Fred MacMurray was born Frederick Martin MacMurray on August 30, 1908, in Kankakee, Illinois. He was an American actor who appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series in a career that spanned nearly a half-century.

His career as a major film leading man began in 1935, but his most renowned role was in Billy Wilder's film noir Double Indemnity. From 1959 to 1973, he appeared in numerous Disney films, including The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, Follow Me, Boys!, and The Happiest Millionaire.

He starred as Steve Douglas in the television series My Three Sons. Fred MacMurray was known for his cautious approach to finances, which went hand-in-hand with his sedate lifestyle. The majority of his earnings were used for investments, including a knitting mill, co-ownership of a golf-and-tennis club, and a cold-storage business.

He insisted upon a percentage of the gross of the films in which he starred. He was also known for bringing his own lunch to the set in a brown paper bag, usually hard-boiled eggs. He saved his money and invested in real estate, buying a large farm in Sonoma County in the early forties, where he escaped the demands of Hollywood and spent time with his family.

Fred MacMurray married Lillian Lamont on June 20, 1936, and they adopted two children, Susan and Robert. Unfortunately, Lamont passed away on June 22, 1953, due to cancer. In 1954, MacMurray married actress June Haver, and they adopted two twin children, Katherine and Laurie, born in 1956.

Beyond his love for music, he was an avid golfer, loved painting, was an expert leather craftsman, and also enjoyed fishing, camping, and boxing. His career was marked by versatility, excelling in various genres ranging from romantic comedies to film noir. He started his career as a major film leading man in 1935 and went on to act in over 100 films and television shows.

Some of his best movies include Double Indemnity, The Apartment, The Absent-Minded Professor, Follow Me, Boys!, The Shaggy Dog, Son of Flubber, The Happiest Millionaire, Pushover, Murder, He Says, The Oregon Trail, Day of the Badman, Kisses for My President, Quantez, The Caine Mutiny, A Millionaire for Christy, Charley and the Angel, Gun for a Coward, Good Day for a Hanging, Callaway Went Thataway, At Gunpoint, Bon Voyage!, The Egg and I, The Miracle of the Bells, The Far Horizons, Fair Wind to Java, The Chadwick Family, Smoky, Face of a Fugitive, There's Always Tomorrow, Car 99, Beyond the Bermuda Triangle, Remember the Night, An Innocent Affair, Men with Wings, Borderline, The Texas Rangers, The Moonlighter, Dive Bomber, Captain Eddie, Where Do We Go from Here?, Father Was a Fullback, Alice Adams, Pardon My Past, The Forest Rangers, Singapore, True Confession, 13 Hours by Air, Exclusive, Above Suspicion, and Cocoanut Grove.

He won the Golden Apple Award for Least Cooperative Actor in 1945 and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for The Absent-Minded Professor in 1962.

He also received nominations for the Golden Laurel Awards for Top Male Comedy Performance for Son of Flubber in 1963 and The Absent-Minded Professor in 1961. In 1960, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1986, he won the Golden Boot Award, and in 2003, he was nominated for the TV Land Award for Single Dad of the Year for his role in My Three Sons.

Fred MacMurray passed away on November 5, 1991, in Santa Monica, California, leaving behind a legacy as one of Hollywood's most versatile and beloved actors.