Sort by IMDb Rating - Highest Rated Movies and TV Shows With Jim Backus
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2. Talent Scouts (1962–1963)
60 min | Family
Famous guest celebrities introduced young professionals on this talent show.
Stars: Merv Griffin, Jim Backus, Marty Allen, Jack E. Leonard
Votes: 30
3.
The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo (1964–1965)
Episode:
Mr. Magoo's Rip Van Winkle
(1965)
30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Mr. Magoo steps into the shoes of henpecked husband Rip Van Winkle.
Director: Abe Levitow | Stars: Jim Backus, Howard Morris, Marvin Miller, Everett Sloane
Votes: 68
4. Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady (1982 TV Movie)
60 min | Documentary
An all-star tribute to Natalie Wood by some of her friends and co-workers.
Director: Harry Kooperstein | Stars: Natalie Wood, Lauren Bacall, Jim Backus, Martin Balsam
Votes: 77
5.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Party Line
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
Joan finds she must share a party line with her new neighbor Janet. It turns into a battle of wills as both women want to use the phone as much as they want.
Director: Don Weis | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Sheila Bromley, Dan Tobin
Votes: 10
6. The Gift of the Magi (1978 TV Movie)
Musical
A young Irish-American and his Italian-American bride face poverty and their first Christmas together, in New York City.
Director: Marc Daniels | Stars: Debby Boone, John Rubinstein, Peter Graves, Jim Backus
Votes: 19
7. The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters (1972–1974)
30 min | Comedy
Improvised sketches by Jonathan Winters with guests augmenting the show.
Stars: Jonathan Winters, Lonette McKee, Michelle DellaFave, The Soul Sisters
Votes: 110
8. The Donald O'Connor Show (1968– )
Stars: Donald O'Connor, Richard Dawson, Jerry Lanning, Roberta Sherwood
Votes: 24
9.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Big Louie's Parole
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
A local mobster threatens Judge Stevens over the parole of an incarcerated gang leader. Joan tries to head off the threat by getting a gangster-movie actor to pose as a torpedo from the Eastern Syndicate.
Director: Ezra Stone | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Ben Welden, Lewis Charles
Votes: 13
10.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
The Farm
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
The Stevens disagree on just how to spend a week in the country: Joan prefers the Fairchilds' country estate, while Brad would rather work on a farm.
Director: Ezra Stone | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Sam Hearn, Minerva Urecal
Votes: 10
11.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Masquerade
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
Joan and her friends are invited to a costume party which leads to a dilemma. The husbands disagree with the wives concerning outfits with the result being the men wearing the feminine clothes, the women the masculine.
Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, El Brendel, Geraldine Carr
Votes: 11
12. Here's Hollywood (1960–1962)
30 min | Talk-Show
Hollywood celebrities are interviewed, often at their homes.
Stars: Dean Miller, Helen O'Connell, Jack Linkletter, Joanne Jordan
Votes: 169
13.
The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971)
Episode:
The Clampetts Entertain
(1963)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Jed arranges a party to get Grannie out of her doldrums and invites the Drysdale. But when Mr. Drysdale's boss comes and wants to meet them for dinner, he wonders if he's going to be sent ... See full summary »
Director: Richard Whorf | Stars: Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, Max Baer Jr.
Votes: 118
14.
Maverick (1957–1962)
Episode:
Three Queens Full
(1961)
TV-G | 60 min | Western
Moose and Small Paul Wheelwright? The Subrosa Ranch? Hilarious "Bonanza" parody with Bart squirming in the middle between three naive, pa-whipped brothers and their worldly mail-order ... See full summary »
Director: Michael O'Herlihy | Stars: Jack Kelly, Merry Anders, Kasey Rogers, Allyson Ames
Votes: 84
15.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Changing Houses
(1954)
Not Rated | 25 min | Comedy
The Stevens and the Hendersons agree to swap houses for a week after Joan and Mabel admire each other's wildly different interior decorating efforts.
Director: Ezra Stone | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Geraldine Carr, Hal Smith
Votes: 13
16.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Pop Retires
(1954)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy
Pop thinks he is invited to retire and move in with his daughter,Joan.
Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, El Brendel, Beverly Wills
Votes: 11
17.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Lieutenant General
(1955)
Not Rated | Comedy
Joan tries to pass her neighbor Wally off as an army general married to her sister in order to impress a friend.
Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Jeanne Baird, Mary Jane Croft
Votes: 10
18.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
The Milkman Cometh
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
Joan's friends Charlie and Mabel decide to split up after a fight. Joan, with Brad's help, plots to get them back together using a This Is Your Life format with the help of people they know.
Director: John Rich | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Geraldine Carr, Hal Smith
Votes: 11
19. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
TV-14 | 105 min | Comedy, Talk-Show
Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.
Stars: Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon, Doc Severinsen, Skitch Henderson
Votes: 4,242
20. What's My Line? (1950–1967)
30 min | Family, Game-Show
Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while blindfolded, their identity - by asking only "yes" or "no" questions.
Stars: John Daly, Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf, Dorothy Kilgallen
Votes: 1,769
21. The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour (1968–1978)
TV-G | 55 min | Animation, Comedy
Bugs Bunny and all his cartoon friends are stage performers entertaining audiences with 7 features per show, all of which are classic theatrical cartoons from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
Stars: Mel Blanc, Bea Benaderet, Hal Smith, Jim Backus
Votes: 10,304
22. Bicentennial Minutes (1974– )
1 min | Short, History
Minute-long "on this day in history" shorts, used a countdown to America's bicentennial.
Stars: Walter Cronkite, Cleveland Amory, Edward Asner, Roddy McDowall
Votes: 51
23. The Mouse Factory (1971–1973)
30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Classic Disney cartoons are presented, with each episode featuring a different theme and celebrity host.
Stars: Johnny Brown, Jim Backus, Wally Cox, Kurt Russell
Votes: 102
24.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Monkeyshines
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
Brad brings home a wealthy chimpanzee named Marty.
Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Dick Elliott, Beverly Wills
Votes: 9
25.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
The Letter
(1955)
Not Rated | Comedy
Joan accidentally opens a letter belonging to a neighbor. She goes to unusual lengths to reseal the envelope and get it to the right person without anyone the wiser.
Director: Ezra Stone | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Sheila Bromley, Archer MacDonald
Votes: 11
26.
The Mouse Factory (1971–1973)
Episode:
Paul Bunyan
(1972)
Animation, Comedy, Family
Jim Backus takes a look at legendary folk hero Paul Bunyan.
Star: Jim Backus
Votes: 8
27.
Family Feud (1976–1985)
Episode:
TV's All-Time Favorites Week 2 Game 4: Gilligan's Island vs. Batman
(1983)
TV-G | Game-Show
The theme of today's program is TV's All-Time Favorites Week 2 Game 4: Gilligan's Island Vs. Batman.
Director: Paul Alter | Stars: Richard Dawson, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer
Votes: 16
28. Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974–1975)
TV-PG | 51 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Carl Kolchak is a reporter for a Chicago newspaper. Through more accident than design he ends up investigating homicides, many of which involve supernatural forces. Ultimately, rather than reporting on the crimes, he solves them.
Stars: Darren McGavin, Simon Oakland, Jack Grinnage, Ruth McDevitt
Votes: 6,248
29. Ellery Queen (1975–1976)
TV-PG | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Family
The son of a police detective solves baffling crimes.
Stars: Jim Hutton, David Wayne, Tom Reese, John Hillerman
Votes: 1,559
30. Playhouse 90 (1956–1961)
90 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Of the many anthology series, this is considered the most ambitious with outstanding talent in front of the camera. Attracting top ranked directors and scripts, it was often filmed live including the entire first season.
Stars: Richard Joy, Paul Lambert, Helen Kleeb, Charles Bickford
Votes: 419
31. Stump the Stars (1947– )
30 min | Game-Show
Television's first treatment of "Charades" as played by Hollywood celebrities. The giveaway was the use of gestures that defined "film", "TV show", "book" or "song" as well as "small word (... See full summary »
Stars: Mike Stokey, Vincent Price, Sebastian Cabot, Beverly Garland
Votes: 107
32. The Steve Allen Show (1968–1971)
90 min | Comedy, Talk-Show
Stars: Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Pat Harrington Jr., Bob Einstein
Votes: 31
33.
The Late Show (1986–1988)
Episode:
Episode dated 18 May 1988
(1988)
Comedy, Talk-Show
Ross Shafer hosts the entire original cast of Gilligan's Island for a special reunion including Tina Louise.
Stars: Jim Backus, Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Arsenio Hall
Votes: 9
34.
Police Story (1973–1980)
Episode:
Odyssey of Death: Part 1
(1976)
60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Detectives Stoddard and Bagney look for a man involved in an armed grocery store robbery after he shoots and maims Officer Phillips, a personal friend of Stoddard.
Director: Don Medford | Stars: Robert Stack, Brock Peters, Ed Lauter, Robert Sampson
Votes: 35
35.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Dancing Lessons
(1954)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy
Joan takes dancing lessons but can't get Brad interested until he meets beautiful instructor Carlotta. Joan tries to make her husband jealous by getting privately taught by the suave Hernando. But it all backfires on Joan.
Director: Ezra Stone | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, William Forrest, Verna Felton
Votes: 11
36.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Lateness
(1953)
TV-PG | 23 min | Comedy
Joan's consistent lateness irritates Brad.
Director: Marc Daniels | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Geraldine Carr, Bob Jellison
Votes: 13
37.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Missing Witnesses
(1954)
Not Rated | Comedy
Brad is worried when two important witnesses can't be found during an important trial he's presiding over. Joan decides to help by locating missing duo with chaotic results.
Director: John Rich | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus
Votes: 8
38. Match Game (1973–1990)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Game-Show
The five-day-a-week syndicated successor to the popular CBS game show, where two could compete to match fill-in-the-blank phrases with those of the celebrities.
Stars: Gene Rayburn, Johnny Olson, Brett Somers, Richard Dawson
Votes: 2,479
39. The Tonight Show Starring Jack Paar (1957–1962)
105 min | Comedy, Family, Talk-Show
Originally airing during late-night, Tonight Starring Jack Paar was an American talk show hosted by Jack Paar under the Tonight Show franchise from 1957 to 1962. After 1959, it was officially known as The Jack Paar Show.
Stars: Hugh Downs, Jose Melis, Jack Paar, Cliff Arquette
Votes: 324
40. Merrie Melodies: Starring Bugs Bunny and Friends (1990–1993)
23 min | Animation, Family, Comedy
In celebration of Bugs Bunny's fiftieth birthday, this television series, broadcast on weekdays, consisted of classic cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny and other characters conceived by the ... See full summary »
Stars: Mel Blanc, Arthur Q. Bryan, June Foray, Daws Butler
Votes: 1,475
41. All Star Revue (1950– )
60 min | Comedy
This early comedy program started off with a rotating cast of four famous comedians, each of whom would take turns hosting the show. The program format was similar to that of a Vaudeville ... See full summary »
Stars: Jimmy Durante, Eddie Jackson, Jack Roth, Danny Thomas
Votes: 170
42. The John Gary Show (1966– )
60 min | Comedy, Music
Singer John Gary was the star and the host of this summer variety show that was filling in during the summer of 1966 for the Danny Kaye Show. It was a balanced mix of Music and Comedy. Two ... See full summary »
Stars: John Gary, Avery Schreiber, Tim Conway, Joanie Sommers
Votes: 15
43.
Police Story (1973–1980)
Episode:
The Return of Joe Forrester
(1975)
73 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Detective Joe Forrester must go back to the rough area that was his old beat to try and catch a serial rapist.
Director: Virgil W. Vogel | Stars: Jim Backus, Lloyd Bridges, Pat Crowley, Tom Drake
Votes: 17
44.
What's My Line? (1950–1967)
Episode:
Patti Page
(1957)
30 min | Family, Game-Show
John Daly has moderated without missing a single show for seven and a half years. This is his 381 consecutive appearance which Bennett Cerf says is an eternity in television. However, Daly ... See full synopsis »
Director: Franklin Heller | Stars: Arlene Francis, Jim Backus, Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf
Votes: 29
45.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
Alienation of Affections
(1954)
Not Rated | 25 min | Comedy
Joan innocently comes between stranger and his wife.
Director: Ezra Stone | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Geraldine Carr, Hal Smith
Votes: 14
46.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
The Stamp
(1953)
Not Rated | 23 min | Comedy
Joan uses a valuable stamp in Brad's collection to mail a letter.
Director: Marc Daniels | Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Bernard Gorcey
Votes: 13
47.
I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Episode:
The Threat
(1953)
Not Rated | Comedy
After seeing a movie in which a judge is killed by a man he sentenced, Joan overreacts to the news of the release of a man convicted in one of Brad's early trials.
Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Bob Sweeney
Votes: 10
48.
The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo (1964–1965)
Episode:
Mr. Magoo's Doctor Frankenstein
(1965)
30 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
Mr. Magoo (appearing later in the role of Victor Frankenstein) gives us a quick overview of the Mary Shelley classic novel "Frankenstein."
Director: Abe Levitow | Stars: Jim Backus, Paul Frees, Joan Gardner
Votes: 19
49. Person to Person (1953–1961)
30 min | Documentary, News, Talk-Show
Interviews with figures from public life.
Stars: Edward R. Murrow, Charles Collingwood, Jayne Meadows, Jerry Lewis
Votes: 223
50. Conflict (1956–1957)
60 min | Drama
This anthology series focused on characters at odds or having struggles in life. Alternating with Warner Brothers westerns, the episodes were set in various centuries and different casts.
Stars: Gig Young, Rex Reason, Will Hutchins, James Garner
Votes: 37