James Gilmore Backus was an American actor, voice actor, and author. He is best known for appearing in films and television series like ‘The Square Jungle’ and ‘Gilligan's Island.’ As a voice actor, he performed in radio shows, such as ‘The Jack Benny Program’ and ‘The Mel Blanc Show.’ Backus started performing in radio shows in the 1940s, before entering the film industry. He is best remembered for lending his voice to a fictional cartoon character named Mr. Magoo. He is also known for playing Thurston Howell III in the series ‘Gilligan’s Island.’ After playing Thurston, Backus was offered similar roles, and he became a typecast as an actor. He broke his stereotypical on-screen image by playing Frank Stark in the American drama film ‘Rebel Without a Cause.’ Some of his other notable performances include his portrayal of Hubert Updike III in the radio version of ‘The Alan Young Show’ and Bradley Stevens in the American situation comedy television series ‘I Married Joan.’ He co-authored many books, including his autobiography, ‘Forgive Us Our Digressions: An Autobiography.’