"The Untouchables" (1959). He was also the first choice to play the title role on TV's "Perry Mason" (1957).
1970s: He was most often seen doing commercials for a video teaching "Chisenbop," a Korean method of doing math on your fingers.
1987: First person to be named a Disney Legend.
Adopted twin daughters, Kathryn and Laurie (b. 1956), with Haver.
At his insistence, all episodes of "My Three Sons" (1960) were filmed out of sequence during the show's entire run. He would do all of his scenes first, then leave until the next season. All kitchen scenes would be done together, then all scenes in the upstairs hallway would be filmed together, etc. This fact was well concealed until Dawn Lyn joined the cast as Dodie. Her upper front teeth grew in irregularly during the entire 1969-'70 season, from being barely visible in scenes with MacMurray to being plainly visible in scenes without him.
Best remembered by the public for starring as father figures in Walt Disney movies.
Cartoonist C.C. Beck claimed that he modeled the 1940s superhero, Captain Marvel after Fred MacMurray.
He and wife June Haver were once offered a husband-and-wife sitcom but Fred refused, afraid of putting his marriage in jeopardy by the pressures.
He never took an acting lesson.
He was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party who joined Bob Hope and James Stewart in campaigning for Richard Nixon in 1968.
His daughter Susan was born in 1942. His son Robert was born in 1945.
Initially turned down his most famous movie role in Double Indemnity (1944) because he didn't think his fans would want to see him playing a darker character.
Interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, USA, in the Mausoleum, D1, Room 7.
Made his debut on stage playing the violin alongside his father, but the experience left him with a terrible case of stage fright. Later he overcame it and learned the piano, guitar and saxophone, which he played in his high school band.
Met first wife Lillian ("Lily") Lamonte while performing on Broadway in "Roberta" in 1933. She was a dancer.
Once studied art at the Chicago Art Institute.
One of his first jobs in Los Angeles was playing in a pit orchestra for an L.A. theater.
Personal friends with Walt Disney.
Played vaudeville with a stage band called "The California Collegians". The group was cast in a Broadway revue called "Three's a Crowd" in 1930 that showcased such star talent as Fred Allen, Clifton Webb and chanteuse Libby Holman. Holman sang the torch song "Something to Remember You By" to Fred in the show. The Collegians were also featured in the Broadway musical "Roberta", in which Fred also understudied the lead.
Portrayed George Harvey, star reporter for the Hillsdale Morning Star, on NBC Radio's "Bright Star" (1952-1953).