James Gilmore "Jim" Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American radio, television, film, and
voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of nearsighted cartoon character
Mr. Magoo, the rich Hubert Updike III on the radio version of
The Alan Young Show,
Joan Davis's character's husband (a domestic court judge) on TV's
I Married Joan,
James Dean's character's father in
Rebel Without a Cause, and
Thurston Howell, III on the 1960s sitcom
Gilligan's Island. He also starred in his own show of one season,
The Jim Backus Show, also known as
Hot off the Wire.