James Backus

James Gilmore Backus, born on February 25, 1913, an American actor, is best known for his portrayal of Thurston Howell III in the 1960s sitcom Gilligan's Island, the father of James Dean's character in Rebel Without a Cause, and the voice of the cartoon character Mr. Magoo. His career spanned over five decades, with various roles that typically depicted an upper-class persona. Backus also starred in The Jim Backus Show and voiced Hubert Updike III on The Alan Young Show.

Backus gained popularity as the voice of Mr. Magoo, a nearsighted character he brought to life in various shows from 1964 to 1977. He is also known for his entertaining encounter with Marilyn Monroe during the filming of Don't Bother to Knock, where she asked him to perform Mr. Magoo in her dressing room. He had a notable radio presence in the postwar era, frequently appearing on The Jack Benny Program and starring in The Jim Backus Show on the ABC Radio Network.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he was raised in Bratenahl as the only son of Russell Gould Backus and Daisy Taylor Backus. Backus graduated from University School in Shaker Heights and began his acting career in 1940, taking on the role of millionaire aviator Dexter Hayes in Society Girl on CBS. His on-screen presence was enhanced by his unique voice, leading to roles in films like A Dangerous Profession, Deadline – U.S.A., Pat and Mike, Rebel Without a Cause, and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Backus portrayed Thurston Howell III across all three seasons of Gilligan's Island from 1964 to 1967, and in several reunion films later, although his last appearance in 1981 was limited due to Parkinson's disease. He also voiced the character in two animated adaptations of the series. He continued to revive Mr. Magoo's character in different shows throughout his career.

Aside from his signature roles, Backus guest-starred in The Brady Bunch, playing an old gold prospector, and appeared in the final season of Gunsmoke. With his wife, Henny Backus, he co-wrote several humorous books, including his autobiography ...Only When I Laugh and the memoir Backus Strikes Back. They also collaborated on the family film Mooch Goes to Hollywood.

Backus's creativity extended to music, producing novelty records in the late 1950s and a comedy album titled The Dirty Old Man in 1974. He contributed his voice as God in the 1971 rock opera Truth of Truths, and he appeared in several television commercials, lending his voice to promote General Electric and later becoming the spokesman for La-Z-Boy furniture.

In the late 1980s, he participated in a nostalgic advertisement for Orville Redenbacher's popcorn with his former co-star Natalie Schafer, marking their final television appearance together. Both actors made an appearance on The Late Show with Ross Shafer, reuniting with the cast of Gilligan's Island in 1988, despite being in frail health.

Backus passed away on July 3, 1989, in Los Angeles from pneumonia complications after living for years with Parkinson's disease, leaving behind a legacy in acting, voice work, and humor that remains influential in American entertainment.

George Axelrod

George Axelrod was born on June 9, and was a notable American screenwriter and producer, recognized for his impactful contributions to film and theater. His most famous work, the play The Seven Year Itch (1952), was adapted into a successful film starring Marilyn Monroe. Axelrod earned an Academy Award nomination for his adaptation of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and also adapted Richard Condon's The Manchurian Candidate.

Born in New York City to Beatrice Carpenter, a silent film actress, and Herman Axelrod, who was involved in real estate, Axelrod had a diverse heritage with a Russian Jewish father and a mother of Scottish and English descent. He fathered four children, including lawyer Peter Axelrod and actress Nina Axelrod, and was the grandfather of actor Taliesin Jaffe.

Axelrod began his career in summer stock theater as a stage manager and actor before serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II. Upon returning, he wrote for various radio programs, including The Shadow and Midnight, transitioning into television with over 400 credited scripts. Notable comedians like Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were among those for whom he wrote.

The Seven Year Itch debuted on Broadway on July 15, 1952, and its success led to the 1955 film adaptation directed by Billy Wilder, where the plot was altered to depict the husband’s fantasies instead of an actual affair. Axelrod's follow-up success was Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1955), a Faustian comedy that starred Jayne Mansfield, but he was disappointed by the film adaptation that deviated from his original story.

In the late 1950s to early 1960s, Axelrod continued to make a name for himself with the comic play Goodbye Charlie, starring Lauren Bacall, and its subsequent film version with Debbie Reynolds. During this period, Axelrod was among Hollywood's highest-paid screenwriters. His adaptation of The Manchurian Candidate (1962) is particularly lauded, and despite its initial removal from circulation post-JFK's assassination, it regained acclaim in 1988.

Axelrod’s other works include the original screenplay for How to Murder Your Wife (1965) and directorial efforts in Lord Love a Duck (1966) and The Secret Life of an American Wife (1968). After a hiatus, he contributed to a remake of The Lady Vanishes (1979) and later worked on scripts for The Holcroft Covenant (1985) and The Fourth Protocol (1987).

In addition to screenwriting, Axelrod published three novels: Blackmailer (1952), a darkly comedic mystery; Beggar's Choice (1947), a comedy about role reversal; and Where Am I Now When I Need Me? (1971), humorously exploring Hollywood life. George Axelrod passed away on June 21, 2003, at the age of 81, after a prolonged illness, leaving a significant legacy in American cinema and theater. His body was cremated following his death at home in Los Angeles.

Hyman Jack Averback

Hyman Jack Averback was born on October 21, 1920 and was a notable American actor, producer, and director in radio, television, and film. Born in Minneapolis and moving to California at nine, he graduated from Edward Clark Academy Theater in 1938 and began his career as an announcer at KMPC Beverly Hills before World War II. During the war, he entertained troops in the Pacific with his Armed Forces Radio Service program, creating the character Tokyo Mose.

Averback's career took off after he announced for the Jack Paar radio show in 1947, subsequently working with Bob Hope on NBC and several other radio shows, including The Sealtest Village Store and Let's Talk Hollywood. He was also an actor on the Jack Benny radio show starting in 1948 and starred in Secret Mission in 1952, with multiple roles in Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar in 1955.

In television, Averback performed comedy on shows like The Saturday Night Revue and I Love Lucy, and was a recurring cast member in the sitcom Our Miss Brooks. He transitioned into directing in the late 1950s, helming episodes for several popular series such as The Real McCoys and The Dick Powell Show. He directed shows including The Man from U.N.C.L.E., McCloud, and M*A*S*H, and produced Mrs. G. Goes to College and co-produced the sitcom F Troop.

His voice was featured in M*A*S*H, with a recording from a Bob Hope show used in the series. Averback co-narrated The Story of Life, an educational film released in 1948, and had film roles including Willard Alexander in The Benny Goodman Story. He directed films such as Chamber of Horrors and I Love You, Alice B. Toklas. Averback died on October 14, 1997, at age 76 and was buried in Westwood Memorial Park.

Gene Autry

Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), known as the Singing Cowboy, was a multifaceted American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner. Born near Tioga, Texas, and growing up in Ravia, Oklahoma, he worked on his family's ranch and later became a telegrapher for the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway after leaving home in 1925. Autry honed his singing and guitar skills during his midnight shifts, leading to a significant turning point when humorist Will Rogers encouraged him to pursue a professional singing career.

Following this encouragement, Autry traveled to New York in 1928 to audition for the Victor Talking Machine Company. Though initially turned down due to business reasons rather than talent, he left with a letter of introduction and advice to gain more experience. He began performing as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy" on a Tulsa radio station, leading to a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1929. He worked on the WLS-AM radio show National Barn Dance for four years, making significant connections in the industry, including with singer-songwriter Smiley Burnette.

Autry's early recordings spanned various genres, including labor songs and "hillbilly" style tracks. His first hit emerged in 1932 with "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine," co-written with Jimmy Long. As his film career grew, so did his record sales, culminating in more than 640 recordings, over 300 of which he wrote or co-wrote. His unofficial theme song became "Back in the Saddle Again," and his records have sold over 100 million copies, marking him as a prominent figure in American music history with numerous gold and platinum records.

Gene Autry is particularly associated with Christmas music, with perennial favorites such as "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Frosty the Snowman," and his biggest hit, "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." He wrote "Here Comes Santa Claus" following his role as Grand Marshal of the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade, drawing inspiration from the crowd's excitement. He recorded the song in 1947, solidifying its classic status.

In the late 1950s, Autry expanded his influence in the music industry by founding Challenge Records, where he recorded other artists. The label achieved success with "Tequila" by The Champs, which ignited the rock and roll instrumental craze. He later sold the label, but it remained known for its distinctive maroon (later green) label featuring "GA" in a shield. Autry’s diverse contributions to entertainment have left a lasting legacy in American culture.

Autry and Burnette were discovered by Nat Levine in 1934, making their debut in "In Old Santa Fe" as a singing cowboy quartet. Autry starred in the 12-part serial "The Phantom Empire" in 1935 and, with the absorption of Mascot by Republic Pictures, he made 44 films by 1940, primarily low-budget Westerns featuring his horse Champion and sidekick Burnette. Autry's films garnered immense success, prompting other studios to produce their own singing cowboy movies. By 1940, he was Republic’s top star with increasingly elaborate and expensive films.

In the Motion Picture Herald's Money-Making Western Stars poll, Autry ranked each year from 1936 to 1954, holding first place from 1937 to 1942 and second place afterward. He also appeared in the Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll of all films from 1940 to 1942. Autry launched his Gene Autry Flying "A" Ranch Rodeo show in 1940.

During World War II, Autry served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, broadcasting a radio show and facing competition from the promotion of Roy Rogers as "King of the Cowboys" during his absence. Republic reissued Autry’s films to maintain his public presence. After the war, the courts ruled in favor of Republic, leading to his return and the completion of his contract, where he was branded as the "King of the Singing Cowboys."

In 1947, Autry transitioned to Columbia Pictures, where he established his own production unit. His longtime sidekick Burnette was busy with other projects, so Autry partnered with Pat Buttram, who co-starred in over 40 films and 100 episodes of Autry’s television show. Autry created Flying A Productions in 1951 to have more control over his projects. Columbia distributed Autry's films through 1953 and later reissued them.

From 1940 to 1956, Autry hosted "Gene Autry's Melody Ranch" on CBS Radio, alongside radio and television series featuring Champion. He developed the Cowboy Code, emphasizing ethics and patriotism, which appealed to youth organizations. The Cowboy Code included principles such as honesty, respect for others, and a duty to help those in distress.

Starting in 1950, Autry produced and starred in his television show on CBS. He was actively involved during World War II, becoming a tech sergeant and later a flight officer, participating in dangerous operations over the Himalayas.

Autry retired from show business in 1964 after a prolific career, including nearly 100 films and over 600 records. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Post-retirement, he invested in real estate and media ventures, including ownership of a TV station in Phoenix that produced local children's programming.

Following the financial troubles of Republic Pictures, Autry acquired the rights to his films, enabling him to control their distribution for home release. Gene Autry passed away on October 2, 1998, from lymphoma at his home in Studio City, California. He was interred at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery, with an epitaph honoring him as "America's Favorite Cowboy" and recognizing his multifaceted contributions as a philanthropist, veteran, and media entrepreneur.

Arthur Auerbach

Arthur Auerbach, born on May 17, 1903, known as "Mr. Kitzel," was an American comic actor and professional photographer. He gained fame on the Al Pearce radio show in 1937 and became a staple of the Jack Benny radio show for 12 years, also making appearances on The Abbott and Costello radio show in the 1940s. Auerbach initially worked with Phil Baker before joining the Jack Benny program. Alongside his acting career, he served as a reporter and photographer for the New York tabloid Daily Mirror and the New York Daily News, covering high-profile stories like the Lindbergh kidnapping and the Hall–Mills murder case. His photography fame included an incident involving an unauthorized picture of a person in the electric chair.

His comedic character, Mr. Kitzel, was inspired during an assignment at a Bronx drug store when he heard a man with a strong Yiddish accent singing "Yes, Sir, That’s My Baby." Auerbach took the character’s traits and developed Mr. Kitzel, whose name translates to "to tickle or make laugh" in Yiddish. The character was further influenced by the druggist Maurice Adolff, who became a close friend. Despite his budding career in comedy, Auerbach remained uncertain about leaving journalism, only taking temporary leaves from his newspaper job.

Discovered by Phil Baker due to his unique dialect humor, Auerbach made his stage debut in the Broadway revue Calling All Stars in 1934. Initially submitting comedy sketches, he transitioned to performing them himself, showcasing Mr. Kitzel for the first time. Auerbach was later involved in The Goldbergs and its predecessor, House of Glass, and played roles in CBS's The Wonder Show alongside notable stars like Lucille Ball.

His biggest success came from the Jack Benny Program, where he was introduced as Mr. Kitzel in 1946, originally as a hot dog vendor. His catchphrase "De pickle in de middle mit de mustard on top" became widely recognized, leading to a novelty song in late 1946. He earned accolades like being named Man of the Year by the National Pickle Packers Association. Auerbach's unique charm lay in his friendly rapport with Jack Benny, distinguishing him from other characters. Mr. Kitzel persistently appeared even as the show transitioned from radio to television until Auerbach's passing in 1957.

Robert Arthur Jr.

Robert Arthur Jr. was born on November 10, 1909. He was an American writer and editor known for crime fiction and speculative fiction. He significantly contributed to The Mysterious Traveler radio series and created The Three Investigators, a popular young adult mystery series. Arthur and collaborator David Kogan won three Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for their radio scripts, with adaptations for Alfred Hitchcock's TV show as well. Born in the Philippines, Arthur moved frequently during his childhood due to his father's military career. He initially enrolled at West Point but shifted to the College of William & Mary, later transferring to the University of Michigan, where he earned a B.A. in English in 1930 and an M.A. in Journalism in 1932.

Arthur's stories appeared in numerous magazines, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. He wrote several mystery novels for children and young adults, with The Three Investigators series gaining the most recognition, initially marketed as "Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators." In 1959, he relocated to Hollywood, transitioning to screenplays and television scripts. His notable radio work included Dark Destiny and The Sealed Book. He received Edgar Awards for his excellence in radio drama in 1950, 1951, and 1953. Arthur passed away at fifty-nine in Philadelphia and was buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

Jon Arthur

Jonathan Arthur Goerss (1918–1982), known as Jon Arthur, was an American entertainer and the host of the children's radio series Big Jon and Sparkie. Sparkie, voiced by Arthur at a sped-up rate, was a little elf wanting to be a real boy. Born in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, to a Lutheran minister and his wife, he was a third-generation German-American. Arthur began his broadcasting career after attending radio school, starting at WJLS in Beckley, West Virginia, in 1939, before moving westward.

In Cincinnati, he began the Big Jon and Sparkie show, which aired daily on ABC stations starting in 1950. His Saturday show, No School Today, attracted 12 million weekly listeners on 275 stations, featuring "Teddy Bears' Picnic" as its theme. Arthur, with scriptwriter Don Kortekamp, developed Sparkie from a character that interrupted him on-air. The program, with Arthur voicing various characters and Kortekamp providing storylines inspired by his childhood, became popular. However, in 1951, the show moved to new studios after WSAI did not renew its contract.

No School Today included Sparkie's recounting of Captain Jupiter's episodic adventures, often referencing his foes and inviting listener participation in the birthday segment, signified by the song "Happy Birthday, Friend." Although the program did not transition successfully to television, it aired on the Family Radio Network for two decades (1962–1982). Kortekamp even considered remarketing the characters in new stories.

The radio program was adapted into the Big Jon and Sparkie comic book, published by Alden Getz for Ziff-Davis, and also inspired The Daily Weekly newspaper giveaway. The characters were parodied in Mad magazine. During the 1960s, Arthur worked at WKRC in Cincinnati, and his life was featured on the radio show Unshackled. Arthur passed away in Alameda County, California, in 1982.