Born to Maleta Martin and Frederick MacMurray (concert violinist). Fred sang and played in orchestras to earn tuition. He was educated at Carroll College, Wis. Fred played with a Chicago orchestra for more than a year. Then he joined an orchestra in Hollywood where he played, did some recording and played extra roles. He then joined a comedy stage band, California Collegians, and went to New York. There he joined "Three's A Crowd" revue on Broadway and on the road. After this show closed, he returned to California and worked in vaudeville. He played the vaudeville circuits and night clubs until cast for major role in "Roberta". Signed by Paramount in 1935.
MacMurray was raised in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin from the age of 5, eventually graduating from Beaver Dam High School (currently the site of Beaver Dam Middle School), where he was a 3-sport star in football, baseball, and basketball. Fred retained a special place in his heart for his small-town Wisconsin upbringing, referring at any opportunity in magazine articles or interviews to the lifelong friends and cherished memories of Beaver Dam, even including mementos of his childhood in several of his films. In "Pardon my Past" (1945), Fred and fellow GI William Demarest are moving to Beaver Dam, WI to start a mink farm.
Movies
The Apartment Jeff D. Sheldrake
Double Indemnity Walter Neff
The Caine Mutiny Lt. Thomas 'Tom' Keefer
Inside 'The Apartment' Self (archive footage)
The Movie Orgy Self (archive footage)
Pushover Paul Sheridan
The Princess Comes Across King Mantell
Hands Across the Table Theodore Drew III
No Time for Love Jim Ryan
The Happiest Millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (in "Double Indemnity") (archive footage)
Above Suspicion Richard Myles
Follow Me, Boys! Lemuel Siddons
Remember the Night Jack Sargent
The Egg and I Bob MacDonald
Good Day for a Hanging Marshal Ben Cutler
The Miracle of the Bells William 'Bill' Dunnigan
There's Always Tomorrow Clifford Groves
Alice Adams Arthur Russell
The Shaggy Dog Wilson Daniels
Face of a Fugitive Jim Larsen (aka Ray Kincaid)
Borderline Johnny McEvoy, aka Johnny Macklin
The Rains of Ranchipur Thomas "Tom" Ransome
Dive Bomber Joe Blake
The Swarm Maj. Clarance Tuttle
The Shaggy Dog Kids Self (archive footage)
Fred MacMurray: With Fondness Self (archive footage)
The Absent-Minded Professor Ned Brainard
The Texas Rangers Jim Hawkins
Invitation to Happiness Albert 'King' Cole
Son of Flubber Ned Brainard
Los Angeles Plays Itself Walter Neff in Double Indemnity (archive footage)
The Lady Is Willing Corey McBain
Singapore Matt Gordon
On Our Merry Way Al
The Gilded Lily Peter Dawes
Maid of Salem Roger Coverman
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Jack Hale
The Far Horizons Cpt. Meriwether Lewis
Gun for a Coward Will Keough
Family Honeymoon Grant Jordan
New York Town Victor Ballard
Honeymoon in Bali Bill Burnett
Swing High, Swing Low Skid Johnson
Take a Letter, Darling Tom Verney
Bon Voyage! Harry Willard
Charley and the Angel Charley Appleby
Too Many Husbands Bill Cardew
Star Spangled Rhythm Frank
Father Was a Fullback George Cooper
The Bride Comes Home Cyrus Anderson
At Gunpoint Jack Wright
Murder, He Says Pete Marshall
Inside 'the Swarm' Self
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC Self (archive footage)
Sing, You Sinners David Beebe
The Moonlighter Wes Anderson
Woman's World Sid Burns
True Confession Kenneth Bartlett
Quantez Gentry
Flight for Freedom Randy Britton
The Last Will and Testament of Tom Smith Narrator Prolog (uncredited)
Suddenly It's Spring Peter Morely
Practically Yours Daniel Bellamy
A Millionaire for Christy Peter Ulysses Lockwood
Grand Old Girl Sandy
Kisses for My President Thad McCloud
Pardon My Past Eddie York / Francis Pemberton
Standing Room Only Lee Stevens
Smoky Clint Barkley
Little Old New York Charles Brownne
Virginia Stonewall Elliott
Exclusive Ralph Houston
Men with Wings Pat Falconer
Cocoanut Grove Johnny Prentice
An Innocent Affair Vincent Doane
And the Angels Sing Happy Morgan
13 Hours by Air Jack Gordon
Car 99 Trooper Ross Martin
Where Do We Go from Here? Bill Morgan
Fair Wind to Java Captain Boll
The Oregon Trail Neal Harris
Tiger Rose Rancher
The Forest Rangers Don Stuart
Fred MacMurray: The Guy Next Door Self (archive footage)
Cafe Society Crick O'Bannon
Callaway Went Thataway Mike Frye
Men Without Names Richard Hood
Never a Dull Moment Chris Hayward
Anthony Quinn: An Original Self (archive footage)
Beyond the Bermuda Triangle Harry Ballinger
Rangers of Fortune Gil Farra
Atomic Energy Can Be A Blessing Self - Presenter
One Night In Lisbon Dwight Houston
Captain Eddie Eddie Rickenbacker
Champagne Waltz Buzzy Bellew
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1 Himself
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney Self
Day of the Badman Judge Jim Scott
Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire Self (archive footage)
Joys Self
Show-Business at War Self
The Chadwick Family Ned Chadwick
This Is Bob Hope... Self (archive footage)
A Star Is Born World Premiere Self
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) Self
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey Self (archive footage)
Gala Day at Disneyland Self
Disneyland '59 Self
Breakdowns of 1942 Self
Shadows of Suspense Self (archive footage)
It's a Most Unusual Day Peter Terrance
A Thanksgiving Reunion with the Partridge Family and My Three Sons
Shows
December Bride
The Colgate Comedy Hour Self
My Three Sons Steve Douglas
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour Fred MacMurray
General Electric Theater Richard Elgin
The Hollywood Palace Self - Host
This Is Your Life Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show Self
The American Film Institute Salute to ... Self
The Steve Allen Show Self
The Oscars Self
Tony Orlando and Dawn Self
The George Gobel Show Self
General Electric Theater Harry Wingate
Dinah! Self
The Bob Hope Show Self
The Ed Sullivan Show Self
People's Choice Awards Self - Presenter
The 20th Century Fox Hour Peterson
Lux Video Theatre Self
The Wonderful World of Disney Professor Ned Brainerd (archive footage)
The George Gobel Show Fred MacMurray
What's My Line? Self - Mystery Guest
The Wonderful World of Disney Self
Screen Director's Playhouse Peter Terrance
Golden Globe Awards Self - Presenter
Golden Globe Awards Self - Accepting Award for Best TV Show
