The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo is an animated television series, produced by United Productions of America, which aired for one season. The television series was based on the original cartoon of the same name, with Jim Backus reprising the voice over of the role he did on TV: while doing this show, he continued with the prime time show Gilligan's Island. Unlike the theatrical cartoons, which focused on the extremely nearsighted Quincy Magoo's bumbling, the show featured the Magoo character as an actor in adaptations of such literary classics as Don Quixote and Gunga Din. Each of these roles was played seriously, with few if any references to Magoo's nearsightedness; however, introductory segments in each program featured Magoo backstage stumbling into scenery and talking to props, thus connecting the older cartoons to this series. Some stories were contained in a single half-hour episode, but others ran to two and even four episodes. As UPA did not have its own studio facility the production was farmed out to the Grantray-Lawrence and Format Films studios. Among the most ambitious adaptations mounted in this format were the four-part Robin Hood, in which he took the role of Friar Tuck; Treasure Island, in which he played the villainous Long John Silver; and a version of Snow White in which he portrayed all seven dwarves.
Episode 1
Mr. Magoo plays legendary archer, William Tell.
Episode 2
Mr. Magoo plays famous Pirate, Long John Silver.
Episode 3
Mr. Magoo plays famous Pirate, Long John Silver.
Episode 4
Mr. Magoo plays humble water-carrier, Gunga Din.
Episode 5
Mr. Magoo plays Ishmael, a sailor on the "Pequod", Captain Ahab's ship.
Episode 6
Mr. Magoo plays D'Artagnan, a man who goes to Paris in 1625 in hopes of becoming a musketeer.
Episode 7
Mr. Magoo plays D'Artagnan, a man who goes to Paris in 1625 in hopes of becoming a musketeer.
Episode 8
Mr. Magoo, the nearsighted bungler, plays Robin Hood's friend and ally, Friar Tuck, and has a number of comical misadventures. It's hard to steal from the rich and give to the poor when one can't tell the difference between the two!
Episode 9
Mr. Magoo plays Friar Tuck, Robin Hood's friend and ally. When Robin Hood is kidnapped by the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, Friar Tuck and the rest of the Merry Men hatch a plan to save him.
Episode 10
Mr. Magoo plays Friar Tuck, Robin Hood's friend and ally. Robin Hood has been freed by his Merry Men, but has learned that his love, Maid Marian, is being forced to marry someone else. He and his Merry Men hatch a plan to stop it.
Episode 11
Mr. Magoo plays Friar Tuck, Robin Hood's friend and ally. Robin Hood and his men succeeds in freeing Marian, and King Richard returns and ends the Sheriff of Nottingham's evil tyrade.
Episode 12
Mr. Magoo plays well-to-do nobleman Don Quixote, who is appalled that there are no more knights in the world. Seeing that a hero is needed in the world again, he dons a rusty suit of armor and asks a simple-minded but loyal farmer named Sancho Panza to be his aide de camp. The two ride through the countryside to try and right wrongs...but all they accomplish is creating havoc at every turn.
Episode 13
Mr. Magoo plays Cyrano de Bergerac, a love stricken soldier embarassed by his large nose.
Episode 14
Mr. Magoo plays all seven of Snow White's dwarves in this adaptation of a beloved Grimms Fairy Tale.
Episode 15
Mr. Magoo plays all seven of Snow White's dwarves in this adaptation of a beloved Grimms Fairy Tale.
Episode 16
Mr. Magoo plays Rip Van Winkle, the man who fell asleep for 20 years.
Episode 17
Mr. Magoo finds himself alongside Chester Gould's famous 'Dick Tracy'. Police Chief Patton and Dick Tracy come to Mr. Magoo with a plan to impersonate a notorious crime kingpin known as Squinty, allowing them to capture Prune Face and his gang of super-villains. Mr. Magoo agrees to this plan, and disguises himself as Squinty to infiltrate the crooks hideout and learn their plans.
Episode 18
Magoo plays Puck in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream," where he has great fun with foolish mortals.
Episode 19
Mr. Magoo plays Edmond Dantes, a man who was imprisoned for a crime he never committed.
Episode 20
Mr. Magoo plays Mary Shelley's Dr. Frankenstein, an insane scientist who brings a creature to life.When the creature breaks out, he threatens to cause mayhem and disaster.
Episode 21
Mr. Magoo plays well-to-do nobleman Don Quixote, who is appalled that there are no more knights in the world. Seeing that a hero is needed in the world again, he dons a rusty suit of armor and asks a simple-minded but loyal farmer named Sancho Panza to be his aide de camp. The two ride through the countryside to try and right wrongs...but all they accomplish is creating havoc at every turn.
Episode 22
Mr. Magoo plays notorious pirate, Captain Kidd. On the high seas, he has many a thing to do. First, he must find a mysterious treasure. But, he must also hold his rebellious crew in check before a mutiny breaks out.
Episode 23
Mr. Magoo plays Noah, a man who is instructed by God to build an ark, before God unleashes a large storm on the world. God also tells Noah to take 2 of very animal (Male, Female) with him, so that when the storm is over, the world can be repopulated.
Episode 24
Mr. Magoo plays Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes' Assistant. It's a good thing Sherlock Holmes is such a good sleuth, because with Mr. Magoo as Doctor Watson he has to do all the searching for clues himself.
Episode 25
Mr. Magoo plays Merlin, the man who helps Arthur become King.
Episode 26
Mr. Magoo plays Paul Revere, the young Boston man who warned that the ""British are coming! The British are coming!"".
Episode 27
The story of America - from the landing of the pilgrims to the landing on the moon. Relive the pilgrim's first Thanksgiving, march with Davy Crockett and listen to America's golden legends.
Episode 28
Mr. Magoo plays an actor who has auditioned for the part of 'Scrooge' in Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol'. This play within a movie was the inspiration for the popular 'Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo' series and is considered by some to be an unofficial Pilot. Includes a magical soundtrack from Jules Styne and Bob Merrill ('Funny Girl' Soundtrack), and features Jim Backus, as everyone's favorite near-sighted grump, Mr. Magoo. Backus is probably best recognized by non-'Magoo' fans for his work on one of the most popular sitcoms in television history, 'Gilligan's Island'. Backus played the snobby, yet likable millionaire, Thurston Howell III, and although the series lasted only 3 seasons on CBS, it lives on forever in syndication, and every day it is being introduced to new audiences all around the world. Yes, Jim Backus was one of the few actors to do it all, radio, Broadway, movies, television and cartoons, and everything he did, he excelled at. He has his own star on the Hollywood
Episode 31
The story of America - from the landing of the pilgrims to the landing on the moon. Relive the pilgrim's first Thanksgiving, march with Davy Crockett and listen to America's golden legends.
