Fred MacMurray

Biography

Fred MacMurray was an American actor whose career spanned almost fifty years. Born in Kankakee, Illinois, he sang and played saxophone with the George Olsen and Gus Arnheim orchestras before Broadway roles in Three's a Crowd and Roberta. After signing with Paramount Pictures in 1934, he became a leading man in 1935, often playing decent, thoughtful characters in light comedies and melodramas. His notable films included Alice Adams (1935), The Gilded Lily (1935), and True Confession (1937). He was best known for Walter Neff in Double Indemnity (1944), Lieutenant Thomas Keefer in The Caine Mutiny (1954), and Jeff Sheldrake in The Apartment (1960). He starred in Disney films such as The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Happiest Millionaire, and on television he played Steve Douglas in My Three Sons from 1960 to 1972. He received a Golden Globe nomination for The Absent-Minded Professor and became the first Disney Legend in 1987; his final film was The Swarm (1978).

83years old at death

Born August 30, 1908Kankakee
Died November 5, 1991Santa Monica
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Frederick Martin MacMurray (birth name)Also credited as Frederick MacMurray

Movie Career

Films: 38
Career span: 47 years1935 to 1982

Genres

Comedy53%, 20 films
Drama42%, 16 films
Romance37%, 14 films
Family21%, 8 films
Western18%, 7 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A role that slipped away
MacMurray was asked to play Perry Mason on television, but he turned it down. In a 1956 interview with Hedda Hopper, he said he wanted to do very little TV work because it was a lot of work.
A change of course
MacMurray's My Three Sons contract let him shoot all his scenes for the series in two separate month-long blocks, filmed first, so he had free time for films, his ranch and golf.
A change of course
MacMurray played saxophone and sang with two leading dance bands of the day. He was with the George Olsen orchestra starting in 1928, then joined Gus Arnheim in 1930.
First role
With the California Collegians, a vaudeville group, MacMurray was hired for Three's a Crowd on Broadway, which brought a move to New York City. He was offered a role in that production, leading to casting in the musical Roberta.
Behind the camera
MacMurray started a production company in 1945 with Leslie Fenton, a former actor. Called Mutual Pictures, it turned out one film, Pardon My Past.

Fred MacMurray movies on Netflix

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982IMDb rating 6.8as (in "Double Indemnity")
The Swarm1978IMDb rating 4.5as Mayor Clarence
Charley and the Angel1973IMDb rating 6.0as Charley Appleby
The Happiest Millionaire1967IMDb rating 6.5as Anthony Biddle
Follow Me, Boys!1966IMDb rating 7.1as Lemuel Siddons
Kisses for My President1964IMDb rating 5.5as Thad McCloud
Son of Flubber1963IMDb rating 6.1as Prof. Ned Brainard
Bon Voyage!1962IMDb rating 5.6as Harry Willard
The Absent-Minded Professor1961IMDb rating 6.7as Professor Ned Brainard
The Apartment1960IMDb rating 8.3as Jeff D. Sheldrake
Face of a Fugitive1959IMDb rating 6.6as Jim Larsen (aka Ray Kincaid)
The Shaggy Dog1959IMDb rating 6.4as Wilson Daniels
There's Always Tomorrow1956IMDb rating 7.4as Clifford Groves
At Gunpoint1955IMDb rating 6.3as Jack Wright
The Far Horizons1955IMDb rating 6.1as Captain Meriwether Lewis
Pushover1954IMDb rating 7.1as Paul Sheridan
The Caine Mutiny1954IMDb rating 7.6as Lt. Tom Keefer
Woman's World1954IMDb rating 6.9as Sidney Burns
Callaway Went Thataway1951IMDb rating 6.6as Mike Frye
An Innocent Affair1948IMDb rating 6.1as Vincent Doane
The Miracle of the Bells1948IMDb rating 6.6as William 'Bill' Dunnigan
Singapore1947IMDb rating 6.5as Matt Gordon
The Egg and I1947IMDb rating 6.9as Bob MacDonald
Smoky1946IMDb rating 6.7as Clint Barkley
Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9as Pete Marshall
Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3as Walter Neff
Above Suspicion1943IMDb rating 6.5as Richard Myles
No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7as Jim Ryan
Dive Bomber1941IMDb rating 6.5as Lieutenant Commander Joe Blake
Too Many Husbands1940IMDb rating 6.5as Bill Cardew
Remember the Night1939IMDb rating 7.5as Jack Sargent
Swing High, Swing Low1937IMDb rating 6.1as Skid Johnson
True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6as Kenneth Bartlett
The Texas Rangers1936IMDb rating 6.6as Jim Hawkins
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine1936IMDb rating 6.8as Jack Hale
Alice Adams1935IMDb rating 6.8as Arthur Russell
Hands Across the Table1935IMDb rating 6.9as Theodore Drew III
The Gilded Lily1935IMDb rating 6.7as Peter Dawes

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Double Indemnity1944 Crime, Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery, Thrilleras Walter Neff
IMDb rating 8.3183K votes
The Apartment1960 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Jeff D. Sheldrake
IMDb rating 8.3223K votes
The Caine Mutiny1954as Lt. Tom Keefer
IMDb rating 7.631K votes
The Absent-Minded Professor1961as Professor Ned Brainard
IMDb rating 6.710K votes
Remember the Night1939as Jack Sargent
IMDb rating 7.58.4K votes
The Shaggy Dog1959as Wilson Daniels
IMDb rating 6.46.2K votes
Pushover1954as Paul Sheridan
IMDb rating 7.14.9K votes
There's Always Tomorrow1956as Clifford Groves
IMDb rating 7.44.2K votes

Most often with

Mitchell Leisen directed four of these films, Wesley Ruggles three and Billy Wilder two. Five actors appear in four of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Barbara Stanwyck

Porter Hall

Edward Andrews

Elliott Reid

Tommy Kirk

William DemarestMitchell LeisenDirector, 4 films

Wesley RugglesDirector, 3 films

Billy WilderDirector, 2 films

Films together

Barbara Stanwyck4 films together, 1939 to 1982
Barbara Stanwyck's page
- Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982IMDb rating 6.8MacMurray as (in "Double Indemnity")Stanwyck as Leona Hastings-Forrest
- There's Always Tomorrow1956IMDb rating 7.4MacMurray as Clifford GrovesStanwyck as Norma Miller Vale
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3MacMurray as Walter NeffStanwyck as Phyllis Dietrichson
- Remember the Night1939IMDb rating 7.5MacMurray as Jack SargentStanwyck as Lee Leander/Anna Rose Malone
Porter Hall4 films together, 1937 to 1947
Porter Hall's page
- Singapore1947IMDb rating 6.5MacMurray as Matt GordonHall as Mr. Bellows
- Murder, He Says1945IMDb rating 6.9MacMurray as Pete MarshallHall as Mr. Johnson
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3MacMurray as Walter NeffHall as Mr. Jackson
- True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6MacMurray as Kenneth BartlettHall as Mr. Hartman
Edward Andrews4 films together, 1961 to 1973
Edward Andrews's page
- Charley and the Angel1973IMDb rating 6.0MacMurray as Charley ApplebyAndrews as Banker
- Kisses for My President1964IMDb rating 5.5MacMurray as Thad McCloudAndrews as Senator Walsh
- Son of Flubber1963IMDb rating 6.1MacMurray as Prof. Ned BrainardAndrews as Defense Secretary
- The Absent-Minded Professor1961IMDb rating 6.7MacMurray as Professor Ned BrainardAndrews as Defense Secretary
Elliott Reid4 films together, 1954 to 1966
Elliott Reid's page
- Follow Me, Boys!1966IMDb rating 7.1MacMurray as Lemuel SiddonsReid as Ralph Hastings
- Son of Flubber1963IMDb rating 6.1MacMurray as Prof. Ned BrainardReid as Prof. Shelby Ashton
- The Absent-Minded Professor1961IMDb rating 6.7MacMurray as Professor Ned BrainardReid as Professor Shelby Ashton
- Woman's World1954IMDb rating 6.9MacMurray as Sidney BurnsReid as Tony Andrews
Tommy Kirk4 films together, 1959 to 1963
Tommy Kirk's page
- Son of Flubber1963IMDb rating 6.1MacMurray as Prof. Ned BrainardKirk as Biff Hawk
- Bon Voyage!1962IMDb rating 5.6MacMurray as Harry WillardKirk as Elliott Willard
- The Absent-Minded Professor1961IMDb rating 6.7MacMurray as Professor Ned BrainardKirk as Biff Hawk
- The Shaggy Dog1959IMDb rating 6.4MacMurray as Wilson DanielsKirk as Wilby Daniels
William Demarest3 films together, 1935 to 1963
William Demarest's page
- Son of Flubber1963IMDb rating 6.1MacMurray as Prof. Ned BrainardDemarest as Mr. Hummel
- The Far Horizons1955IMDb rating 6.1MacMurray as Captain Meriwether LewisDemarest as Sgt. Gass
- Hands Across the Table1935IMDb rating 6.9MacMurray as Theodore Drew IIIDemarest as Regi's Date Natty
Mitchell LeisenDirector, 4 films, 1935 to 1943
All films by Mitchell Leisen
- No Time for Love1943IMDb rating 6.7MacMurray as Jim Ryan
- Remember the Night1939IMDb rating 7.5MacMurray as Jack Sargent
- Swing High, Swing Low1937IMDb rating 6.1MacMurray as Skid Johnson
- Hands Across the Table1935IMDb rating 6.9MacMurray as Theodore Drew III
Wesley RugglesDirector, 3 films, 1935 to 1940
All films by Wesley Ruggles
- Too Many Husbands1940IMDb rating 6.5MacMurray as Bill Cardew
- True Confession1937IMDb rating 6.6MacMurray as Kenneth Bartlett
- The Gilded Lily1935IMDb rating 6.7MacMurray as Peter Dawes
Billy WilderDirector, 2 films, 1944 to 1960
All films by Billy Wilder
- The Apartment1960IMDb rating 8.3MacMurray as Jeff D. Sheldrake
- Double Indemnity1944IMDb rating 8.3MacMurray as Walter Neff
Also three films together5 more actors
- James WesterfieldSon of Flubber (1963), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and The Shaggy Dog (1959)
- Claudette ColbertThe Egg and I (1947), No Time for Love (1943) and The Gilded Lily (1935)
- Carole LombardSwing High, Swing Low (1937), True Confession (1937) and Hands Across the Table (1935)
- Forrest LewisSon of Flubber (1963), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and The Shaggy Dog (1959)
- Richard CarleTrue Confession (1937), The Texas Rangers (1936) and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Fred MacMurray's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$118 million

9 of the 38 films have a worldwide figure.

9Worldwide figure
4US gross only
25Figure not found

Top grosser

The Apartment1960Jeff D. Sheldrake$25.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Apartment1960as Jeff D. Sheldrake
$25M21.2% of the total
2
Son of Flubber1963as Prof. Ned Brainard
$22M18.8% of the total
3
The Caine Mutiny1954as Lt. Tom Keefer
$22M18.5% of the total
4
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid1982as (in "Double Indemnity")
$18M15.4% of the total
5
The Shaggy Dog1959as Wilson Daniels
$18M15.0% of the total
6
The Swarm1978as Mayor Clarence
$7.7M6.5% of the total
7
Double Indemnity1944as Walter Neff
$2.5M2.1% of the total
8
The Miracle of the Bells1948as William 'Bill' Dunnigan
$2.1M1.8% of the total