LOS ANGELES, Aug 25 — Actress and singer Shelley Fabares, who became a household name playing Mary Stone on The Donna Reed Show before finding renewed television success on Coach, has died aged 82.

Fabares died Saturday in Los Angeles following a brief illness, with her family confirming her death, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

Her career stretched across six decades, from child performer to teen idol, pop singer and Emmy-nominated television actress, with major film roles alongside Elvis Presley among her highlights.

Fabares was born Michele Ann Marie Fabares in Santa Monica on January 19, 1944, and entered show business as a child after her mother put her into modelling when she was three.

She began appearing on television in the 1950s before landing the role that made her famous as Mary Stone, the teenage daughter of Donna Reed’s character, on The Donna Reed Show in 1958.

The ABC sitcom ran for eight seasons, and Fabares remained closely associated with the character even after Mary left home for college and appeared less frequently.

Her success on television also unexpectedly led to a recording career, with her 1962 single Johnny Angel reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Fabares later recalled that she never considered herself a singer, but the song’s success gave her a hit that became one of the most memorable moments of her early career.

She moved into film in the 1960s and appeared opposite Elvis Presley in Girl Happy, Spinout and Clambake, while also taking roles in films including Hold On! and Ride the Wild Surf.

Her television work continued through the following decades, including a role as Brian Piccolo’s wife in the acclaimed 1971 television film Brian’s Song and appearances in One Day at a Time, The Practice and several other series.

Fabares returned to the spotlight in 1989 when she joined Coach as Christine Armstrong, the ambitious television newscaster who became the girlfriend and later wife of Craig T. Nelson’s football coach character, Hayden Fox.

The role earned Fabares two Emmy nominations and became one of the defining parts of her later career, with the sitcom eventually running for nine seasons.

Fabares married MAS*H actor Mike Farrell in 1984 after the pair reconnected years after first meeting when she appeared on his television series The Interns.

The couple remained married for 42 years, with Fabares also becoming stepmother to Farrell’s children, Michael and Erin.

In 2000, Fabares underwent a liver transplant after being diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, an experience that followed years of health problems.

She also became involved in Alzheimer’s disease awareness following her mother’s diagnosis and remained active in the Screen Actors Guild.

Fabares is survived by Farrell and her stepchildren.