That is *not* how I picture the star of Disney films like *The Shaggy Dog*, *The Absent-Minded Professor*, *Follow Me, Boys!*, and *The Happiest Millionaire*. and the TV show *My Three Sons*!
But, minus the mustache, it does kind of look like the star of the film noir *Double Indemnity.*
Up until “Double Indemnity”, he was always cast as the nice guy. It was Billy Wilder who suspected Fred had the ability to be menacing. Similarly for Stanwyck. Wilder really boosted their careers in a meaningful way.
I saw a screening of The Apartment at the Turner Classic Movies film fest one year and Shirley MacLaine did a q&a before the movie. she said Fred McMurray was so cheap that when he opened his wallet his money squinted.
Fred was probably one of the richest actors in Los Angeles. He was known for his shrewd diversification of a gigantic portfolio of real estate, ranches, and oil wells up and down California.
He owned several high rise luxury apartment buildings including the Bryson building in Wilshire he bought in the 40’s (he apparently bought it with the paycheck from *Double Indemnity* which shot some scenes at it) and flipped it 30 years later for a massive profit.
He also produced beef at the MacMurray Ranch in Northern California which he supplied most of the best steakhouses in the basin, had a knitting mill that made yarns and thread, was part owner of the Beverly Hills Tennis and Country Club, and owned a dozen oil wells in Orange County.
The MacMurray Ranch is still owned by the MacMurray trust but his family lease the land to the Gallo winery who grow grapes on the 1750 acres in the Russian River Valley as well as grown their own for their personal brand. His daughter Kate lives in the cabin her dad built up there and is involved in the towns preservation and wine community.
Where did he get his capital? He pinched every penny and from what’s been rumored negotiated for cuts of the backend on the profitably of a picture on top of a salary….and if he did that with Disney, he made *tons* of dough off his classic kids movies with him.
He was so good he was at one time number 4 in the highest earning private citizens…..*in all business in the United States*. He pretty much retired from public life and investing in the early 80s….and was still worth 150 million when he died in the 90s.
I grew up watching “My Three Sons”. Never knew he had done much else. But a lot of those adult guys in 50s – 70s tv shows had done a lot of big movies. McMurray, Robert Young, Ernest Borgnine, Alan Hale. The thing I remember hearing about Fred was he bought up a lot of real estate in the 40s and 50s out in CA and was one of the richest Hollywood guys as a result.
Pierce Brosnan?
That is *not* how I picture the star of Disney films like *The Shaggy Dog*, *The Absent-Minded Professor*, *Follow Me, Boys!*, and *The Happiest Millionaire*. and the TV show *My Three Sons*!
But, minus the mustache, it does kind of look like the star of the film noir *Double Indemnity.*
Typical manly pose of the era—shirtless, holding a firearm. Only the cigarette is missing.
Like Pierce Brosnan and a dash of Cumberbatch
The dude from My Three Sons?
Cary Elwes’ dad?
The dude used up all his sexy by the time My Three Sons came out!
I read as “Fred Mercury” and need to start over from first grade.
He was also the basis for the look of Golden Age Captain Marvel (” Shazam “)
If you say so. The face doesn’t seem to fit.
That can’t be Fred Mac Murray. That’s got to be Clark Gable. I guess it is Fred. Crazy.
Ol’ no-nips MacMurray
Up until “Double Indemnity”, he was always cast as the nice guy. It was Billy Wilder who suspected Fred had the ability to be menacing. Similarly for Stanwyck. Wilder really boosted their careers in a meaningful way.
This isn’t the same Fred Macmurray that starred in *Double Indemnity* (1944) right? This guy and that guy look nothing alike
He looks like Neville Sinclair from Rocketeer
Photo from ” My Four Sons: The Drunk & Belligerent Years”
MacMurray is a piece of shit
and to think he was only 7 years old here. It’s incredible how people aged differently back then!
He was great in The Apartment. Damn, I love that movie.
No nipples? Have his nipples been removed?
MacMurray was a pretty suave guy early on. If you’ve never seen Double Indemnity, you should.
Given this photo, I’m more surprised he only had three sons by the time 1960 rolled around.
Why is his nipple gone tho?
How’re you now?
God damn looks like a sexy combo of Cumberbatch and Brosnan. Holy crap it almost seems fake.
I saw a screening of The Apartment at the Turner Classic Movies film fest one year and Shirley MacLaine did a q&a before the movie. she said Fred McMurray was so cheap that when he opened his wallet his money squinted.
Pierce Cumberbatch.
Fred was probably one of the richest actors in Los Angeles. He was known for his shrewd diversification of a gigantic portfolio of real estate, ranches, and oil wells up and down California.
He owned several high rise luxury apartment buildings including the Bryson building in Wilshire he bought in the 40’s (he apparently bought it with the paycheck from *Double Indemnity* which shot some scenes at it) and flipped it 30 years later for a massive profit.
He also produced beef at the MacMurray Ranch in Northern California which he supplied most of the best steakhouses in the basin, had a knitting mill that made yarns and thread, was part owner of the Beverly Hills Tennis and Country Club, and owned a dozen oil wells in Orange County.
The MacMurray Ranch is still owned by the MacMurray trust but his family lease the land to the Gallo winery who grow grapes on the 1750 acres in the Russian River Valley as well as grown their own for their personal brand. His daughter Kate lives in the cabin her dad built up there and is involved in the towns preservation and wine community.
Where did he get his capital? He pinched every penny and from what’s been rumored negotiated for cuts of the backend on the profitably of a picture on top of a salary….and if he did that with Disney, he made *tons* of dough off his classic kids movies with him.
He was so good he was at one time number 4 in the highest earning private citizens…..*in all business in the United States*. He pretty much retired from public life and investing in the early 80s….and was still worth 150 million when he died in the 90s.
That’s Benidad Cumberchad
I grew up watching “My Three Sons”. Never knew he had done much else. But a lot of those adult guys in 50s – 70s tv shows had done a lot of big movies. McMurray, Robert Young, Ernest Borgnine, Alan Hale. The thing I remember hearing about Fred was he bought up a lot of real estate in the 40s and 50s out in CA and was one of the richest Hollywood guys as a result.
Was he around pierce brosnan’s mom around the time before pierce was born?
This photograph just made me pregnant.
That guy fucks.
Where are his nipples?
It’s like Cary Elwes and Pierce Brosnan fucked and made a star.
People didn’t have nipples in the 40’s – I KNEW IT!!!
Looks like Pierce Bronson. Handsome!