How did Shelley Fabares and Mike Farrell first meet? Veteran actor's comments revisited before her death

Four months before Shelley Fabares' death, her husband of over 40 years, Mike Farrell, revealed their unexpected first date that eventually led to their marriage.

The 87-year-old veteran actor discussed their relationship during an April appearance on the Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko.

According to Farrell, before they became a couple, they had crossed paths several times at Hollywood events.

"I'd say hello, and she'd say hello, and that was it, pretty much."

Per the M*A*S*H icon, their first meaningful conversation was after he returned from El Salvador, where he had visited refugee camps in 1980.

He attended a CBS dinner in San Francisco shortly afterward and felt overwhelmed by the contrast between what he had witnessed and the glamorous event.

Mike Farrell shared Shelley Fabares made him "feel a little calmer"

When he saw Shelly Fabares, he approached her and told her that seeing her always made him feel calmer.

"I walked over to her and I said, 'Excuse me. I just would like you to know that every time I see you, I feel really good and I feel a little calmer than I had been prior to that.' And she said, 'Mike, that's very sweet, very nice of you.'"

Later that evening, Mike Farrell asked if The Donna Reed Show actress wanted to ride a cable car. She initially declined, explaining that she was seeing someone, but then changed her mind.

The two traveled to Fisherman's Wharf and walked along the coast as Mike Farrell opened up about his experiences at the time.

"We walked along the coast, and I just spilled my guts about this experience I just had in Central America. And she was very patient and very sweet and very supportive."

They were assigned to the same car for their flight back to Los Angeles the following morning. Mike Farrell later invited Shelley Fabares and her boyfriend to one of his talks about El Salvador.

Months later, Mike Farrell contacted her about another presentation. Instead of bringing her boyfriend, Shelley Fabares asked if she could bring her sister.

After the talk, the two went for coffee. He asked whether she had resolved an issue she had previously mentioned involving the writers of One Day at a Time.

He began asking about the writers before Fabares interrupted with an update about her personal life.

"She said, 'Oh, we're not seeing each other anymore.' And I said, 'Oh. Well, that’s nice.'"

The pair eventually tied the knot in December 1984 in a backyard ceremony. She also became the stepmother to his two children, Erin and Michael, from his previous marriage.

Watch the full episode of his Mike Farrell's interview here:

Shelley Fabares' death: A quick glimpse into her career

Shelley Fabares died on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, at the age of 82 in Los Angeles, California. She was surrounded by her family in her final breaths.

She was known for her role as Christine Armstrong in the TV series Coach, from 1989 to 1997, where she earned two Primetime Emmy nominations.

She was also a frequent big-screen love interest for Elvis Presley, as they starred together in Girl Happy (1965), Spinout (1966), and Clambake (1967).

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Aside from acting, Shelley Fabares also launched a music career, with her 1962 teen pop hit Johnny Angel ranking No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and selling over one million copies.

Before Mike Farrell, she was married to music producer Lou Adler from 1964 until 1966, but their divorce was only finalized in 1980.

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