Silent Photoplay Forum

This show starred the guy who would later play the lead in "Mr. Ed," but I'm mentioning it because it's apparently the missing link between Backus' characters in "Gilligan's Island" and the Bugs Bunny cartoon "A Lad in His Lamp" (where Backus plays a genie that Bugs calls "Smokey").

Jim Backus' character in this show was an absurdly rich playboy named Hubert Updike III, who in all but name and marital status was the template for Thurston Howell III. But the distinctive thing about Updike was the way he made his entrance, always with a grandiose "I'm here! I'm here!" accompanied by expressions similar to the ones used in the cartoon ("Let the bells ring out and the banners fly! Feast your eyes on me! It's too good to be true, but I'm here!")

So, like many cartoon characters of the day, the genie was based on a radio character... one who, in this case, would be transformed into a TV character.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3g3zpb

Jim Backus had a great voice for cartoon work. And yes, I can hear shades of Thurston Howell III in there.

After watching this, I skipped on over and watched an episode of The Alan Young Show from 1951. It was entertaining and very appealing and pleasant to watch—some great singing in addition to the comedy sketches.

Found a radio episode with Backus as Updike. He first shows up around 4:27 (with his car horn that plays "We're in the Money"), then has another scene later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTna-W9F8w

And that's Hans Conried as Jonathan Mildew.