Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HAYS THOMAS C
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
FORTUNE BRANDS INC [FO] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
FORTUNE BRANDS, INC., 520 LAKE COOK ROAD		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/10/2006
(Street)

DEERFIELD, IL 60015		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, Par Value $3.125 03/10/2006   J(1)   139 D $ 78.86 3,992 (2) I By Fortune Brands Retirement Savings Plan Trust.
Common Stock, Par Value $3.125               48,152 I By Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts for the benefit of Mr. Hays and his spouse.
Common Stock, Par Value $3.125               1,250 I By trust for the benefit of Mr. Hays.
Common Stock, Par Value $3.125               9,107 I By trusts for the benefit of various family members.

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
HAYS THOMAS C
FORTUNE BRANDS, INC.
520 LAKE COOK ROAD
DEERFIELD, IL 60015		   X      

Signatures

 Angela M. Pla, Attorney-in-Fact for Mr. Thomas C. Hays   03/14/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Reflects a mandatory distribution under IRS rules under the trust for the Fortune Brands Retirement Savings Plan.
(2) The number of shares reported as held by the Fortune Brands Retirement Savings Plan Trust represents the undersigned's proportional beneficial interest in the common stock held in the Trust as of March 13, 2006.
 
Remarks:
On March 10, 2006, the trustee of the Fortune Brands Retirement Savings Plan made a mandatory distribution of the value of 139 shares of Fortune Brands, Inc. common stock to Mr. Hays.



This distribution was made pursuant to IRS rules which requires mandatory distribution to participants due to attaining the age of 70 1/2 years.



Mr. Hays indirectly owns 48,152 shares of the issuer's common stock through grantor retained annuity trusts and 1,250 shares of the issuer's common stock through a separate trust.



Mr. Hays also owns options to purchase 234,060 shares of the issuer's common stock and indirectly owns 3,992 shares of the issuer's common stock through his participation in the Fortune Brands Retirement Savings Plan Trust.  In addition, Mr. Hays is deemed to have indirect beneficial ownership of 9,107 shares of the issuer's common stock held in various trusts for the benefit of family members, however, he disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.

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