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IMDbPro

Shelley Fabares

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000642
Shelley Fabares at a Luci Johnson party, 1966
Coach: The First Season
Play trailer1:02
Coach (1989–1997)
5 Videos
61 Photos
Vibrant, increasingly lovely teen fave Shelley Fabares withstood the test of time by transitioning successfully into adult parts unlike many of her 1960s "teen queen" peers who faded quickly into the memory books. She was born Michele Marie Fabares on January 19, 1944, in sunny Santa Monica, California, the daughter of Elsa Rose (Eyler) and James Alan Fabares. As the niece of singer/comedienne Nanette Fabray, she was indoctrinated early into the show biz life. Tap dancing from age three, she also modeled during her elementary school and began appearing on such TV shows as Captain Midnight (1954) and Annie Oakley (1954) (the latter a recurring role). At age 12, she made her professional film debut in the Rock Hudson/Cornell Borchers tearjerker Never Say Goodbye (1956) as Hudson's daughter, and went on to play kid sister roles in the rock 'n' roll-themed Rock, Pretty Baby! (1956) and its sequel Summer Love (1957) both starring John Saxon.

Teen-idol status came with her coming-of-age role as the ever-wholesome daughter "Mary Stone" on The Donna Reed Show (1958), a part she played for five seasons before embarking on a more grown-up film career. During the run of the classic sitcom, she and TV "brother" Paul Petersen grew so popular that they sprinted to adjoining pop singing celebrity, although both admitted that their vocal talents were limited. Shelley especially enjoyed a #1 Billboard hit with the breathy, sultry-edged "Johnny Angel." The character of "Mary Stone" was gently phased out of the show as her character "left for college."

By this time, Shelley had turned into quite a curvaceous stunner. Her acting mettle hardly tested, she managed to become part of the bikini-clad blonde set with top femme parts in such fun-and-frolic fare as Ride the Wild Surf (1964), Hold On! (1966), which was a vehicle for British singing sensation Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits, and three of Elvis Presley's less-acclaimed vehicles of the later 1960s: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966) and Clambake (1967).

A serious Vietnam-era stream of consciousness began to pervade film audiences in the late 1960s and Shelley's perky innocence that found so much favor during the Camelot years had lost its appeal. After a notoriously dry spell, she bounced back as the altruistic wife of a dying footballer "Brian Piccolo" in Brian's Song (1971), opposite James Caan, and settled comfortably again on the small screen with bright co-star roles on the series The Little People (1972), The Practice (1976), and Highcliffe Manor (1979). A more prickly character than usual, however, reared its head in the late-night soap spoof Forever Fernwood (1977), and this led to the equally malicious, vainglorious role of Bonnie Franklin's business competitor on the already-established hit sitcom One Day at a Time (1975). The show also featured her aunt Nanette Fabray as Franklin's meddling mom. In the late 1980s, Shelley found a fleshier character as Craig T. Nelson's resourceful mate on Coach (1989), earning steady work for eight seasons and two Emmy nominations in the process. A return to film stardom, however, would eclipse her.

Married and separated from record producer Lou Adler during her fun-in-the-sun years of the mid 1960s (they eventually divorced in 1980 after a separation of almost 14 years), Shelley found marital stability with actor/activist Mike Farrell of M*A*S*H (1972) fame, and became stepmother to his two children from a prior marriage. Following her recovery from a home accident that broke several ribs in 1998, Shelley was tested and diagnosed with severe auto-immune hepatitis, which resulted in a liver transplant in 2000. Thankfully, she survived the near-fatal ordeal and has been more heard than seen in recent years. She supplied the voice of "Martha Kent" on the Superman: The Animated Series (1996) animated series but has done little else in the ensuing years.
BornJanuary 19, 1944
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJanuary 19, 1944
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000642
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 1 win & 4 nominations total

Photos61

Shelley Fabares, Rock Hudson, and Cornell Borchers in Never Say Goodbye (1956)
Shelley Fabares and Lilia Skala in McCloud (1970)
Shelley Fabares in McCloud (1970)
Shelley Fabares and Joseph Wiseman in McCloud (1970)
Shelley Fabares and Gary Collins in McCloud (1970)
Shelley Fabares and Mike Farrell in Coach (1989)
Shelley Fabares and Denver Pyle in The Twilight Zone (1959)
Shelley Fabares in The Twilight Zone (1959)
Shelley Fabares and Lee Kinsolving in The Twilight Zone (1959)
Shelley Fabares and Cornell Borchers in Never Say Goodbye (1956)
Shelley Fabares
Shelley Fabares, Lyn Edgington, and Chris Noel in Girl Happy (1965)

Known for

Shelley Fabares, Donna Reed, Carl Betz, and Paul Petersen in The Donna Reed Show (1958)
The Donna Reed Show
7.4
TV Series
  • Mary Stone
Girl Happy (1965)
Girl Happy
6.3
  • Valerie
  • 1965
Coach (1989)
Coach
7.0
TV Series
  • Christine Armstrong
Christina Ricci, Winona Ryder, Cher, and Bob Hoskins in Mermaids (1990)
Mermaids
6.7
  • Soundtrack("Johnny Angel")
  • 1990

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • Superman: Brainiac Attacks (2006)
    Superman: Brainiac Attacks
    • Martha Kent (voice)
    • Video
    • 2006
  • Justice League (2001)
    Justice League
    • Martha Kent (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2003
  • Superman: The Animated Series (1996)
    Superman: The Animated Series
    • Martha Kent
    • TV Series
    • 1996–2000
  • Playing to Win: A Moment of Truth Movie
    • Nancy Erickson
    • TV Movie
    • 1998
  • Coach (1989)
    Coach
    • Christine Armstrong
    • TV Series
    • 1989–1997
  • Jonathan Brandis, Shelley Fabares, Melissa Joan Hart, and Gerald McRaney in Two Came Back (1997)
    A Nightmare Come True
    • Lily Zarn
    • TV Movie
    • 1997
  • Superman: The Last Son of Krypton (1996)
    Superman: The Last Son of Krypton
    • Martha Kent (voice)
    • TV Movie
    • 1996
  • A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story (1995)
    A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story
    • Shelley Fabares (uncredited)
    • TV Movie
    • 1995
  • Shelley Fabares, Valerie Harper, Mary Kate Schellhardt, and Hillary Tuck in The Great Mom Swap (1995)
    The Great Mom Swap
    • Millie Ridgeway
    • TV Movie
    • 1995
  • Kari Coleman, Richard Kind, John O'Hurley, and Stephen Tobolowsky in A Whole New Ballgame (1995)
    A Whole New Ballgame
    • Christine Armstrong
    • TV Series
    • 1995
  • Your Studio and You (1995)
    Your Studio and You
    • Shelley Fabares (uncredited)
    • Short
    • 1995
  • Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Urich in Deadly Relations (1993)
    Deadly Relations
    • Shirley Fagot
    • TV Movie
    • 1993
  • Love or Money (1990)
    Love or Money
    • Lu Ann Reed
    • 1990
  • Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote (1984)
    Murder, She Wrote
    • Liza Caspar
    • TV Series
    • 1989
  • Run Till You Fall (1988)
    Run Till You Fall
    • Kathy Reuben
    • TV Movie
    • 1988

Producer

  • The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2017)
    The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG-AFTRA
    • TV Special
    • 2017
  • 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2016)
    22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG-AFTRA
    • TV Special
    • 2016
  • The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2015)
    The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG-AFTRA
    • TV Special
    • 2015
  • 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2014)
    20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG-AFTRA
    • TV Special
    • 2014
  • 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2013)
    19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG-AFTRA
    • TV Special
    • 2013
  • 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2012)
    18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • SAG producer
    • TV Special
    • 2012
  • 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: Screen Actors Guild
    • TV Special
    • 2011
  • 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2010)
    16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: Screen Actors Guild
    • TV Special
    • 2010
  • 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2009)
    15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: Screen Actors Guild
    • TV Special
    • 2009
  • 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2008)
    14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • SAG producer
    • TV Special
    • 2008
  • 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2007)
    13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • SAG producer
    • TV Special
    • 2007
  • 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2006)
    12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG
    • TV Special
    • 2006
  • James Garner in 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2005)
    11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG
    • TV Special
    • 2005
  • 10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2004)
    10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
    • producer: SAG
    • TV Special
    • 2004

Soundtrack

  • James Franco in 11.22.63 (2016)
    11.22.63
    • performer: "Johnny Angel" (uncredited)
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2016
  • Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham in Gilmore Girls (2000)
    Gilmore Girls
    • performer: "Johnny Angel" (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 2001
  • Tina Majorino and Tory The Sea Lion in Andre (1994)
    Andre
    • performer: "Johnny Angel"
    • 1994
  • John Goodman in Matinee (1993)
    Matinee
    • performer: "Johnny Angel"
    • 1993
  • Christina Ricci, Winona Ryder, Cher, and Bob Hoskins in Mermaids (1990)
    Mermaids
    • performer: "Johnny Angel"
    • 1990
  • Shelley Fabares, Ed Begley, and Hank Williams Jr. in A Time to Sing (1968)
    A Time to Sing
    • performer: "Next Time I Say Goodbye I'm Leaving"
    • 1968
  • Hold On! (1966)
    Hold On!
    • performer: "Make Me Happy"
    • 1966
  • Shindig! (1964)
    Shindig!
    • performer: "My Prayer"
    • TV Series
    • 1965
  • Girl Happy (1965)
    Girl Happy
    • performer: "Spring Fever", "The Meanest Girl In Town", "Girl Happy" (Reprise) ("I Got News For You", uncredited)
    • 1965
  • Shelley Fabares, Donna Reed, Carl Betz, and Paul Petersen in The Donna Reed Show (1958)
    The Donna Reed Show
    • performer: "Big Star"
    • performer: "Johnny Angel"
    • TV Series
    • 1962

Videos5

Girl Happy
Trailer 2:58
Girl Happy
Spinout
Trailer 2:24
Spinout
Ride the Wild Surf
Trailer 2:43
Ride the Wild Surf
The Donna Reed Show: Season One
Trailer 0:44
The Donna Reed Show: Season One
Coach: The First Season
Trailer 1:02
Coach: The First Season

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Shelly Fabares
  • Height
    • 5′ 4″ (1.63 m)
  • Born
    • January 19, 1944
    • Santa Monica, California, USA
  • Spouses
      Mike FarrellDecember 31, 1984 - present
  • Parents
      James Fabares
  • Relatives
    • Nanette Fabray(Aunt or Uncle)
  • Other works
    TV commercial: Mrs. Tea tea brewing machine
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Portrayal
    • 1 Interview
    • 1 Article
    • 1 Pictorial
    • 3 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Received a liver transplant in October 2000. Her liver failed due to an auto-immune disorder.
  • Quotes
    There is a bedrock decency to people in the Midwest. They are thoughtful and ready to help you if something needs to be done.
  • Trademark
      Pink/red hair (since 1999)

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