Actress Shelley Fabares, known for 'The Donna Reed Show', dies at 82
Shelley Fabares, a television actress who rose to fame on 'The Donna Reed Show' and later appeared in 'One Day at a Time' and 'Coach', died in Los Angeles at age 82.
Shelley Fabares died on Saturday in Los Angeles at the age of 82, her family said in a statement to the Associated Press. No cause of death was disclosed.
Born in Santa Monica in 1944, Fabares began acting as a child, earning her first television credit at age 10 on "The Loretta Young Show." She later appeared in films with Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra and Eva Marie Saint, and had early TV roles on "The Twilight Zone" and other series.
Her breakout role was as Mary Stone on "The Donna Reed Show," where she was a regular from 1958 to 1963. During that period she also recorded two Top 40 hits, including "Johnny Angel," and co-starred with Elvis Presley in three movies.
In the 1970s, Fabares played Francine Webster on the sitcom "One Day at a Time" and appeared in the film "Brian's Song." She later joined the cast of "Coach" as Christine Armstrong, a role that helped the series find an audience.
"To her family and friends, Shelley was a source of love, strength, laughter, and comfort," the family statement read.
"I think the years on ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ the years from 14 to 19, were so incredibly important," Fabares told the Los Angeles Times in 1993, praising the show's star, Donna Reed.
"I did always feel from the very beginning if they could find the right spot for us, this was a show that would last," she added in the same interview.
Fabares was married twice, first to producer Lou Adler and later to actor Mike Farrell, whom she wed in 1984. She advocated for Alzheimer’s awareness after her mother was affected by the disease.
In 1999, a hospital visit revealed progressive liver failure, leading to a liver transplant in October 2000 after a 22-month wait. She later described the experience as life-changing and expressed gratitude to Farrell for his support.
"We will remember Shelley for her kindness, loyalty, wit, courage, and beautiful spirit. We will miss her deeply — not only as a celebrated performer, but as the loving and extraordinary person she was in our everyday lives," the family added.