WELKER Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972)
56 RODDY MCDOWELL Hello Down There (1969)
57 GEORGE KENNEDY Hurry Sundown (1967)
72 CLAUDIA CARDINALE Don’t Make Waves (1967)
73 CLINT EASTWOOD Francis in the Navy (1955)
79 SHIRLEY MACLAINE Ask Any Girl (1959)
79 SHIRLEY MACLAINE John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
89 JOHN CARRADINE Myra Breckinridge (1970)
97 ROBERT MITCHUM Angel Face (1952)
97 ROBERT MITCHUM His Kind of Woman (1951)
111 JACK PALANCE Angels’ Brigade (1979)
116 RIP TORN Critic’s Choice (1963)
118 MARC LAWRENCE Johnny Cool (1963)
120 DAVID NIVEN Ask Any Girl (1959)
123 ORSON WELLES Slapstick (Of Another Kind) (1982)
123 ORSON WELLES The Enchanted Journey (1984)
125 PETER USTINOV John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
146 SHELLEY WINTERS Pete’s Dragon (1977)
153 MICKEY ROONEY Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970)
153 MICKEY ROONEY It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
153 MICKEY ROONEY Pete’s Dragon (1977)
153 MICKEY ROONEY The Big Operator (1959)
159 FAYE DUNAWAY Hurry Sundown (1967)
167 HENRY SILVA Johnny Cool (1963)
190 DENNIS QUAID Crazy Mama (1975)
194 CLORIS LEACHMAN Crazy Mama (1975)
195 KIRK DOUGLAS Top Secret Affair (1957)
213 MARTIN BALSAM There Goes the Bride (1980)
226 KURT RUSSELL Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972)
247 BILL PAXTON Crazy Mama (1975)
249 DAN HEDAYA Myra Breckinridge (1970)
258 KEENAN WYNN The Great Man (1956)
258 KEENAN WYNN The Naked Hills (1956)
284 RICHARD DREYFUSS Hello Down There (1969)
286 PETER FALK It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
306 LESLIE NIELSEN The Opposite Sex (1956)
311 BURGESS MEREDITH Hurry Sundown (1967)
324 JACK LEMMON You Can’t Run Away from It (1956)
325 ED BEGLEY JR. Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972)
330 ANNE BANCROFT Don’t Bother to Knock (1952)
335 JAMES GARNER Boys’ Night Out (1962)
335 JAMES GARNER The Girl He Left Behind (1956)
335 JAMES GARNER The Wheeler Dealers (1963)
342 JOSE FERRER Deep in My Heart (1954)
342 JOSE FERRER The Great Man (1956)
342 JOSE FERRER The High Cost of Loving (1958)
382 CHARLES BRONSON Pat and Mike (1952)
383 RICHARD BURTON Ice Palace (1960)
396 CLAIRE BLOOM The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
426 DICK MILLER Crazy Mama (1975)
435 CESAR ROMERO Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972)
440 JOSEPH COTTEN Half Angel (1951)
467 WILLIAM SHATNER Operation Bikini (1963)
472 TONY CURTIS Don’t Make Waves (1967)
472 TONY CURTIS The Square Jungle (1955)
478 CLIFF ROBERTSON My Six Loves (1963)
478 CLIFF ROBERTSON Sunday in New York (1963)
482 GLENN FORD Advance to the Rear (1964)
488 JANE FONDA Hurry Sundown (1967)
488 JANE FONDA Sunday in New York (1963)
497 TELLY SAVALAS John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
497 TELLY SAVALAS Johnny Cool (1963)
501 JAMES BROLIN John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
508 TERI GARR John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
518 GRAHAM STARK There Goes the Bride (1980)
536 STUART WHITMAN Crazy Mama (1975)
538 VINCENT PRICE His Kind of Woman (1951)
545 BRITT EKLAND Advance to the Rear (1964)
553 PAM GRIER Friday Foster (1975)
554 PETER LAWFORD Angels’ Brigade (1979)
557 RICHARD WIDMARK Don’t Bother to Knock (1952)
563 JOAN COLLINS The Opposite Sex (1956)
590 DUB TAYLOR Don’t Make Waves (1967)
590 DUB TAYLOR You Can’t Run Away from It (1956)
592 WOODY STRODE Androcles and the Lion (1952)
606 GEORGE TAKEI ICE PALACE (1960)
623 SALLY KIRKLAND Crazy Mama (1975)
646 RAQUEL WELCH Myra Breckinridge (1970)
655 SHIRLEY KNIGHT Ice Palace (1960)
656 WILFRID HYDE-WHITE John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
680 LESLIE CARON The Man with a Cloak (1951)
714 KATHLEEN FREEMAN Myra Breckinridge (1970)
714 KATHLEEN FREEMAN The Errand Boy (1961)
734 JAMES WHITMORE Above and Beyond (1952)
749 ANNE ARCHER Good Guys Wear Black (1978)
761 ROBERT WEBBER Don’t Make Waves (1967)
768 JOHN HUSTON Myra Breckinridge (1970)
788 FRANK SINATRA Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
795 BRODERICK CRAWFORD There Goes the Bride (1980)
801 RICHARD CRENNA John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
810 ROBERT RYAN Ice Palace (1960)
818 ROD TAYLOR Ask Any Girl (1959)
818 ROD TAYLOR Sunday in New York (1963)
847 DEBBIE REYNOLDS I Love Melvin (1953)
847 DEBBIE REYNOLDS My Six Loves (1963)
848 GENA ROWLANDS The High Cost of Loving (1958)
863 JOHN DEHNER Critic’s Choice (1963)
864 ROLAND CULVER The Great Lover (1949)
876 ALDO RAY Pat and Mike (1952)
892 TERRY-THOMAS It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
892 TERRY-THOMAS The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962)
892 TERRY-THOMAS Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? (1968)
910 WALTER PIDGEON Deep in My Heart (1954)
911 YAPHET KOTTO Friday Foster (1975)
921 MADELINE KAHN Slapstick (Of Another Kind) (1982)
925 JACK ELAM Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County (1970)
926 MIKE MAZURKI It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
926 MIKE MAZURKI The Errand Boy (1961)
926 MIKE MAZURKI Zotz! (1962)
933 CAMERON MITCHELL Prince Jack (1985)
979 JOHN CRAWFORD Hollywood Story (1951)
Jim appeared with 33 Oscar winners.
ANNE BANCROFT Don’t Bother to Knock (1952)
BRODERICK CRAWFORD There Goes the Bride (1980)
CLIFF ROBERTSON My Six Loves (1963)
CLIFF ROBERTSON Sunday in New York (1963)
CLORIS LEACHMAN Crazy Mama (1975)
DAVID NIVEN Ask Any Girl (1959)
DOROTHY MALONE Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
DOROTHY MALONE The Killer That Stalked New York (1950)
ERNEST BORGNINE The Square Jungle (1955)
ETHEL BARRYMORE Deadline – U.S.A. (1952)
FAYE DUNAWAY Hurry Sundown (1967)
FRANK SINATRA Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
GEORGE KENNEDY Hurry Sundown (1967)
GIG YOUNG Ask Any Girl (1959)
HUMPHREY BOGART Deadline – U.S.A. (1952)
JACK ALBERTSON YOU CAN’T RUN AWAY FROM IT (1956)
JACK LEMMON You Can’t Run Away from It (1956)
JACK PALANCE Angels’ Brigade (1979)
JAMES CAGNEY Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
JANE FONDA Hurry Sundown (1967)
JANE FONDA Sunday in New York (1963)
JOSE FERRER Deep in My Heart (1954)
JOSE FERRER The Great Man (1956)
JOSE FERRER The High Cost of Loving (1958)
KATHARINE HEPBURN Pat and Mike (1952)
KIM HUNTER Deadline – U.S.A. (1952)
LORETTA YOUNG Half Angel (1951)
MARTIN BALSAM There Goes the Bride (1980)
MELVYN DOUGLAS Advance to the Rear (1964)
MICHAEL CAINE Hurry Sundown (1967)
MORGAN FREEMAN Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? (1968)
PATTY DUKE Billie (1965)
PETER USTINOV John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
RED BUTTONS C.H.O.M.P.S (1979)
RED BUTTONS Pete’s Dragon (1977)
RICHARD DREYFUSS Hello Down There (1969)
SHELLEY WINTERS Pete’s Dragon (1977)
SHIRLEY MACLAINE Ask Any Girl (1959)
SHIRLEY MACLAINE John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
SPENCER TRACY It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
SPENCER TRACY Pat and Mike (1952)
I think you should change the Ward Bond comment above in paragraph 2..
I have seen 24 Jim Backus movies.
The HIGHEST rated movie I have seen is Rebel Without a Cause.
The highest rated movie I have NOT seen is The Great Lover.
The LOWEST rated movie i have seen is Advance to the Rear
Favourite Jim Backus Movies:
Rebel Without a Cause
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Pete’s Dragon
Man of a Thousand Faces
I’ll See You in My Dreams
Deep in My Heart
His Kind of Woman
Boy’s Night Out
Don’t Bother to Knock
Bright Victory
Sunday in New York
Angel Face
Deadline – USA
The Man With a Cloak
Other Jim Backus Movies I Have Seen;
Pat and Mike
Above and Beyond
Meet Me in Las Vegas
The Wheeler Dealers
I Want You
The Opposite Sex
I Love Melvin
The Girl He Left Behind
M
Advance to the Rear