February 25
MISTER MAGOO DAY
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Mr. Magoo was born on this day in 1913 ... well, not really. It’s the birthday of Mr. Magoo’s voice, actor Jim Backus. The actor, who bore no resemblance to the extremely nearsighted, Rutgers College pennant-waving, elderly Magoo, brought him to life once John Hubley created him in 1949. Backus’ raspy, Mr. Magoo voice is immediately recognizable to ’toon aficionados the world over.Mr. Backus entire persona is also immediately recognizable to Gilligan’s Island fans. From 1964 to 1967 (with reruns, it seems much longer than 4 seasons), He played the role of Thurston Howell III in CBS-TV’s popular Gilligan’s Island series; and returned for several sequels, the first, Rescue from Gilligan’s Island aired in 1978 and was a big hit. (Later versions did not fare as well; although one can catch them in reruns on late-night TV.)
Jim (James Gilmore) Backus starred in I Married Joan from 1952 through 1955; was the first host of Talent Scouts in 1962 and played the role of Dagwood’s boss, Mr. Dithers, in the 1968 version of Blondie. Jim Backus appeared in many films including: The Great Lover in 1949, Rebel Without a Cause in 1955, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World in 1963, Angel’s Brigade in 1979 and Slapstick of Another Kind in 1984.
This is just a sampling of the entertainment brought to us by the man whose career spanned several decades of radio, film and TV until his death on July 3, 1989. We miss you, Mr. Quincy Magoo.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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