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Walking onto a movie set with the most famous superstar on the planet usually makes any actress weak in the knees. But for a beautiful young star named Shelley Fabares, meeting Elvis Presley was a completely different story. While almost every other woman in Hollywood was instantly falling under his famous spell, she stayed completely calm and grounded. She did not know it yet, but she was about to become the only leading lady to ever star in three different movies with the music legend, sparking a deep friendship that would last a lifetime.
When they first teamed up on the set of Girl Happy in 1965, the chemistry between them was impossible to ignore. Elvis Presley was instantly drawn to her petite look and her incredibly sweet personality. However, when he tried to use his famous charm to flirt with her, she gave him an answer he was definitely not used to hearing. She simply looked at him and told him she was already dating someone else and that it was very serious.
Respecting her honesty, the famous singer backed off, but he certainly did not give up hope for long. By the time they started filming their second movie together, Spinout, Elvis playfully decided to try his luck all over again. He excitedly asked if she was still seeing that same guy. She looked him right in the eye and said “no,” which made his face light up, thinking he finally had a real chance. But then she dropped the ultimate twist—she was not just dating the guy anymore; she was officially engaged!
By the time they filmed their third movie, Clambake, she revealed she had finally married her partner. Elvis Presley jokingly teased her, asking with a giant smile if she only got married to stop herself from “weakening” to his legendary charms. They both laughed out loud about it, and he finally realized she was one of the very few people who truly saw him as a normal friend rather than just a dazzling celebrity idol.
At 81, Shelley Fabares Finally Tells the Truth About Elvis Presley
Even though they shared some very famous on-screen kisses in Girl Happy, she always kept things perfectly professional behind the cameras. In fact, her real-life husband did not even mind those romantic movie scenes because she loudly told everyone that Elvis was the absolute “epitome of a southern gentleman.” The bright, sunny beach scenes and catchy songs in the film looked like pure romance but their real connection was actually built on honest friendship without the heavy pressure of dating.
She beautifully described his daily presence on the movie set as “extraordinary” saying that whenever Elvis Presley walked into a crowded room, everyone would just stop moving and stare in total silence. He carried a natural breathtaking magic about him that was completely impossible to ignore. Even though she admitted she was not his biggest music fan at the very start, she quickly realized he was a beautiful soul with a massive heart of gold.
Elvis Presley – Girl Happy (from the movie 1965)
While other Hollywood stars were constantly caught up in wild drama, these two spent their movie breaks laughing and sharing quiet, real stories. They clicked instantly feeling like they had known each other for a hundred years right from day one. They remained the closest of friends until his very last days proving that sometimes the absolute best Hollywood stories are not about flashy romance. Shelley Fabares remains a legendary figure in his history forever known as the loyal friend who stayed by his side while never losing her own heart to the ultimate charmer.
