Fred MacMurray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fred MacMurray
MacMurray in the 1930s
Born	Frederick Martin MacMurray (1908-08-30)August 30, 1908 Kankakee, Illinois, U.S.
Died	November 5, 1991(1991-11-05) (aged 83) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1929–1978
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Lillian Lamont ​ ​ (m. 1936; died 1953)​ June Haver ​ (m. 1954)​
Children	4
Relatives	Fay Holderness (aunt)

Frederick Martin MacMurray (born August 30, 1908 – died November 5, 1991) was a famous American actor. He starred in over one hundred movies and a very popular TV show. His acting career lasted for almost 50 years!

Fred MacMurray became a major movie star in 1935. One of his most well-known roles was in the movie Double Indemnity. From 1959 to 1973, he appeared in many beloved Disney films. These included The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, and Follow Me, Boys!. He also played Steve Douglas in the long-running TV series My Three Sons.

Fred MacMurray: A Star for All Ages

Early Life and Education

Frederick Martin MacMurray was born on August 30, 1908, in Kankakee, Illinois. His parents were Maleta and Frederick Talmadge MacMurray. His father was a talented concert violinist. Fred's aunt, Fay Holderness, was also a performer in vaudeville shows and movies.

When Fred was a baby, his family moved to Madison, Wisconsin. His father taught music there. Later, they moved to Beaver Dam, which was his mother's hometown. Fred went to school in Quincy, Illinois. He then earned a full scholarship to Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. While in college, he played the saxophone in many local bands. He did not finish college, but he was ready for a career in entertainment!

His Amazing Acting Career

Fred MacMurray with Carole Lombard in Swing High, Swing Low (1937)

Before becoming a movie star, Fred MacMurray was a singer. He recorded songs with famous orchestras in the 1930s. He also performed on Broadway, which is New York City's famous theater district. He was in shows like Three's a Crowd and Roberta.

In the 1930s, Fred started working in Hollywood. He acted with many big stars like Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, and Humphrey Bogart. He made seven films with Claudette Colbert, starting with The Gilded Lily. He also co-starred with Katharine Hepburn in Alice Adams and Joan Crawford in Above Suspicion. He made four movies with Carole Lombard, including Swing High, Swing Low.

Fred was often cast as a kind and thoughtful character in comedies and musicals. He became one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. In 1943, he earned $420,000 a year. This made him the highest-paid actor and the fourth-highest-paid person in the entire country!

Playing Different Kinds of Characters

Even though he was known as a "nice guy," Fred often said his favorite roles were when he played characters who were not so nice. One of his most famous "bad guy" roles was Walter Neff in the movie Double Indemnity. In this film, he played an insurance salesman who plans a crime with a greedy wife.

He also played Lieutenant Thomas Keefer in The Caine Mutiny. Six years later, he was Jeff Sheldrake in the Oscar-winning movie The Apartment. In this film, he played a corporate executive who was not a very good person.

In 1959, Fred's career took off even more when he starred as the father in the Disney film The Shaggy Dog.

Television Success with My Three Sons

From 1960 to 1972, Fred MacMurray starred in My Three Sons. This TV show was very popular and ran for a long time. While doing the show, he also made other movies. He played Professor Ned Brainard in The Absent-Minded Professor and its sequel Son of Flubber.

Fred was a smart businessman. His contract for My Three Sons allowed him to film all his scenes in just two short periods each year. This gave him more time to make movies, manage his ranch in Northern California, and play golf. Fred became one of the wealthiest actors because of his smart investments and careful spending. After his last movie, The Swarm, in 1978, he appeared in commercials for Greyhound Lines and a math program called chisenbop.

Personal Life and Family

Fred MacMurray's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6421 Hollywood Boulevard

Fred MacMurray was married two times. His first wife was Lillian Lamont. They married in 1936 and adopted two children, Susan and Robert. After Lillian passed away in 1953, Fred married actress June Haver in 1954. They adopted two more children, twin girls named Katherine and Laurie, in 1956. Fred and June's marriage lasted for 37 years, until his death.

Fred was also a successful businessman. In 1941, he bought a large piece of land in Northern California. He called it MacMurray Ranch. On his 1,750-acre ranch, he raised award-winning cattle and grew crops like prunes and apples. He also enjoyed painting, fishing, and skeet shooting. Fred wanted the ranch's farming history to be kept alive. So, after he died, the ranch was sold to a winery. Today, the winery makes wines under the "MacMurray Ranch" name. Fred's daughter, Kate MacMurray, lives on the ranch and helps with the wine business.

Health and Passing

Fred MacMurray and June Haver's grave at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California

Fred MacMurray was a heavy smoker throughout his life. He had throat cancer in the late 1970s, and it returned in 1987. In December 1988, he had a serious stroke that affected his right side and his speech. With therapy, he recovered quite a bit. After battling leukemia for over ten years, Fred MacMurray passed away from pneumonia on November 5, 1991, in Santa Monica, California.

Awards and Special Recognition

In 1939, artist C. C. Beck used Fred MacMurray as the first model for the superhero character who became Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel. Fred was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical and Comedy for his role in The Absent-Minded Professor. In 1987, he was the very first person to be honored as a Disney Legend. This award celebrates people who have made important contributions to The Walt Disney Company.

Filmography

Film Roles

Short Films

Television Appearances

Theater Roles

Radio Shows

• Lux Radio Theater – Appeared in episodes like "The Gilded Lily" (1937) and "The Miracle of the Bells" (1948)
• The Screen Guild Theater – The Philadelphia Story (1942)
• Screen Directors Playhouse – Take a Letter, Darling (1951)
• Bright Star – George Harvey (1952–53)
• Lux Summer Theatre – The Lady and the Tumblers (1953)
• The Martin and Lewis Show – Himself (1953)

See also

In Spanish: Fred MacMurray para niños