-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Lv14wOO3ArHy0CZDTRnRY88Wk1duqZGppvl4hfPHWXMHsb6Jk7coqnzEsU7I/O9R
 o2Ounmx//QZBTG1SGYPCXw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-015093.txt : 20030723
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-015093.hdr.sgml : 20030723
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030723153728
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-015093
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030721
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030723

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ROCHE MARK A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001190596

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09076
		FILM NUMBER:		03798302

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		730 N MAYFLOWER22 SOUTH WYNSTONE DRIVE
		CITY:			NORTH BARRINGTON
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60010

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FORTUNE BRANDS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000789073
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	HEATING EQUIP, EXCEPT ELEC & WARM AIR & PLUMBING FIXTURES [3430]
		IRS NUMBER:				133295276
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		300 TOWER PARKWAY
		CITY:			LINCOLNSHIRE
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60069
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2036985000

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AMERICAN BRANDS INC /DE/
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd13660.xml
<DESCRIPTION>JULY EXERCISE
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-07-21</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000789073</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FORTUNE BRANDS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FO</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001190596</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROCHE MARK A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Sr. VP, General Counsel, Secy.</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock, Par Value $3.125</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20916</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>30.30</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>60147</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock, Par Value $3.125</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20916</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>55.30</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>39231</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
<footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Options (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>30.30</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>20916</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>30.30</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>1997-11-18</value></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2006-11-18</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>20916</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value>
<footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Attached to each share of Common Stock is one Preferred Share Purchase Right that is not presently transferable separately from the common stock.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">Reflects the exercise of an option under the issuer&apos;s Long Term Incentive Plans.</footnote>
<footnote id="F3">Mr. Roche holds 5,403 shares of common stock in the Fortune Brands, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan Trust as of July 22, 2003.</footnote>
<footnote id="F4">After these transactions, Mr. Roche directly owned additional options to purchase 182,776 shares of common stock.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Russell W. Hahn, Attorney-in-Fact for Mark A. Roche</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----