Actress Shelley Fabares dies

Shelley Fabares, actress known for popular American television series "The Donna Reed Show" and "Coach," has died. She breathed her last in Los Angeles after an illness on Saturday. She was 82 at the time of her death.

Her family has confirmed the news of her death. Among her survivors is her husband, "MASH" actor Mike Farrell. They got married in 1984.

In a statement, the family said Shelley was a source of love, strength, laughter and comfort to her family and friends, adding that her warmth, generosity, sense of humour and personality made her special in the lives of those close to her.

Shelley rose to widespread popularity playing Mary Stone in "The Donna Reed Show," which aired for eight seasons from 1958 to 1966. The character was the teenage daughter of Donna Stone, who was played by Donna Reed.

After gaining popularity on television, Shelley also tried her luck in music. Her 1962 song "Johnny Angel" topped the Billboard Hot 100. Later, however, Shelley jokingly said she could not sing very well and had to rely largely on dubbing for the song.

Besides television, Shelley also acted on the big screen. In the 1960s, she starred in three consecutive films with popular singer and actor Elvis Presley. The films were "Girl Happy" (1965), "Spinout" (1966) and "Clambake" (1967).

Shelley underwent a liver transplant in October 2000, having been on the waiting list for a transplant for nearly two years before that. Over her long acting career, she carved a place in audiences' hearts through numerous works in television and film.