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 Threes 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 3sport star in football baseball and basketball Fred retained a special place in his heart for his smalltown 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
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