5 Best Shelley Fabares TV Shows, Ranked
Following the death of two-time Emmy nominee Shelley Fabares, TVLine is looking back at the actress' five most memorable TV roles.
Shelley Fabares, who passed away at the age of 82 on August 22, had a long and varied acting career. She entered the field at the age of 10 with a role on The Loretta Young Show. However, her big break came when she was cast in the 1958 series The Donna Reed Show as Mary Stone. Fabares also starred in several other TV shows, including the 1965 film Girl Happy opposite Elvis Presley.
One of her longest and most successful TV roles was as Christine Armstrong on the series Coach, which she appeared in for all nine seasons. For the Orlando Sentinel, here are Fabares' five best TV roles:
5. SUPERMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES - As Martha Kent, Fabares portrayed a gentle yet firm mother figure, a role that aligned well with her other maternal characters. Her performance was so well-received that she returned for several other projects in the DC animated universe, including Justice League and Superman: Brainiac Attacks.
4. THE BRIAN KEITH SHOW - In this series, Fabares played a father-daughter duo running a clinic in Hawaii. Her comedic timing shone through in some of the show's funnier moments.
3. ONE DAY AT A TIME - Fabares played Francine Webster on this CBS sitcom. Her chemistry with Bonnie Franklin's character, Ann Romano, created one of television's best office rivalries.
2. THE DONNA REED SHOW - Fabares' performance as Mary Stone was iconic on this series. She even sang in her role, and her hit song Johnny Angel reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1. COACH - Fabares' longest TV role was as Christine Armstrong on this series, which earned her two Emmy nominations. This role allowed her to move beyond her innocent image from Donna Reed and showcase her versatility.
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