Biography Wikipedia
Wikipedia:
Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (born January 19, 1944) 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 (from 1958 to 1963), and as Craig T. Nelson's love interest and eventual wife, Christine Armstrong Fox, on the sitcom Coach. She also was Elvis Presley's co-star in three films. Fabares hit number one with the 1962 song "Johnny Angel".
Early life and career
Born Michele Ann Marie Fabares in Santa Monica, California, she is the niece of 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 awarded a gold disc. Fabares left The Donna Reed Show in 1963 (she would return periodically until its end in 1966) to pursue a film career. She appeared in a number of motion pictures, including three Elvis Presley movies: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966) and Clambake (1967).
During the 1970s Fabares appeared on several television series, including Love, American Style, The Rockford Files, The Interns, Mannix and Fantasy Island. In 1971 she starred as "Joy Piccolo", opposite Billy Dee Williams and James Caan in the hugely successful TV movie Brian's Song, the true story of terminally ill Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo (played by Caan). In 1981 she played "Francine Webster" on One Day at a Time, a role she would reprise 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 is a lifelong friend of Annette Funicello whom she met in catechism class in the seventh grade. She also is the niece of singer-actress Nanette Fabray.
Fabares married Jan & Dean's record 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, from a previous marriage.
In October 2000 she received a life-saving liver transplant after being diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center by John Vierling, M.D.
