Meet Shelley Fabares' Ex Husband, Lou Adler, Separated In 1966, Divorced 14 Years After Their Split
Shelley Fabares passed away at the age of 82. The late actress and singer was married to record producer Lou Adler from 1964 to 1980.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleShelley Fabares died at the age of 82 on August 22, 2026, in Los Angeles. Her family confirmed she passed away surrounded by loved ones after a brief illness. Fabares began as a child actress and rose to fame as 'Mary Stone' on The Donna Reed Show from 1958 to 1963. She later earned two Emmy nominations for her role as 'Christine Armstrong' on Coach.
Following her sudden demise, Shelley’s personal life has come into the limelight. Although she was married to Mike Farrell since 1984, her first marriage was to Lou Adler from 1964 to 1980. Keep reading to know more!
Shelley Fabares’ first husband, Lou Adler, has been active in the music industry
Lou Adler is a Grammy-winning record producer, songwriter, manager, and film producer who helped shape the California sound of the 1960s and 70s. Born Lester Louis Adler on December 13, 1933, in Chicago and raised in Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles, he began his career co-managing surf duo Jan and Dean alongside Herb Alpert. The pair also wrote songs under the pseudonym Barbara Campbell, including Wonderful World, a hit for Sam Cooke in 1960.
In 1964, Adler founded Dunhill Records, serving as president and chief producer from 1964 to 1967. The label scored an early No.1 with Barry McGuire's Eve of Destruction in 1965 and then became a powerhouse after Adler signed The Mamas & the Papas, producing six Top Five hits for them, including California Dreamin’ and Monday, Monday.
Lou Adler sold Dunhill to ABC in 1967 and launched Ode Records, signing Carole King, Spirit, Scott McKenzie and Cheech & Chong. He produced all of King's Ode albums, including Tapestry, which sold over 25 million copies and is considered one of the greatest albums of all time. His work on the album earned him two Grammys in 1972 for Record of the Year and Album of the Year.
In June 1967, he also helped produce the Monterey International Pop Festival and its film version, Monterey Pop. He later moved into film, producing The Rocky Horror Picture Show and directing Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.
His personal life intersected with his music career when he married actress and singer Shelley Fabares in June 1964. Fabares was at the peak of her post-Donna Reed Show fame at the time. The couple separated in 1966, but did not formally file and finalize the divorce until 1980. Following their divorce, Lou Adler was in a relationship with Britt Ekland from 1972 to 1974. He has been married to Page Hannah since 1992.
Shelley Fabares was a part of various films and TV shows throughout her career
Shelley Fabares’ journey in the entertainment industry spanned nearly six decades. She began acting at the age of 10 and gained national fame at 14 as Mary Stone, the daughter on The Donna Reed Show, from 1958 to 1965. The show made her a teen idol and led to a recording career.
In 1962, her single Johnny Angel reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. She recorded four albums. Shelley also released a few albums, such as The Things We Did Last Summer, Teenage Triangle, Bye Bye Birdie, More Teenage Triangle, and more.
She became Elvis Presley's most frequent leading lady, starring opposite him in movies like Girl Happy, Spinout, and Clambake. In later years, Fabares reinvented herself on television. She portrayed main roles in TV shows like The Practice and One Day at a Time. She even made brief appearances on other shows, including Fury, The Rebel, Lancer, McCloud, Ironside, and more.
What are your thoughts about Lou Adler and his marriage to Shelley Fabares? Let us know.
PC: JayBobbin1/X, IMDb
Also Read: Hayden Panettiere's BF Brian Hickerson Allegedly Pawned Her Belongings, Was Banned From Book Tour
