Mr. Magoo (known by his full name: J. Quincy Magoo) is a fictional
cartoon
A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently animated, in an unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved over time, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or series of images ...
character created at the
UPA animation studio in 1949. Voiced by
Jim Backus
James Gilmore Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American actor. Among his most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom '' Gilligan's Island,'' the father of James Dean's character in ''Rebel Without a Cause ...
, Mr. Magoo is an elderly, wealthy, short-statured retiree who gets into a series of comical situations as a result of his extreme
near-sightedness
Near-sightedness, also known as myopia and short-sightedness, is an eye disease where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include ...
, compounded by his stubborn refusal to admit the problem. However, through uncanny streaks of luck, the situation always seems to work itself out for him, leaving him no worse than before. Bystanders consequently tend to think that he is a
lunatic
Lunatic is an antiquated term referring to a person who is seen as mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, or crazy—conditions once attributed to "lunacy". The word derives from ''lunaticus'' meaning "of the moon" or "moonstruck".
History
The ter ...
, rather than just being near-sighted. In later cartoons, he is also an actor, and generally a competent one, except for his visual impairment.
''Magoo'' episodes were nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
The Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film is an award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) as part of the annual Academy Awards, or Oscars, since the 5th Academy Awards (with different names), covering the year ...
three times, and received the award twice, for ''
When Magoo Flew
''When Magoo Flew'' is a 1954 animated short produced by UPA for Columbia Pictures. Directed by Pete Burness and produced by Stephen Bosustow, ''When Magoo Flew'' won the 1955 Oscar for Short Subjects (Cartoons). In addition, it was the first ...
'' (1954) and ''Magoo's Puddle Jumper'' (1956).
In 2002, ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' ranked Mr. Magoo number 29 on its "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time" list.
History
Mr. Magoo's first appearance was in the theatrical short cartoon "The Ragtime Bear" (1949), scripted by
Millard Kaufman Millard Kaufman (March 12, 1917 – March 14, 2009) was an American screenwriter and novelist. His works include the Academy Award-nominated ''Bad Day at Black Rock'' (1955). He was also one of the creators of Mr. Magoo.
Early life
Kaufman ...
. His creation was a collaborative effort; animation director
John Hubley
John Kirkham Hubley (May 21, 1914 – February 21, 1977) was an American animation director, art director, producer and writer known for his work with the United Productions of America , United Productions of America (UPA) and his own independent ...
is said to have partly based the character on his uncle Harry Woodruff, and
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield (January 29, 1880 – December 25, 1946), better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler, and writer. Fields's comic persona was a misanthropic and hard-drinking egotist who remained a sympathe ...
was another source of inspiration. In a legend circulating among medievalists,
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
professor
Francis P. Magoun is also said to have been the model for the character. However, there is no evidence that artist Hubley knew the scholar.
Columbia was reluctant to release the short, but did so, only because it included a bear. However, audiences quickly realized that the real star was Magoo, one of the few "human" cartoon characters ever produced in Hollywood at the time. The short became a box-office success.
The Magoo character was originally conceived as a mean-spirited reactionary. Hubley, who had created Magoo, handed the series completely over to creative director
Pete Burness
Wilson D. "Pete" Burness (June 16, 1904 – July 21, 1969) was an American animator and animation director. He was perhaps best known for his work on the Mr. Magoo series. He also contributed to the ''Tom and Jerry'' series, ''Looney Tunes'', ...
. Under Burness, Magoo won two
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for the studio with ''
When Magoo Flew
''When Magoo Flew'' is a 1954 animated short produced by UPA for Columbia Pictures. Directed by Pete Burness and produced by Stephen Bosustow, ''When Magoo Flew'' won the 1955 Oscar for Short Subjects (Cartoons). In addition, it was the first ...
'' (1955) and ''
Magoo's Puddle Jumper
''Magoo's Puddle Jumper'' is a 1956 animated short produced by UPA for Columbia Pictures. Directed by Pete Burness and produced by Stephen Bosustow, ''Magoo's Puddle Jumper'' won the 1957 Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People ...
'' (1956). Burness scrubbed Magoo of his meanness and left only a few strange comments that made him appear senile or somewhat mad. At the same time, art director
Sterling Sturtevant
Sterling Sturtevant (1922–1962) was a designer and art director for animated cartoons in an era in which few women were worked in Hollywood animation. Some of her early work was done under her married name Sterling Glasband.
Biography
Sturtevant ...
, one of the few women working in animation at the time, redesigned the character's appearance.
[Abraham, Adam (2012)]
When Magoo Flew: The Rise And Fall Of Animation Studio UPA
Wesleyan University Press. . Retrieved 28 Aug 2022. Magoo was frequently accompanied in his on-screen escapades with his nephew Waldo, voiced at various times by either
Jerry Hausner
James Bernard Hausner (May 20, 1909 – April 1, 1993),DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 122-123. known professionally as Jerry ...
or
Daws Butler
Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Ho ...
.
In 1957, the record album ''Magoo in
Hi-Fi'' was released. Side 1 consisted of a dialogue between Magoo and Waldo taking place while Magoo was attempting to set up his new
sound system. Music on the album was composed and conducted by
Dennis Farnon
Dennis Farnon (13 August 1923 – 21 May 2019) was a Canadian musical arranger, composer and orchestra conductor.
Dennis Farnon was born in 1923 in Toronto, Canada as John Denis Farnon to Robert and Elsie Farnon (née Menzies). He grew up in a m ...
and his orchestra. Side 2, "The Mother Magoo Suite", was a series of musical pieces which included two solos by
Marni Nixon
Margaret Nixon McEathron (February 22, 1930 – July 24, 2016), known professionally as Marni Nixon, was an American soprano and ghost singer for featured actresses in musical films. She is now recognized as the singing voice of leading ac ...
.
In 1959, Mr. Magoo starred in ''
1001 Arabian Nights
''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( ar, أَلْفُ لَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْلَةٌ, italic=yes, ) is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the ''Arabian ...
'', directed by
Jack Kinney
John Ryan Kinney (March 29, 1909 – February 9, 1992)Lenburg (2006), pp. 180 was an American animator, director and producer of animated shorts. Kinney is the older brother of fellow Disney animator Dick Kinney.
Early life
Jack Kinney was bor ...
, UPA's first feature-length production.
In 1994, a
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...
game starring Mr. Magoo was in development and planned to be published by
Millennium Interactive
Guerrilla Cambridge (formerly SCE Studio Cambridge) was a British video game developer based in Cambridge, England. The studio was founded under Sony Computer Entertainment in July 1997 through the buyout of the game development division of Cyb ...
but never released.
In 1997, the live action comedy film ''
Mr. Magoo'' was produced by Walt Disney Pictures on December 25, 1997 and starred
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen (11 February 192628 November 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters.
Nielsen was bo ...
as the title character. The film received negative reviews from critics.
In 2010, a
direct-to-video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
action-comedy film based on the character, ''
Kung Fu Magoo
''Kung-Fu Magoo'' is a 2010 animated action comedy film based on the '' Mr. Magoo'' character, created by Millard Kaufman and John Hubley. This film was produced by Classic Media, Ánima Estudios, and Santo Domingo Films. It was also produced by ...
'', was released on DVD on May 11, 2010. It features the voices of
Jim Conroy
Jim Conroy (born September 17, 1970) is an American actor and television writer known for appearing on television shows and movies, such as ''The Cuphead Show!'', ''Jellystone!'', ''Kenny the Shark'' and ''Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman'', as well as ...
,
Chris Parnell
Thomas Christopher Parnell (; born February 5, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1998 to 2006 and played the role of Dr. Leo Spaceman on ''30 Rock''. In animation, he voices Cyril Figgis ...
,
Dylan and Cole Sprouse
Dylan Thomas Sprouse and Cole Mitchell Sprouse (born August 4, 1992) are American actors. They are twins and are sometimes referred to as the Sprouse brothers or Sprouse Bros. Their first major theatrical film role was in the 1999 comedy '' B ...
, and
Alyson Stoner
Alyson Rae Stoner (born August 11, 1993) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Her film roles include ''Cheaper by the Dozen'' (2003), '' Cheaper by the Dozen 2'' (2005), and the ''Step Up'' franchise (2006–2014). Her television roles i ...
.
The film is a Mexican–American co-production, produced by
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, doing business as DreamWorks Classics, is an American entertainment company owned by DreamWorks Animation, which is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures and a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was founded as Classic Media ...
,
Ánima Estudios, and Santo Domingo Films.
The film was directed by Andrés Couturier. His most recent appearance was in
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA, also known as DreamWorks Animation Studios and simply known as DreamWorks) is an American animation studio that produces animated films and television programs and is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures, a division ...
's ''
The Boss Baby
''The Boss Baby'' is a 2017 American computer-animated comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Loosely based on the 2010 picture book of the same name by Marla Frazee, it was directed by Tom McGrath fr ...
'', where he briefly appears on the cover of a comic book.
On television and in popular culture
In the 1960s, UPA turned its attention to television, and began producing the series ''
Mister Magoo
''Mister Magoo'' is an American animated television series which was produced from November 7, 1960 to February 2, 1962. A single episode included five four-minute shorts and could either be aired together with bumpers as a single half-hour show, ...
'' for the character. Because UPA had shut down its animation studio in 1959, the animation for these cartoons was done by
Jack Kinney Productions and
Larry Harmon Pictures
Larry Harmon Pictures was the production company of Larry Harmon, the owner of the characters ''Bozo the Clown'' and ''Laurel & Hardy''.
Lou Scheimer was an art director for Larry Harmon Pictures during its brief foray into animated television. ...
. The cartoons suffered from varying character designs and choppier animation, due to rushed production schedules. Magoo's nephew Waldo (voiced, as in most of the theatrical cartoons, by Jerry Hausner) was seldom seen with his uncle, now appearing in his own episodes, introduced by a brief phone conversation from Magoo's point of view, which acted as a teaser. The Waldo episodes also featured a slick-talking con man named Prezly, and always ended with a return to Magoo saying, "Oh, that Waldo and Prezly. What'll they be up to next? Hee hee hee!"
Magoo's houseboy Cholly (i.e., "Charlie") took up a lot of Waldo's slack. Cholly was an Asian stereotype with huge buck teeth and comically fractured English pronunciation. Despite his stereotyped appearance and voice, he nonetheless usually plays
straight man
The straight man is a stock character in a comedy performance, especially a double act, sketch comedy, or farce. When a comedy partner behaves eccentrically, the straight man is expected to maintain composure. The direct contribution to the ...
to Magoo's shenanigans, rather than being a source of humor on his own. He is the "sane" one of the pair. His resourcefulness often saves Magoo from danger.
Still other cartoons featured Tycoon Magoo, voiced by
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for comedy ra ...
, and his bumbling assistant Worcestershire.
During the UPA television era came ''
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
''Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol'' is a 1962 animated musical holiday television special produced by UPA. It is an adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella '' A Christmas Carol'', and it features UPA's character Mr. Magoo as Ebenezer Scro ...
'', an abbreviated but largely faithful retelling of
Charles Dickens' tale. It was the first ever animated Christmas special made for television and the first hour-long animated TV special and is considered to be a holiday classic of the 1960s, ranking alongside ''
A Charlie Brown Christmas
''A Charlie Brown Christmas'' is a 1965 animated television special. It is the first TV special based on the comic strip ''Peanuts'', by Charles M. Schulz. Produced by Lee Mendelson and directed by Bill Melendez, the program made its debut on C ...
'' and ''
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' is a Christmas children's story by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel written in rhymed verse with illustrations by the author. It follows the Grinch, a grouchy, solitary creature who tries to cancel Christmas by st ...
''.
The special inspired the production of an animated TV series titled ''
The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo
''The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo'' is an American animated television series produced by United Productions of America that aired for one season on NBC from September 19, 1964 to April 24, 1965. The television series was based on the Mr. Magoo, ...
'', which placed Magoo as an actor in other well-known stories. After an introduction in Magoo's backstage
dressing room
A changing-room, locker-room, (usually in a sports, theater, or staff context) or changeroom (regional use) is a room or area designated for changing one's clothes. Changing-rooms are provided in a semi-public situation to enable people to ch ...
, Magoo was depicted in such roles as ''
The Count of Monte Cristo
''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
'',
Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
in an upbeat retelling of the story of
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
,
Friar Tuck
Friar Tuck is one of the legendary Merry Men, the band of heroic outlaws in the folklore of Robin Hood.
History
The figure of the jovial friar was common in the May Games festivals of England and Scotland during the 15th through 17th centur ...
in ''
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
'', and
Puck in ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
''.
In 1970, Mr. Magoo starred as Uncle Sam in the TV special ''
Uncle Sam Magoo
''Uncle Sam Magoo'' is a 1970 television special directed by Abe Levitow, written by Larry Markes, Henry G. Saperstein and Sam Rosen, and musical score by Walter Scharf. The special stars Jim Backus as Mr. Magoo, Lennie Weinrib, Bob Holt, Patti ...
''.
In the late 1970s, Mr. Magoo appeared in a new Saturday morning
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
television series called ''
What's New, Mr. Magoo?'' This series was made under license by the
DePatie–Freleng studio, as UPA had by this time ceased in-house cartoon production.
Mr. Magoo was planned to have a cameo in the 1988 film ''
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American live-action/animated comedy mystery film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Frank Marshall and Robert Watts, and loosely adapted by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman from Gary K. Wolf's 1 ...
'', but was later dropped for unknown reasons.
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
's ''
Weinerville
''Weinerville'' is an American television program on Nickelodeon that was aired from July 11, 1993 to 1994. The show was based around a giant puppet stage that was designed to look like a city called Weinerville. The show was created and hosted by ...
'' anthologizes most of his shorts.
In 1997, Mr. Magoo was portrayed by
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen (11 February 192628 November 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters.
Nielsen was bo ...
in a live-action ''
Mr. Magoo'' feature film. It failed to find critical or popular success, and some support groups for the
disabled
Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, se ...
, including the
National Federation of the Blind
The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is an organization of blind people in the United States. It is the oldest and largest organization led by blind people in the United States. Its national headquarters are in Baltimore, Maryland.
Overvie ...
, protested it on behalf of the blind and sight-impaired.
A Mexican-U.S. animated feature, ''
Kung-Fu Magoo
''Kung-Fu Magoo'' is a 2010 animated action comedy film based on the '' Mr. Magoo'' character, created by Millard Kaufman and John Hubley. This film was produced by Classic Media, Ánima Estudios, and Santo Domingo Films. It was also produced by ...
'', was released as a direct-to-DVD release in 2010 and made its TV debut on Disney XD in 2011.
Mr. Magoo helped advertise the
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
line of products throughout the 1950s and 1960s, sometimes under the name J. Quincy Magoo. In 2005, Mr. Magoo became the
spokesman
A spokesperson, spokesman, or spokeswoman, is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.
Duties and function
In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have receiv ...
of the optical retail store Sterling Optical. Magoo also was featured in a series of commercials for
Stag Beer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
in the 1960s. Also in the 1960s, the Polaner company sold its line of preserves in jars decorated with images of Mr. Magoo which, when empty, could then be used as drinking glasses.
ASI Entertainment has used Mr. Magoo cartoons to "warm up" audiences when testing television comedy pilots.
Mr. Magoo's
catchphrase
A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...
was "Oh Magoo, you've done it again!"
Mr. Magoo is an
alumnus
Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...
of
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...
, Class of 1928. The reason behind this is that his creators wanted him to be "a college alumnus who was still fired up with the old school spirit
nd they feltRutgers was the embodiment of the 'old school tie' in America.". He was definitely in a fraternity, since he would often shout out, "Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Rho – Rutgers, Rutgers, Go – Go – Go!"
Another television series, simply titled ''
Mr. Magoo'', began airing in 2018.,. Produced by the company
Xilam
Xilam is a French production company that specializes in animated television series and feature films. Marc du Pontavice and his wife Alix founded it in 1999 as a replacement for the animation division of Gaumont Multimédia; though Gaumont ...
, this series depicts a younger looking Magoo and his pet dog named Mr. Cat (because it meows), who replaces McBarker, the dog depicted in earlier cartoons.
Characters
* Mr. Quincy Magoo (voiced by
Jim Backus
James Gilmore Backus (February 25, 1913 – July 3, 1989) was an American actor. Among his most famous roles were Thurston Howell III on the 1960s sitcom '' Gilligan's Island,'' the father of James Dean's character in ''Rebel Without a Cause ...
) – An elderly man whose eyesight is failing, though he either does not know it or is too stubborn to admit it and/or do anything about it.
* Waldo (voiced by
Jerry Hausner
James Bernard Hausner (May 20, 1909 – April 1, 1993),DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 122-123. known professionally as Jerry ...
from 1949 to 1955 and in the 1960s series,
Daws Butler
Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Ho ...
from 1956 to 1959 and on the 1957 record album ''Magoo in Hi-Fi''), and
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably '' American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice Nor ...
in the 1970s series;– Mr. Magoo's nephew.
* Bowser - Mr. Magoo's dog (actually a
Siamese cat
The Siamese cat ( th, แมวไทย, Maeo Thai; แมวสยาม, Maeo Seeaam) is one of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Asian cat. Derived from the Wichianmat landrace, one of several varieties of cat native to Thailand (f ...
) in the 1960s cartoons
* McBarker (voiced by
Bob Ogle
Robert Allen Ogle (May 28, 1926 – February 25, 1984), known as Bob Ogle, was an American voice actor, animator and writer. Most characters he voiced are performed in the style of Bill Thompson's character Wallace Wimple from ''Fibber McGee and ...
) – Mr. Magoo's dog in the 1970s cartoon series ''What's New, Mr. Magoo?'' A talking white
Bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.[Henny Backus
Henny Backus (born Henrietta Kaye, March 21, 1911 – December 9, 2004) was a Broadway showgirl in the 1930s whose stage credits include Orson Welles's ''Horse Eats Hat''. She was the wife of actor and comedian Jim Backus.
Career
Henrietta K ...]
in "Meet Mother Magoo" (1956), then
June Foray
June Foray (born June Lucille Forer; September 18, 1917 – July 26, 2017) was an American voice actress. She was best known as the voice of such animated characters as Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale, Nell Fenwick, Lucifer from Disney' ...
) – Mr. Magoo's "Momma", Linda.
* Grandma "Granny" Magoo
* Charlie (voiced by
Benny Rubin
Benny Rubin (February 2, 1899 – July 15, 1986) was an American comedian and film actor. Born in Boston, Rubin made more than 200 radio, film and television appearances over a span of 50 years.
Career
In 1929, Rubin went to Hollywood, where he ...
) – Mr. Magoo's
houseboy
A houseboy (alternatively spelled as ''houseboi'') was a term which referred to a typically male domestic worker or personal assistant who performed cleaning and other forms of personal chores. The term has a record of being used in the British ...
. Charlie's depiction as an Asian stereotype was controversial. The character was prone to unusual misuses of English, such as referring to himself in the third person as "Cholly", and calling Mr. Magoo "Missuh Magloo" and "Bloss" instead of "Boss". In the late 1960s, episodes featuring Charlie were dropped from the series and his character was never seen, referred to or even mentioned again. A version of the series that runs on the Christian network
KTV retains Charlie, but dubs over his ethnic-sounding voice track.
* Prezly (voiced by
Daws Butler
Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Ho ...
) – Waldo's "partner in crime" in the 1960s cartoons.
* Wheeler and Dealer – Two children Mr. Magoo occasionally babysits in ''The Mister Magoo Show'' (1960–1961)
* Tycoon Magoo (voiced by
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for comedy ra ...
) – Mr. Magoo's rich uncle. His catchphrase is "Worcestershire, get in here!"
* Worcestershire (voiced by Mel Blanc) – Tycoon Magoo's butler, who is always trying to prevent Mr. Magoo from ruining Tycoon Magoo's property.
* Additional character voices were provided by
Paul Frees
Solomon Hersh "Paul" Frees (June 22, 1920November 2, 1986) was an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and vaudevillian. He is known for his work on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Walter Lantz, Rankin/Bass, and Walt Disney theatrical cartoons during ...
,
Frank Nelson and
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for comedy ra ...
, among others.
Theatrical cartoon shorts
The following Mr. Magoo cartoons were either nominees for, or recipients of, the
Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons)
The Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film is an award given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) as part of the annual Academy Awards, or Oscars, since the 5th Academy Awards (with different names), covering the year 1 ...
:
*1950: "Trouble Indemnity"
*1950: "Bathtub Horn"
*1952: "Pink and Blue Blues"
*1954: "When Magoo Flew" (winner)
*1956: "Magoo's Puddle Jumper" (winner)
Home media
On February 8, 2005,
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout o ...
’s former kids and family entertainment division,
Sony Wonder
Sony Wonder (founded as Sony Kids’ Music) is the kids and family entertainment label of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the former record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment.
Despite the similarity in name, Sony Wonder is not direct ...
(under license from
Classic Media
Classic Media, LLC, doing business as DreamWorks Classics, is an American entertainment company owned by DreamWorks Animation, which is a subsidiary of Universal Pictures and a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was founded as Classic Media ...
) released ''The Mr. Magoo Show: Complete DVD Collection''. This four-disc set featured all 26 uncut episodes of the series, digitally remastered from original film prints and presented in its original broadcast presentation and order, as well as bonus features. This release has been discontinued and is now out of print.
On November 8, 2011,
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...
(under license from Classic Media) released ''Mr. Magoo: The Television Collection 1960–1977'' on DVD in Region 1. This 11-disc collection contains all the episodes from all three Mr. Magoo television series, including all 26 episodes of ''The Mister Magoo Show'', all 26 episodes of ''The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo'', all 16 episodes of ''What's New, Mister Magoo?'', and the prime-time TV special ''Uncle Sam Magoo'', as well as several bonus features.
On December 6, 2011, Sony released the feature film ''1001 Arabian Nights'' on DVD through their Screen Classics manufactured-on-demand (MOD) program, now available through a licensing deal through the
Warner Archive Collection
The Warner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films from Warner Bros.' library. It started as a manufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the inte ...
.
In 2011, animation historian
Jerry Beck
Jerry Beck (born February 9, 1955, in New York City) is an American animation historian, author, blogger, and video producer.
Beck wrote or edited several books on classic American animation and classic characters, including ''The 50 Greatest C ...
announced the release of a Shout! Factory boxed set of the Mr. Magoo theatrical (UPA) shorts, under license from Sony.
[Shostak, Stu (08-11-2011).]
Interview with Jerry Beck
. ''Stu's Show''. Retrieved 06-30-2014. Originally scheduled for release in 2012, the set was pushed back for two years as Sony remastered some of the cartoons from higher quality sources, including newly discovered elements.
[Shostak, Stu (03-20-2014).]
Interview with Jerry Beck
. ''Stu's Show.'' Retrieved 06-30-2014. The four-disc ''Mr. Magoo Theatrical Collection'', containing all 53 of the Mr. Magoo theatrical shorts distributed by Columbia through 1959, and the 1959 theatrical film ''1001 Arabian Nights'', was released on April 22, 2014.
References
External links
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UPA: Mavericks, Magic, and Magooat
Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Don Markstein's Toonopedia (subtitled A Vast Repository of Toonological Knowledge) is an online encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation, initiated February 13, 2001. Donald D. Markstein, the sole writer and editor of Toonopedi ...
Archivedfrom the original on March 10, 2016.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magoo, Mister
Film characters introduced in 1949
Film series introduced in 1949
Animated human characters
Animated film series
DePatie–Freleng Enterprises
DreamWorks Classics
Fictional characters with eye diseases
Male characters in animation