This ’60s Beauty Icon Received a Liver Transplant While Battling Illness – Her Photos & Story

Shelley Fabares, born on January 19, 1944, in Santa Monica, California, began her career in Hollywood at a young age. The niece of actress Nanette Fabray, she was introduced to show business early, starting with tap dancing and modeling. Fabares gained fame as Mary Stone on “The Donna Reed Show” in 1958, later becoming a teen idol and even scoring a hit with “Johnny Angel.” She starred in popular ’60s films, including three with Elvis Presley.
As Hollywood tastes shifted, Fabares reinvented herself with more serious roles, earning acclaim for her portrayal in “Brian’s Song” (1971) and later enjoying success on TV, notably on “Coach” for eight seasons. Offscreen, she married record producer Lou Adler, but the couple divorced in 1980. In 1984, she married Mike Farrell, a former “MAS*H” star and activist, and they shared a strong, loving relationship despite personal challenges, including caring for Fabares’s mother and her mentor, Donna Reed, who died of cancer. In 1994, Fabares suffered a severe injury, leading to the discovery of liver problems. In 1999, she was diagnosed with progressive liver failure and placed on the transplant list. A liver transplant in 2000 saved her life, and she credited her husband for his unwavering support during the ordeal. Now 81, Fabares is admired for her beauty and strength, having overcome health challenges and reinvented herself throughout her career.

’60s

’70s
’80s
’90s
2000s

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *