The Jim Backus Show
| The Jim Backus Show | |
|---|---|
 Jim Backus as Mike O'Toole. | |
| Starring | Jim Backus |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 39 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | California National Productions |
| Original release | |
| Release | October 6, 1960 – July 11, 1961 |
The Jim Backus Show is a 39-episode American television sitcom that aired in broadcast syndication in 1960 and 1961. The series was also known as Hot Off the Wire.[1]
Premise
The program focuses on Backus in the role of Mike O'Toole, the editor/proprietor of a low rent wire service struggling to stay in business.
Cast
- Jim Backus as Mike O'Toole
- Nita Talbot as Dora Miles
- Bobs Watson as Sidney
Episodes
- "The Woman's Touch" with George Ives as a bigamist con man, Douglas Aldrich.[2]
- "Floundered in Florida" with Alan Carney as Hogan, Milton Frome as Irving Rudolph, Vivi Janiss as Mrs. Rudolph, and Olan Soule as Elmo[3]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Mad Bomber" | John Florea | John L. Greene | October 6, 1960 |
| 2 | "The Patriots" | Bretaigne Windust | Dick Conway & Roland MacLane | October 25, 1960 |
| 3 | "Mike O'Toole, Angler" | Gene Reynolds | Joseph Quillan | November 1, 1960 |
| 4 | "South Hampton Story" | James Sheldon | Bill Danch & Tedd Pierce | November 8, 1960 |
| 5 | "No Help Wanted" | Gene Reynolds | Dick Chevillat & Jay Sommers | November 15, 1960 |
| 6 | "The Marry-Go-Round" | Christian Nyby | Ray Singer | November 15, 1960 |
| 7 | "The Nephew" | Hollingsworth Morse | David Chandler & Don Quinn | November 22, 1960 |
| 8 | "Baby, Come Home" | Ralph Levy | Bill Danch & Tedd Pierce | November 29, 1960 |
| 9 | "The Frame Up" | Christian Nyby | Dick Chevillat & Ray Singer | December 6, 1960 |
| 10 | "Painting Caper" | Howard W. Koch | Dick Chevillat & Ray Singer | December 13, 1960 |
| 11 | "The Three Sisters" | James Sheldon | Jess Carneol & Kay Lenard | December 16, 1960 |
| 12 | "Uncle Chester" | Alan Crosland Jr. | Bill Davenport & Charles Tannen | December 20, 1960 |
| 13 | "Crime a la Carte" | Theodore J. Flicker | Bill Danch & John L. Greene | December 27, 1960 |
| 14 | "The Desk" | Howard W. Koch | Bill Danch & Tedd Pierce | December 27, 1960 |
| 15 | "Piano Prodigy" | Christian Nyby | Hendrik Vollaerts | January 10, 1961 |
| 16 | "Mike Cheats a Cheater" | James Sheldon | Peggy Chantler Dick & William Cowley | January 17, 1961 |
| 17 | "Meet Melvin" | Ben Feiner Jr. | George Atkins & Bob Ogle | January 24, 1961 |
| 18 | "The Woman's Touch" | Christian Nyby | Story by : Robert A. Cinader, Teleplay by : Marvin Marx & Manny Manheim | January 31, 1961 |
| 19 | "Sidney's Scoop" | Hollingsworth Morse | Peggy Elliott & Tedd Pierce | February 7, 1961 |
| 20 | "The Hypnotist" | Ben Feiner Jr. | Bill Danch & Tedd Pierce | February 14, 1961 |
| 21 | "Once Upon a Moose" | Christian Nyby | Harry Crane & John Tackaberry | February 21, 1961 |
| 22 | "Pinkmalion" | Alan Crosland Jr. | Bill Davenport & Charles Tannen | December 28, 1961 |
| 23 | "When a Body Meets a Body" | Sidney Salkow | George Atkins, John O'Dea, Bob Ogle & Sidney Salkow | March 7, 1961 |
| 24 | "Arabian Night" | James Sheldon | Walter Black | March 14, 1961 |
| 25 | "Old Army Game" | Christian Nyby | Story by : Robert A. Cinader Teleplay by : Stanley Davis & Elon Packard | March 21, 1961 |
| 26 | "The Fix" | Arthur Lubin | Arthur Alsberg | April 4, 1961 |
| 27 | "Sad Sack Santa" | Harvey Hart | Sam Locke & Joel Rapp | April 11, 1961 |
| 28 | "The Plant" | James Sheldon | Story by : Jay Sommers, Teleplay by : Carol & Joseph Cavella | April 18, 1961 |
| 29 | "The Temporary Scoundrel" | Theodore J. Flicker | Thomas Knickerbocker & Mort R. Lewis | April 25, 1961 |
| 30 | "Floundered in Florida" | Unknown | Unknown | May 2, 1961 |
| 31 | "Dear Minnie" | Unknown | Unknown | May 9, 1961 |
| 32 | "In the Rough" | Unknown | Unknown | May 16, 1961 |
| 33 | "Dora's Vacation" | Unknown | Unknown | May 23, 1961 |
| 34 | "The Birthday Boy" | Unknown | Unknown | May 30, 1961 |
| 35 | "War Bride" | Unknown | Unknown | June 13, 1961 |
| 36 | "The Texas Tycoon" | Unknown | Unknown | June 20, 1961 |
| 37 | "Gift for Grandma" | Unknown | Unknown | June 27, 1961 |
| 38 | "O'Toole and Son" | Christian Nyby | Stanley Davis & Elon Packard | July 4, 1961 |
| 39 | "Farewell to Dora" | Unknown | Unknown | July 11, 1961 |
References
- ^ TV Guide Guide to TV. Barnes & Noble. 2004. ISBN 0-7607-5634-1.
- ^ "The Woman's Touch". 1960.
- ^ "Floundered in Florida on The Jim Backus Show". IMDb. May 2, 1961. Retrieved August 7, 2016.