Shelley Fabares, the wholesome daughter on The Donna Reed Show who went on to star opposite Elvis Presley in three movies and as Craig T. Nelson’s independent wife on Coach, has died. She was 82.
Fabares died Saturday in Los Angeles, her family announced. Survivors include her husband, M*A*S*H actor Mike Farrell, whom she married in 1984.
On the original One Day at a Time, Fabares played against her prim, good-girl persona as Francine Webster, a nasty business rival of Bonnie Franklin’s Ann Romano. (Her late aunt, Caesar’s Hour and The Band Wagon star Nannette Fabray, also appeared on the sitcom, playing the mother of Franklin’s character.)
Fabares also portrayed the wife of doomed Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo (James Caan) on the landmark 1971 ABC telefilm Brian’s Song.
On The Donna Reed Show, which aired on ABC for eight seasons, from September 1958 through March 1966, Fabares played high schooler Mary Stone opposite Reed as her mom, housewife Donna Stone; Carl Betz as her pediatrician dad, Dr. Alex Stone; and Paul Petersen as her younger brother, Jeff.
