<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>1</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000789073</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FORTUNE BRANDS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001336528</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>888 SEVENTH AVENUE, 42ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001336477</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PS Management GP, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>888 SEVENTH AVENUE, 42ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001336476</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Pershing Square GP, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>888 SEVENTH AVENUE, 42ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Remarks</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001056513</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ACKMAN WILLIAM A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>888 SEVENTH AVENUE, 42ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Total Return Swap</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>55.39</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-10-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>1</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>L</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-10-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>345641</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Total Return Swap</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>54.14</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>1</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value>L</value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-11-13</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1160000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">In addition to Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;Pershing Square Capital&quot;), this Form 5 is being filed jointly by PS Management GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;PS Management&quot;), Pershing Square GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;Pershing Square GP&quot;), and William A. Ackman, a citizen of the United States of America (collectively, the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;), each of whom has the same business address as Pershing Square Capital and may be deemed to have a pecuniary interest in securities owned by it.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Pershing Square Capital advises the accounts of Pershing Square, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;PS&quot;), Pershing Square II, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;PS II&quot;), and Pershing Square International, Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (&quot;Pershing Square International&quot; together with PS and PS II, the &quot;Pershing Square Funds&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Pershing Square Capital, as the investment adviser to the Pershing Square Funds, may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the securities set forth on Table II hereof (the &quot;Subject Securities&quot;) for purposes of Rule 16a-1(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  As the general partner of Pershing Square Capital, PS Management may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the Subject Securities for purposes of Rule 16a-1(a).  As the general partner of PS and PS II, Pershing Square GP may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares of Subject Securities owned by PS and PS II for purposes of Rule 16a-1(a).  By virtue of William A. Ackman's position as Chief Executive Officer of Pershing Square Capital and managing member of each of PS Management and Pershing Square GP, William A. Ackman may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the Subject Securities for purposes of Rule 16a-1(a).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Each of the Reporting Persons disclaims any beneficial ownership of any of the securities listed in this Form 5, except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The total return swaps set forth on Table II do not give any of the Pershing Square Funds or the Reporting Persons direct or indirect voting, investment or dispositive control over any securities of the issuer and do not require the counterparties thereto to acquire, hold, vote or dispose of any securities of the issuer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Under the terms of the cash-settled total return swap (i) Pershing Square International will be obligated to pay to the counterparty any negative price performance of the 345,641 notional shares of Common Stock subject to the swap as of the expiration date of such swap, plus interest at the rates set forth in the applicable contract, and (ii) the counterparty will be obligated to pay to Pershing Square International any positive price performance of the 345,641 notional number of shares of Common Stock subject to the swap as of the expiration date of the swap.  Any dividends received by the counterparty on such notional shares of Common Stock during the term of the swap will be paid to Pershing Square International.  All balances will be cash settled at the expiration date of the swap.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Under the terms of the cash-settled total return swap (i) Pershing Square International will be obligated to pay to the counterparty any negative price performance of the 1,160,000 notional shares of Common Stock subject to the swap as of the expiration date of such swap, plus interest at the rates set forth in the applicable contract, and (ii) the counterparty will be obligated to pay to Pershing Square International any positive price performance of the 1,160,000 notional number of shares of Common Stock subject to the swap as of the expiration date of the swap.  Any dividends received by the counterparty on such notional shares of Common Stock during the term of the swap will be paid to Pershing Square International.  All balances will be cash settled at the expiration date of the swap.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Pershing Square GP, LLC is an affiliate of the other Reporting Persons.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., By: PS Management GP, LLC, its General Partner, By: /s/ William A. Ackman, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>PS Management GP, LLC, By: /s/ William A. Ackman, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Pershing Square GP, LLC, By: /s/ William A. Ackman, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ William A. Ackman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
