Shelley Fabares | |
|---|---|
 Fabares in 1991 | |
| Born | Michele Ann Marie Fabares (1944-01-19)January 19, 1944 (age 81) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Shelly Fabares |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1947–2006 |
| Spouses | |
| Relatives | Nanette Fabray (aunt) |
Michele Ann Marie "Shelley"Fabares (/ˌfæbəˈreɪ/; born January 19, 1944) is a retired American actress and singer. She is known for her television roles as Mary on the sitcomThe Donna Reed Show (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcomCoach (1989–1997), the latter of which earned her twoPrimetime Emmy Awards nominations. Her film roles include playing the leading lady toElvis Presley inGirl Happy (1965),Spinout (1966), andClambake (1967). In 1962, her recording of "Johnny Angel" reached number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart.
Fabares was born inSanta Monica, California on January 19, 1944.[1] She was born to James Alan Fabares (1909-1977), who was born inAlgiers, New Orleans, and Elsa R. Eyler, who died from Alzheimer's disease in 1992. She has an older sister Nanette ("Smokey").[2] She is the niece of actressNanette Fabray (née Fabares).[3] She graduated fromNorth Hollywood High School in 1961.[4]
Fabares's acting debut was at the age of 3. At the age of 10, she made her first appearance on television in an episode ofLetter to Loretta, "The Clara Schuman Story" (1954).[5][6]
Early TV appearances included theProducers' Showcase adaptation ofOur Town starringFrank Sinatra andPaul Newman.[7] She was Young Cathy in aMatinee Theatre adaptation ofWuthering Heights.
Fabares had small parts inThe Girl Rush (1955),Never Say Goodbye (1956),The Bad Seed (1956),Rock, Pretty Baby! (1956),Jeanne Eagels (1957),Marjorie Morningstar (1958), andSummer Love (1958).
On TV she was inCaptain Midnight,Annie Oakley,Fury, andColgate Theatre.[8]
She portrayed Moselle Corey onAnnette (1958) starringAnnette Funicello.[9]
She guest starred onMr. Novak,The Eleventh Hour,Arrest and Trial, andThe Twilight Zone ("Black Leather Jackets").[10][11]
In 1958, Fabares landed the role of Mary Stone in the long-running family sitcomThe Donna Reed Show. This ran until 1966. Fabares quickly established herself as a favorite with teen audiences.[12][11]
"Donna Reed was simply an extraordinary woman, a woman of great strength, kindness, integrity and compassion," said Fabares later of her television mother.[13]
Fabares' national popularity led to a recording contract and two "Top 40" hits, including "Johnny Angel", which went to number one on theBillboard Hot 100 in April 1962, and peaked at number 41 in the UK.[3][14] It sold over one million copies and was certifiedgold.[15] She released an album,Shelley!. "I was stunned about that, to put it mildly," she later said. "After all, I never could sing."[16]
This was followed by a second album,The Things We Did Last Summer, which included two hit songs "Johnny Loves Me" (No. 21) and "The Things We Did Last Summer" (No. 46).
In Canada she had three songs the Top 40 withJohnny Angel at No. 1 for three weeks,Johnny Loves Me at No. 24, andRonnie, Call Me at No. 16 for two weeks.[17][18][19]
Fabares leftThe Donna Reed Show in 1963 (she would return periodically until its end in 1966) to pursue other acting opportunities. She released a third album,Teenage Triangle in 1963.
Fabares was one of the female leads in the surf filmRide the Wild Surf (1964).[11] She wasElvis Presley's leading lady inGirl Happy (1965) for MGM[11] and played the love interest ofPeter Noone ofHerman's Hermits and sings Make Me Happy inHold On! at the same studio.Filmink wrote inGirl Happy Fabares is "channelling Ann-Margret inViva Las Vegas and doing it very well, too."[20]
MGM made a pilot for a TV series based onMeet Me in St. Louis with Fabares in the lead but no network was receptive to it.
She was reunited with Elvis forSpinout (1966) at MGM andClambake (1967), at United Artists.[11]
Sam Katzman cast her as the love interest of a youngHank Williams Jr. inA Time to Sing (1968).[11]
Film roles dried up in the late 1960s and Fabares went back to guest starring on shows likeThe Ghost & Mrs. Muir,[21]Daniel Boone,Medical Center,Lancer,Bracken's World, andThe Interns.[22]
Fabares said she went through a period where she struggled to find work. "I went to bed on Tuesday having worked since I was 3. I got up Wednesday morning and didn't work for four years, went to bed Wednesday night after four years, got up and interviewed for aMannix episode and started working again. I think this business is very cyclical. You go through busy times and you go through dead times."[23]
AfterMannix, she was inLongstreet,Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law,Love, American Style,Rockford Files,McCloud andCade's County.
"I wasn't a big risk-taker," she said later. "I should have been more aggressive. I was nervous and scared to try something really different."[16]
Fabares had supporting roles in television films likeBrian's Song (1971) (playing the wife ofBrian Piccolo, played byJames Caan), andTwo for the Money (1972). Her performance inBrian's Song earned her a Golden Globe nomination.[24]
Fabares had a regular role onThe Brian Keith Show (1972–1974), known asThe Little People during its first season, which lasted for 47 episodes.[25]
When the show ended she resumed guest shots:Police Story,Ironside,The Rockford Files,The Rookies,Matt Helm,Medical Story,Marcus Welby, M.D.,Barnaby Jones, andSpencer's Pilots.
She had a role in the television filmSky Heist (1975) and from 1976 to 1977 had a regular part onThe Practice withDanny Thomas.
She then had a regular role onForever Fernwood.
In 1978, Fabares played Francine Webster on theCBS sitcomOne Day at a Time, a role she reprised for the last three years of the show. "I was Francine, a rather villainous character," she said later. "She was wonderful. She saw the world only through her eyes, and it never occurred to her that other people didn't."[26]
She was also in episodes ofLucan,Vega$,The Incredible Hulk,Hello, Larry, andFantasy Island.
Fabares was in the television filmPleasure Cove (1979),Donovan's Kid (1979),Friendships, Secrets and Lies (1979) andThe Great American Traffic Jam (1980).
She had the starring role in the TV seriesHighcliffe Manor (1979) but it only lasted six episodes.
In the 1980s Fabares could be seen onMork & Mindy,Matt Houston,The Love Boat,Newhart, andMurder, She Wrote.
She did a television filmMemorial Day (1983) withMike Farrell (who would later become her husband), as well as the filmsSuburban Beat (1985),The Canterville Ghost (1985),Hot Pursuit (1987), andRun Till You Fall (1988).
In 1989, she won the role of Christine Armstrong Fox on theABC sitcomCoach. "Here was an intelligent, funny, well-written series," Fabares said "And the people putting it on wanted me to play a very successful, ambitious woman in it."[16]
The series originally struggled in the ratings until it shifted to play afterRoseanne. It was a hit and played until 1997.
For her work, Fabares was nominated twice for aPrimetime Emmy Award,[27] and, in 1994, she was honored by theYoung Artist Foundation with itsFormer Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award for her role as Mary Stone onThe Donna Reed Show.[28]
During the series' run Fabares appeared onLove or Money (1990),Deadly Relations (1993),The Great Mom Swap (1995), andA Nightmare Come True (1997).
AfterCoach ended in 1997, Fabares voiced the role ofMartha Kent onSuperman: The Animated Series.[29] She reprised the role twice, once inJustice League and again for thedirect-to-video filmSuperman: Brainiac Attacks (2006).
She was inPlaying to Win: A Moment of Truth Movie (1998).
From 2004 to 2011 she produced theScreen Actors Guild Awards.
In 1964, Fabares married producerLou Adler. They separated in 1966 and divorced in 1980.[30] Since 1984, she has been married to actorMike Farrell.[31]
In October 2000, Fabares received a liver transplant after being diagnosed withautoimmune hepatitis.[32][33]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Girl Rush | Kim Halliday (Age 9) | Uncredited |
| 1956 | Never Say Goodbye | Suzy Parker | |
| 1956 | The Bad Seed | Margie | Uncredited |
| 1957 | Jeanne Eagels | Teenage Girl | Uncredited |
| 1958 | Summer Love | Twinkie Daley | |
| 1958 | Marjorie Morningstar | Seth's Girl Friend | Uncredited |
| 1964 | Ride the Wild Surf | Brie Matthews | |
| 1965 | Girl Happy | Valerie Frank | |
| 1966 | Hold On! | Louisa Page | Alternative title:There's No Place Like Space |
| 1966 | Spinout | Cynthia Foxhugh | |
| 1967 | Clambake | Dianne Carter | |
| 1968 | A Time to Sing | Amy Carter | |
| 1987 | Hot Pursuit | Buffy Cronenberg | |
| 1990 | Love or Money | LuAnn Reed | Alternative title:For Love or Money |
| 2006 | Superman: Brainiac Attacks | Martha Kent (voice) | Direct-to-video[34] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954–1958 | The Loretta Young Show | Marie Schumann Kathy | 2 episodes |
| 1955 | Producers' Showcase | Rebecca Gibbs | Episode: "Our Town" |
| 1955 | Matinee Theater | Young Cathy | Episode: "Wuthering Heights" |
| 1955 | Captain Midnight | Mary Kingsley | Episode: "Flight Into the Unknown" |
| 1956 | Annie Oakley | Prudy Warren | Episode: "Treasure Map" |
| 1957 | Fury | Midge Mallon | Episode: "The Tomboy" |
| 1958 | Walt Disney Presents: Annette | Moselle Corey | 15 episodes |
| 1958 | Colgate Theatre | Episode: "Welcome to Washington" | |
| 1958–1965 | The Donna Reed Show | Mary Stone | 191 episodes |
| 1959 | The Rebel | Nora Hendry | 1 episode |
| 1963 | Mr. Novak | Dani Cooper | 2 episodes |
| 1964 | The Eleventh Hour | Carol Hamilton | Episode: "How Do I Say I Love You?" |
| 1964 | Arrest and Trial | Donna Blaney | Episode: "An Echo of Conscience" |
| 1964 | The Twilight Zone | Ellen Tillman | Episode: "Black Leather Jackets" |
| 1968 | The Ghost & Mrs. Muir | Vanessa | Episode: "Vanessa" |
| 1969 | Daniel Boone | Charity Brown | Episode: "A Touch of Charity" |
| 1969 | Lancer | Melissa Harper | Episode: "Juniper's Camp" |
| 1969 | Bracken's World | Hilary Saxon | Episode: "Package Deal" |
| 1969 | Medical Center | "Mike" Carter | Episode: "Operation Heartbeat" |
| 1971 | Longstreet | Marianne Franklin | Episode: "The Girl with the Broom" |
| 1971 | Brian's Song | Joy Piccolo | Television film |
| 1971 | Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law | Lorraine Latham | Episode: "Burden of Proof" |
| 1971 | Mannix | Gwen Townsend | Episode: "A Step in Time" |
| 1972 | McCloud | Natalie Rudell | Episode: "Fifth Man in a String Quartet" |
| 1972 | Two for the Money | Bethany Hagen | Television film |
| 1972 | Cade's County | Stephanie | Episode: "The Fake" |
| 1972–1974 | The Little People/The Brian Keith Show | Dr. Anne Jamison | 47 episodes |
| 1974 | Police Story | Annette Weiner | Episode: "Wolf" |
| 1974 | Ironside | Charlotte Black | Episode: "The Far Side of the Fence" |
| 1974 | The Rockford Files | Jolene Hyland | Episode: "Caledonia - It's Worth a Fortune!" |
| 1975 | The Rookies | Ann McNeal | Episode: "Solomon's Dilemma" |
| 1975 | Matt Helm | Chris/Tina | Episode: "Now I Lay Me Down To Die" |
| 1975 | Barnaby Jones | Susan Burke | Episode: "Flight to Danger" |
| 1976 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Norma Fritchie | Episode: "Strike Two!" |
| 1976 | Spencer's Pilots | Annette | Episode: "The Code" |
| 1976–1977 | The Practice | Jenny Bedford | 27 episodes |
| 1977–1978 | Forever Fernwood | Eleanor Major | Unknown episodes |
| 1978 | Vega$ | Linda Stockwood | Episode: "The Games Girls Play" |
| 1978 | The Incredible Hulk | Holly Cooper | Episode: "Escape from Los Santos" |
| 1978–1984 | One Day at a Time | Francine Webster | 23 episodes |
| 1979-1981 | Fantasy Island | Various Roles | |
| 1979 | Hello, Larry | Marion Alder | 3 episodes |
| 1979 | Highcliffe Manor | Helen Blacke | 6 episodes |
| 1980–1981 | Mork & Mindy | Cathy | 3 episodes |
| 1980–1985 | The Love Boat | Various roles | 3 episodes |
| 1983 | Matt Houston | Barbara Newton | Episode: "The Visitors" |
| 1983 | ABC Afterschool Special | Fran Brogliatti | Episode: "The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid" |
| 1983 | Memorial Day | Ellie Walker | Television film |
| 1985 | The Canterville Ghost | Lucy | Television film |
| 1985 | Suburban Beat | Mimi | Television film |
| 1987 | Newhart | Diane Beckwith | Episode: "The First of the Belles" |
| 1988 | Run Till You Fall | Kathy Reuben | Television film |
| 1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Liza Caspar | 2 episodes |
| 1989–1997 | Coach | Christine Armstrong | 199 episodes |
| 1993 | Deadly Relations | Shirley Fagot | Television film |
| 1995 | The Great Mom Swap | Millie Ridgeway | Television film |
| 1996–1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Martha Kent (voice) | 8 episodes[34] |
| 1997 | A Nightmare Come True | Lily Zarn | Television film |
| 1998 | Playing to Win: A Moment of Truth Movie | Nancy Erickson | Television film |
| 2003 | Justice League | Martha Kent (voice) | Episode: "Comfort and Joy"[34] |
| Year | Title | B-Side | U.S. | Label and number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 1962 | "Johnny Angel" | "Where's It Gonna Get Me" | 1[3] | Colpix 621 |
| April 1962 | "What Did They Do Before Rock 'n' Roll"(with Paul Petersen) | "Very Unlikely" (with Paul Petersen) | – | Colpix 631 |
| May 1962 | "Johnny Loves Me" | "I'm Growing Up" | 21[36] | Colpix 636 |
| August 1962 | "The Things We Did Last Summer" | "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" | 46[37] | Colpix 654 |
| December 1962 | "Telephone (Won't You Ring)" | "Big Star" | 109[38] | Colpix 667 |
| March 1963 | "Ronnie, Call Me When You Get a Chance" | "I Left a Note to Say Goodbye" | 72[39] | Colpix 682 |
| October 1963 | "Welcome Home" | "Billy Boy" | – | Colpix 705 |
| January 1964 | "Football Season's Over" | "He Don't Love Me" | – | Colpix 721 |
| September 1964 | "I Know You'll Be There" | "Lost Summer Love" | – | Vee-Jay VJ632 |
| May 1965 | "My Prayer" | "Pretty Please" | – | Dunhill D-4001 |
| August 1966 | "See Ya 'Round On the Rebound" | "Pretty Please" | – | Dunhill D-4041 |
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Primetime Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Coach |
| 1994 | Coach | |||
| 1965 | Laurel Awards | Nominated | New Faces, Female | – |
| 2004 | TV Land Award | Nominated | Favorite Teen Dream - Female | The Donna Reed Show |
| 1994 | Young Artist Award | Won | Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award | The Donna Reed Show |
| International | |
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| National | |
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