Shelley Fabares

 Shelley Fabares was one of the female leads in the surf film "Ride the Wild Surf" (1964). She was Elvis Presley's leading lady in "Girl Happy" (1965, below) for MGM and played the love interest of Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits in "Hold On!" at the same studio. She was reunited with Elvis for "Spinout" (1966) at MGM and "Clambake" (1967), at United Artists.

Fabares began acting at age three and, at age 14, landed the role of Mary Stone in the long-running family sitcom "The Donna Reed Show.". This ran until 1966, though Fabares left the show in 1963 returning periodically until its end) to pursue other acting opportunities. Fabares' national popularity led to a recording contract and two "Top 40" hits, including "Johnny Angel," which went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1962, and peaked at number 41 in the UK. It sold over one million copies and was certified gold. She released an album, "Shelley!. "I was stunned about that, to put it mildly," she later said. "After all, I never could sing."

Fabares said she went through a period where she struggled to find work. "I went to bed on Tuesday having worked since I was 3. I got up Wednesday morning and didn't work for four years, went to bed Wednesday night after four years, got up and interviewed for a 'Mannix' episode and started working again. I think this business is very cyclical. You go through busy times and you go through dead times."