ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, August 17, 1996 TAG: 9608190008
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: 4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: HOLLYWOOD
SOURCE: SUSAN KING LOS ANGELES TIMES
Shelley Fabares is a rarity in Hollywood: a popular child star who has continued working as an adult actress, as co-star of ABC's ``Coach.'' Though most viewers know the young Fabares as the wholesome Mary on the classic sitcom ``The Donna Reed Show,'' she actually began acting at the ripe old age of 3 in such TV series as ``Captain Midnight'' and ``Annie Oakley.''
But while Fabares describes her experience as a child actress as ``exquisite,'' she doesn't recommend show business for children.
``The chances of a child coming through as I did ... the world is too hard,'' says Fabares. ``On the other hand, I would always encourage children of mine if they wanted to be in school plays and dance and sing. But I wouldn't put them to work. It's very hard for me now when I work with kids. It's not my position to say anything [to the parents]. If they ask me my opinion, I will tell them to get out.''
A lot of former child stars have difficulty as adults because they ``didn't get to continue to work or weren't able to get jobs,'' says Fabares. ``It leaves them feeling bitter and angry and like a failure. It's a terrifying thing to be perhaps 16 or 17 and feel like you are a failure and a has-been.''
Ask Fabares, 52, why she has defied the odds and successfully made the arduous transition from child star to adult actress and she'll tell you it was luck and determination.
``I was, and continue to be, determined to have a good life, a grounded life and as an alive and growing and learning a life as possible,'' she says. ``I was just incredibly lucky, and I have worked hard.''
Adds Fabares: ``One can't change one's life experience, but even if I could, I wouldn't change it because of all the wonderful things that have happened to me.''
Those ``wonderful things'' include a stint on the 1958 ``Mickey Mouse Club'' serial ``Annette''; playing Mary from 1958-63 on ``The Donna Reed Show''; starring in the acclaimed 1971 TV movie ``Brian's Song''; and being the only actress to appear opposite Elvis Presley in three films: 1965's ``Girl Happy,'' 1966's ``Clambake'' and 1967's ``Spinout.''
```Girl Happy' was the best, but we had the most fun on `Clambake,''' says the warm, friendly actress.
``We had fun on all three.''
The only time Fabares questioned whether she wanted to make acting her life choice was when she was about 16.
``It was sort of a passing thing,'' she explains. ``I had never asked myself if I wanted to do this. I guess it was during the time when kids that I had gone to school with earlier were talking about what they were going to study in college. But very quickly I said, `No. I love doing this.'''
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Shelley Fabares and Craig T. Nelson star in ``Coach,''by CNBairing Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. on WSET-Channel 13.