Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares is an American actress and singer.
Fabares is known for her roles as Donna Reed's oldest child Mary Stone on The Donna Reed
Show, and as Hayden Fox's love interest Christine Armstrong on the sitcom Coach.
She was Elvis Presley's co-star in three films.
In 1962 her recording of "Johnny Angel" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Early life and career Born Michele Ann Marie Fabares in Santa Monica,
California, she is the niece of actress Nanette Fabray.
Fabares began acting at age three, and at age 10 made her television debut in an episode
of Letter to Loretta.
After guest-starring on various television series, Fabares landed the role of Mary Stone
in the long-running family sitcom The Donna Reed Show.
Her national popularity led to a recording contract and two "Top 40" hits, including
"Johnny Angel," which went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1962, and peaked
at #41 in the UK.
It sold over one million copies and was certified gold.
Fabares left The Donna Reed Show in 1963 to pursue a film career.
She appeared in a number of motion pictures, including three Elvis Presley movies: Girl
Happy, Spinout and Clambake, the most by any one actress.
In two other 1960s movies, she played the love interest of Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits
in Hold On! and of a young Hank Williams Jr. in A Time to Sing.
During the 1970s Fabares appeared on several television series, including Love, American
Style, The Rockford Files, The Interns, Mannix, The Practice, and Fantasy Island.
In 1971 she starred along with Billy Dee Williams and James Caan in the successful TV movie
Brian's Song, the true story of terminally ill Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo.
Caan played Piccolo, and she played his wife, Joy.
In 1981, Fabares played Francine Webster on One Day at a Time, a role she reprised throughout
the series' run.
In 1989 she won the role of Christine Armstrong Fox on the ABC sitcom Coach.
For her work, Fabares was nominated twice for a Primetime Emmy Award, and in 1994, she
was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement"
Award for her role as Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show.
After Coach ended in 1997, Fabares voiced the role of Martha "Ma" Kent in Superman:
The Animated Series.
She reprised the role twice; once for a 2003 episode of Justice League and again for the
2006 direct-to-video film Superman: Brainiac Attacks.
Personal life Fabares was a lifelong friend of Annette Funicello
whom she met in catechism class in the seventh grade.
Marriages Fabares married record and movie producer
Lou Adler, in June 1964, separating in 1966 and divorcing in 1980.
In 1984 Fabares married actor Mike Farrell, and is stepmother to his two children, Erin
and Michael.
Health issues In October 2000, Fabares received a life-saving
liver transplant after being diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis.
Filmography Discography
Studio albums Shelley!
-- Colpix CP-426/SCP-426 -- #106, 7/62 The Things We Did Last Summer—Colpix CP-431/SCP-431
-- #121, 10/62 Teenage Triangle—Colpix CP-444/SCP-444 -- #48,
5/63
Featuring four tracks each by Shelley, James Darren and Paul Petersen
Bye Bye Birdie—Colpix CP-454/SCP-454—1963
Songs from the movie sung by Shelley, The Marcels, James Darren and Paul Petersen
More Teenage Triangle—Colpix CP-468/SCP-468—1964
Second compilation featuring Shelley, James Darren and Paul Petersen
Soundtrack songs "Spring Fever" w/Elvis Presley from the movie
soundtrack of Girl Happy March 1965 RCA Records "Make Me Happy" from the movie soundtrack
of Hold On!
March 1966 MGM Records "Next Time I Say Goodbye I'm Leaving" from
the movie soundtrack of A Time to Sing 1968 MCA Records– MCA-1458
Compilations The Best of Shelley Fabares -- Rhino R2 71651—1994
Shelley Fabares Johnny Angel -- Collectables #9931 July 2005
Shelley Fabares Meets Paul Petersen—Collectables Records July 2009
Singles Awards and nominations
References
External links Shelley Fabares at the Internet Movie Database
Shelley Fabares at All Music