Shelley Fabares

Born: 1944-01-19

Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (/fæˈbreɪ/; born January 19, 1944) is a retired American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom Coach (1989–1997), the latter of which earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. Her film roles include playing the leading lady to Elvis Presley in Girl Happy, Spinout, and Clambake. 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 years 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. The character of "Mary Stone" was gently phased out of the show as her character "left for college". During its' run, 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. In 1962, her recording of "Johnny Angel" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She left The Donna Reed Show in 1963 (she would return periodically until its end in 1966) to pursue other acting opportunities. 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). She released a third album, Teenage Triangle in 1963. She landed top femme parts in such fun-and-frolic fare as Ride the Wild Surf (1964), Hold On! (1966) in which she played the love interest of Peter Noone (of Herman's Hermits) and sings Make Me Happy, as well as three of Elvis Presley's less-acclaimed films of the later 1960s: Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966) and Clambake (1967). She then played the love interest of a young Hank Williams Jr. in A Time to Sing (1968). She had support roles in television films like Brian's Song (1971) (playing Brian Piccolo's wife with James Caan as Brian), and Two for the Money (1972). Her performance in Brian's Song earned her a Golden Globe nomination. For her work, she 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. From 2004 to 2011 she produced the Screen Actors Guild Awards.


Placeholder

The Bad Seed

as Margie (uncredited)
Released: 1956-09-12

Air Force Colonel Kenneth Penmark and his wife, Christine, adore their daughter Rhoda, despite...

Movie page

Superman: Brainiac Attacks

as Martha Kent (voice)
Released: 2006-06-20

Embittered by Superman's heroic successes and soaring popularity, Lex Luthor forms a dangerous...

Movie page

Superman: The Last Son of Krypton

as Martha Kent (voice)
Released: 1996-09-10

Clark Kent, the last survivor of the dead planet Krypton, uses his amazing powers to defend...

Movie page

Hot Pursuit

as Buffy Cronenberg
Released: 1987-05-08

Young Danny is following his rich girlfriend's family to the Caribbean. But suddenly he simply...

Movie page

Girl Happy

as Valerie
Released: 1965-04-14

A Chicago mobster hires a rock and roll singer and his band to keep an eye on his daughter...

Movie page

Brian's Song

as Joy Piccolo
Released: 1971-11-30

Based on the real-life relationship between teammates Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers and the bond...

Movie page

Gridlock

as Louise Gregory
Released: 1980-10-02

A series of freak accidents on the Los Angeles freeway traps a cast-load of familiar TV faces in...

Movie page

Clambake

as Dianne Carter
Released: 1967-12-04

The heir to an oil fortune trades places with a water-ski instructor at a Florida hotel to see...

Movie page

Marjorie Morningstar

as Seth's Friend (uncredited)
Released: 1958-04-24

While working as a counselor at a summer camp, college-student Marjorie Morgenstern falls for...

Movie page

Love or Money

as Lu Ann Reed
Released: 1990-01-05

A lucrative real estate deal, or romance with the boss' daughter--that's the dilemma facing a...

Movie page

Operation Heartbeat

as 'Mike' Carter
Released: 1969-04-17

Lawsuits fly when a widow believes a gifted surgeon allowed her husband to die so his heart...

Movie page

Spinout

as Cynthia Foxhugh
Released: 1966-10-06

Band singer/race driver Mike McCoy must choose between marrying a beautiful rich girl and...

Movie page

Two for the Money

as Bethany Hagan
Released: 1972-02-26

Two cops, who have quit the police department to become private detectives and bounty hunters,...

Movie page

Summer Love

as Twinkie Daley
Released: 1958-03-10

A neighborhood rock band gets a job playing at a summer camp.

Movie page

Deadly Relations

as Shirley Fagot
Released: 1993-05-22

Leonard Fagot has four daughters and loves them so much, that he usurps his control over them....

Movie page

Never Say Goodbye

as Suzy Parker
Released: 1956-03-10

In present-day U.S., Dr. Michael Parker, a prominent surgeon, unexpectedly runs into his...

Movie page

Your Studio and You

as Shelley Fabares
Released: 1995-02-01

A parody of 1950s corporate/industrial films, commissioned by Universal Pictures executives...

Movie page

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story

as Self (uncredited)
Released: 1995-10-22

This highly-rated television film covers the life of American movie/TV/pop music idol Annette...

Movie page

Rock, Pretty Baby

as Teresa "Twinky" Daley
Released: 1956-12-01

A high school rock group enters a band contest.

Movie page

Friendships, Secrets and Lies

as Mary Alice
Released: 1979-12-03

Six former sorority sisters are suspected of murder when a baby's skeleton is found in the ruins...

Movie page

A Nightmare Come True

as Lily Zarn
Released: 1997-02-12

Eerie dreams that haunt a young nurse heighten the mystery surrounding her mother's sudden...

Movie page

Donovan's Kid

as Grace Donovan
Released: 1979-01-07

Timothy Donovan, a con-man, returns to San Francisco to see his wife and daughter. Realizing his...

Movie page

Ride the Wild Surf

as Brie Matthews
Released: 1964-08-05

A group of friends go to Hawaii during the height of surfing season, to compete with other surf...

Movie page

Jeanne Eagels

as Teenage Girl (uncredited)
Released: 1957-08-02

Biographical film based loosely on the life of 1920s stage star Jeanne Eagels.

Movie page

Our Town

as Rebecca Gibbs
Released: 1955-09-19

Change comes slowly to a small New Hampshire town in the early 20th century. People grow up, get...

Movie page

The Girl Rush

as Young Kim
Released: 1955-09-16

When her compulsive-gambler father dies, leaving her with an inheritance that amounts to zip,...

Movie page

The Great Mom Swap

as Millie Ridgeway
Released: 1995-09-23

When two girls think the other has it better, they swap places to see who's right!

Movie page

Sky Heist

as Lisa
Released: 1975-05-26

A husband and wife come up with a plan to steal $10 million in gold, using the hijacking of a...

Movie page

The Canterville Ghost

as Lucy
Released: 1985-01-01

The poor ghost of Sir Simon Canterville has been roaming his castle searching in vain for a...

Movie page

Playing to Win: A Moment of Truth Movie

as Nancy Erickson
Released: 1998-02-11

A young girl is taken with a boy that she meets, but he leads her into gambling where she begins...

Movie page

Pleasure Cove

as Helen Perlmutter
Released: 1979-01-03

The story of a posh seaside vacation resort, and the lives and adventures of its guests and staff.

Movie page

Hold On!

as Louisa Page
Released: 1966-06-22

Herman's Hermits' first film, in which the British band has the chance to have an American...

Movie page

Run Till You Fall

as Kathy Reuben
Released: 1988-09-09

A small-time, down-on-his-luck private eye tries to win back his estranged wife and their young...

Movie page

Suburban Beat

as Mimi
Released: 1985-08-17

Four suburban housewives form a neighborhood-watch program, which quickly develops into them...

Movie page

Matinee Theater

as uncredited
First aired: 1955-10-31

Matinee Theater is an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of...

TV Show page

Daniel Boone

as Charity Brown
First aired: 1964-09-24

Daniel Boone is an American action-adventure television series starring Fess Parker as Daniel...

TV Show page

The Love Boat

as Cathy
First aired: 1977-09-24

Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...

TV Show page

The Love Boat

as Mary Frances Bellflower
First aired: 1977-09-24

Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or...

TV Show page

Ironside

as uncredited
First aired: 1967-03-28

When an assassin's bullet confines him to a wheelchair for life ending his career as Chief of...

TV Show page

Murder, She Wrote

as Liza Caspar
First aired: 1984-09-30

An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life...

TV Show page

The Twilight Zone

as Ellen Tillman
First aired: 1959-10-02

A series of unrelated stories containing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science...

TV Show page

The Rockford Files

as Jolene Hyland
First aired: 1974-09-13

Cranky but likable L.A. PI Jim Rockford pulls no punches (but takes plenty of them). An ex-con...

TV Show page

Mannix

as uncredited
First aired: 1967-09-16

Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS....

TV Show page

The Incredible Hulk

as Holly Cooper
First aired: 1977-11-04

During an experiment gone bad, radiation turns a scientist into a raging green behemoth whenever...

TV Show page

Love, American Style

as Julie
First aired: 1969-09-29

An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in...

TV Show page

Love, American Style

as Sheila
First aired: 1969-09-29

An anthology comedy series featuring a line up of different celebrity guest stars appearing in...

TV Show page

Justice League

as Martha Kent (voice)
First aired: 2001-11-17

The long-awaited rebirth of the greatest superhero team of all time: Batman, Superman, Wonder...

TV Show page

Coach

as Christine Armstrong
First aired: 1989-02-28

Hayden Fox, the curmudgeonly coach of Minnesota State University's Screaming Eagles football...

TV Show page

Medical Center

as uncredited
First aired: 1969-09-24

Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976. It was produced...

TV Show page

One Day at a Time

as Francine Webster
First aired: 1975-12-16

The misadventures of a divorced mother, two teenage daughters, and new building superintendent...

TV Show page

Newhart

as uncredited
First aired: 1982-10-02

Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna decide to leave life in New York City and buy a little inn in...

TV Show page

Superman: The Animated Series

as uncredited
First aired: 1996-09-06

Superman, an incredibly powerful alien from the planet Krypton, defends Metropolis from...

TV Show page

Superman: The Animated Series

as Martha Kent (voice)
First aired: 1996-09-06

Superman, an incredibly powerful alien from the planet Krypton, defends Metropolis from...

TV Show page

The Donna Reed Show

as uncredited
First aired: 1958-09-24

Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a...

TV Show page

The Donna Reed Show

as Mary Stone
First aired: 1958-09-24

Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a...

TV Show page

McCloud

as uncredited
First aired: 1970-02-17

Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud of the small western town of Taos, New Mexico is assigned to the...

TV Show page

Vega$

as uncredited
First aired: 1978-09-20

Vega$ is an American detective television drama series that aired on ABC between 1978 and 1981....

TV Show page

The Rookies

as uncredited
First aired: 1972-09-11

The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows...

TV Show page

Matt Houston

as uncredited
First aired: 1982-09-26

Matt Houston is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1982 to 1985. Created by...

TV Show page

Mork & Mindy

as uncredited
First aired: 1978-09-14

A wacky alien comes to Earth to study its residents and the life of the human woman he boards...

TV Show page

Mork & Mindy

as Cathy McConnell
First aired: 1978-09-14

A wacky alien comes to Earth to study its residents and the life of the human woman he boards...

TV Show page

The Bob Hope Show

as Self
First aired: 1950-04-09

The Bob Hope Show hosted by Bob Hope, debuted on April 9, 1950. During the 1952-1953 season, NBC...

TV Show page

Mr. Novak

as Dani Cooper
First aired: 1963-09-24

Mr. Novak is an American dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role, which...

TV Show page

Marcus Welby, M.D.

as Norma Fritchie
First aired: 1969-09-23

Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from...

TV Show page

Arrest and Trial

as uncredited
First aired: 1963-09-15

Arrest and Trial is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963-1964...

TV Show page

Arrest and Trial

as Donna Blaney
First aired: 1963-09-15

Arrest and Trial is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963-1964...

TV Show page

Matt Helm

as Chris / Tina
First aired: 1975-09-20

Matt Helm is an American mystery television series which aired on the ABC Network during the...

TV Show page

Police Story

as uncredited
First aired: 1973-03-20

Police Story is an anthology television crime drama. The show was the brainchild of author and...

TV Show page

The Ghost & Mrs. Muir

as uncredited
First aired: 1968-09-21

Derived from the 1947 movie with the same name, a house is haunted by a deceased sea captain who...

TV Show page

Lancer

as uncredited
First aired: 1968-09-24

Lancer is an American Western series that aired on CBS from September 1968, to May 1970. The...

TV Show page

Shindig!

as Self - Singer
First aired: 1964-09-16

Shindig! is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to...

TV Show page

Lucan

as uncredited
First aired: 1977-09-12

Lucan is a TV Drama which aired on ABC from 1977 to 1978, starring Kevin Brophy, John Randolph,...

TV Show page

The Practice

as Jenny Bedford
First aired: 1976-01-30

Sitcom about Jules Bedford, a crusty, sometimes grumpy, and somewhat absent-minded old-school...

TV Show page

Spencer's Pilots

as uncredited
First aired: 1976-09-17

Spencer's Pilots is an American adventure series that aired on CBS from September 17 to November...

TV Show page

The Brian Keith Show

as Dr. Anne Jamison
First aired: 1972-09-15

The Brian Keith Show is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1972 to March 1974....

TV Show page

Hello, Larry

as Marion Alder
First aired: 1979-01-26

Hello, Larry is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from January 26, 1979 to April 30, 1980.

TV Show page

The Wonderful World of Disney

as Grace Donovan
First aired: 1954-10-27

Walt Disney Productions has produced an anthology television series under several different...

TV Show page

Letter to Loretta

as Marie Schumann
First aired: 1953-09-20

Letter to Loretta is an American anthology drama series telecast on NBC from September 1953 to...

TV Show page

Annette

as Moselle Corey
First aired: 1957-02-08

Annette is a television serial that ran on The Mickey Mouse Club during the show's third season....

TV Show page