When Shelley Fabares stormed into the limelight as an entertainer, she made herself popular with many teenage hearts and played the role of Mary Stone in the family sitcom entitled The Donna Reed Show. Shelley was only 10 years old at the time, but that didn’t stop her from being widely acclaimed as the teenagers’ favorite actress.
Lady Fabares has survived the test of time and circumstances; she has successfully moved on to adult roles, unlike her contemporary child actresses of the 1960s who disappeared into thin air in the entertainment industry and never made it to adult roles in the entertainment industry.
Shelley Fabares Biography
The famous actress and singer were born in Santa Monica, California, on January 19, 1944, the daughter of Elsa and James Fabares. While almost nothing is known about her father, her mother Elsa is said to have died of Alzheimer’s disease. The famous actress Nanette Fabray is her aunt and she has a sister named Smokey.
Just like her father, almost nothing is known about the educational institutions Shelley attended. However, it is common knowledge that she started modeling in elementary school. Shelley began acting at the tender age of three and made her television debut at the age of 10 when she appeared in an episode of Loretta Brief. Later the girl got the role of Mary Stone on the Donna Reed Show after appearing as a guest star in a series of television series.
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Remember we said that Shelley was a singer too? Well, her growing popularity got her a record deal. She covered the song, Johnny Angel, by Lyn Duddy and Lee Pockriss, which quickly became a huge hit. The single from Shelley’s album – Shelley! eventually made it to number one of the Billboard Hot 100’s. It is on record that the single also sold more than a million copies and was certified as Gold.
When this Sheila left the Donna Reed Show in 1963, she appeared in several films, including Clambake (1967), Girl Happy (1965), and Spinout (1966). She also played the role of young Hank Williams in A Time to Sing and the love interest of Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits in Hold On!
Shelley Fabares also appeared in various television series during the 1970s, including Fantasy Island, Mary Hartman, Love, The Practice, American Style, The Interns, Mannix, and The Rockford Files. She also appeared with James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in the 1971 television movie called Brian’s Song. Caan played the role of Piccolo, while Shelley played the role of Piccolo’s wife – Joy. Later, in 1978, Shelley portrayed Francine Webster in the CBS sitcom One Day at a Time.
The veteran actress was cast in the 1989 ABC sitcom Coach as Christine Armstrong Fox. Shelley was honored with nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards. She was also honored by the Young Artist Foundation with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Shelley is now also active as a dubbing artist; she was the voice of Martha “Ma” Kent in Superman: The Animated Series.
The love life of the popular entertainer can be summed up by the two marriages she has entered into. In June 1964 she married film producer Lou Adler, but unfortunately, the couple could not stay together for long – they separated in 1966 and their divorce was finalized in 1980.
Four years later (1984) she married Mike Farrell and became stepmother to his two children Michael and Erin. During the actress’s marriage to Mike Farrell, she was given away by her sister Smokey. It seems that the famous actress and her current husband lived in marital bliss, their bond is still strong; not even Shelly’s protracted liver disease could upset their love.
Her Net Worth
The net worth of the actress and singer is an admirable $1.5 million, which she has earned mainly through her successful acting career, in addition to her record deals and the various awards she has won during her active time in the entertainment industry.
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Other Facts About The Actress
Her Real Name
The famous actress is actually called Michele Ann Marie Fabares, but in the vernacular, she is known as Shelley Fabares.
Shelley’s Height
The renowned actress stands at a height of 5 feet 4 inches. Yeah, she’s 1.64 meters tall.
Health Issues
In early 1999, Shelley was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis and had to be on a long waiting list for a donor, but eventually, in October 2000, she received a liver transplant that improved her health.
