Fred MacMurray

Fred MacMurray was a renowned actor in America. He was born as Frederick Martin MacMurray in Kankakee in Illinois to Frederick and Maleta MacMurray. His parents were natives from Wisconsin. The family moved to Madison in Wisconsin when he was two years old. Later, they settled in Fred’s mother’s hometown Beaver Dam in Wisconsin. Beaver Dam was where his mother was born in 1880. His aunt, Fay Holderness, was an actress and vaudeville performer. Fred graduated from Beaver Dam High School. He was good at baseball, football, and basketball.

He was then granted a full scholarship to Carroll College (now known as Carroll University), in the Waukesha town of Wisconsin. Over there, Fred developed his talent in playing the saxophone. He performed in various local bands. However, he did not complete his graduation from his school. He had plans to become a musician. He started his career as a vocalist in 1930. His first recording as a featured vocalist on the Victor label’s All I Want Is Just One Girl, was with the Orchestra of Gus Arnheim. He also performedI’m In The Market For You with George Olsen. During 1930-1932, he appeared in Three’s a Crowd on Broadway. Before he signed with Paramount Pictures in 1934, he was also seen in the play Roberta, along with Bob Hope and Sydney Greenstreet.

His television works include The Jack Benny Program, Screen Directors Playhouse, General Electric Theatre, Cimmaron City, My Three Sons, Summer Playhouse, Lucy- Desi Comedy Hour, The 20th Century Fox- Hour, and The United States Steel Hour. He also was a cast in the TV movie Beyond the Bermuda Triangle and The Chadwick Family. Fred also featured on the radio in The Martin and Lewis Show, Screen Directors Playhouse, Bright Star, Lux Summer Theatre, and Lux Radio Theatre. Fred MacMurray film credits include over a hundred movies. His most famed movies are Double Indemnity, Girls Gone Wild, The Gilded Lily, Alice Adams, Where Do We Go From Here (musical), and Above Suspicion.The Absent-Minded Professor, The Apartment, an Oscar-winning comedy, and The Caine Mutiny, were his some other movies.

Some of his other movies were The Shaggy Dog, Son of Flubber (sequel to The Absent-Minded Professor), Remember the Night, New York Town, Kisses for My President, Practically Yours, No Time for Love, and Borderline. His last picture was The Swarm in 1978. Fred also appeared in Greyhound Lines bus company’s commercials and series of advertisements for Korean math calculation program, Chisenbop. He has usually been cast as a thoughtful character in light comedies, musicals, and melodramas. In the 1940s, he became one of the highest- paid actors in Hollywood. When his salary hit $420, 000 in 1943, he was the fourth highest- paid person of America and the Hollywood’s highest- paid artist/actor. Fred was married formerly to Lillian Lamont on June 20, 1936. He met her on the set of Roberta where she was a dancer. The couple adopted a son Robert, and a daughter Susan. He then married June Haver in 1954 following the death of Lamont due to cancer. June Haver was also an American actress.

The couple adopted twin girls, Laurie, and Katherine. Fred established MacMurray Ranch on the land he purchased in the Russian River Valley of Northern California. When he was not acting, he spent his time at the ranch. Over there, he raised the prize- winning Aberdeen Angus cattle. The land was sold to Gallo in 1996 who then, planted vineyards on it. The wines from these vineyards bear the label of MacMurray Ranch. Her daughter Kate (Katherine) is presently residing at the Ranch and carrying over its heritage and the family legacy. Fred was a loyal supporter of the Republican Party. Fred, in the late 1970s, suffered from throat cancer which resurfaced in 1987. The severe stroke on the eve of Christmas of 1988 left him paralyzed on the right side, and his speech was also affected. Fortunately, he was able to make a ninety percent recovery with therapy. He was also diagnosed with leukemia and suffered from the disease for almost a decade.

In November 1991, he succumbed to pneumonia. He was the first individual to be honored as a Disney Legend in the year 1987. MacMurray was also chosen for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his performance in The Absent- Minded Professor. He was also the initial model used by the American cartoonist C. C. Beck for the superhero character in Captain Marvel Click to look into! >> Read More... for Fawcett Comics.