Mike Farrell and Shelley Fabares were seen during a rare and affectionate outing in a sun-drenched Burbank park on July 18, 2025. The longtime couple sparked admiration from fans and rekindled interest in their decades-long love story.

The 86-year-old, best known for playing B.J. Hunnicutt in “M*A*S*H,” and the 81-year-old “Coach” actress held hands as they passed through a small group of people, waved to everyone, and crossed the street.

They were both dressed casually, with Mike wearing jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black baseball cap featuring a printed political message. Meanwhile, Shelley rocked soft pink hair and a T-shirt featuring David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust.

Netizens couldn’t help but gush as photos of them circulated online. One commenter wrote, “Still a beautiful couple!” while another observed, “He still looks like Mike Farrell to me.” One fan commented, “I think he looks great!” and someone else declared, “Mike Farrell.. great actor.”

One netizen stated simply, “We all get old.” But a more critical remark also surfaced, with one person adding, “It looks like the guy from MASH [sic], but I bet you will be unrecognizable when you get old. If you live that long.”

A particularly heartfelt comment read, “Nice faces…yes that’s getting older No-one gets away with it Happy..days…you both looking relaxed and happy in your own skin That’s what we used to call normal [sic].”

Some took a more introspective tone, like the person who shared, “I adored both of these people. No idea what side they roll on, or beliefs, just liked them. She was adorable. And he was as well. Aging is not for the faint of heart 💔.”

And the couple has certainly aged together. They met in 1970 when Shelley appeared in one episode of “The Interns,” starring Mike. However, they would not get together until 12 years later, when they reconnected at a CBS affiliates convention.

By then, they were both divorced. The actor had ended his 17-year marriage to Judy Farrell, a process he detailed in his memoir, “Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist.”

He and Judy, best known for playing Nurse Able on “M*A*S*H,” had tried to make things work for their two children, Erin and Michael Farrell, to no avail. The actor revealed that telling his kids about the divorce was the “hardest part” of the separation.

“The whole process was a wrenching, deeply painful ordeal for all involved, but Judy and I were able to work out a cooperative arrangement,” Mike wrote.

He also described buying a house nearby and how they tried to keep things as normal as possible for the children while he and Judy dealt with the pain of ending a long-standing relationship.

Meanwhile, Shelley had separated from Lou Adler, the famed record producer. Following the convention, she and Mike went for coffee and an exhibit of pictures and videos showing his travels through Central America.

Approximately a year later, the actor proposed, and she said yes. They got married a year after “M*A*S*H” ended, at the home of Fabares’s aunt, actress Nanette Fabray.

Then came the process of settling into the family. According to his memoir, Mike’s kids liked Shelley, but this new marriage was still tough for them. However, Judy was also with someone else by then, and everyone tried their best to help Erin and Michael adjust.

At one point, Mike Farrell recalled how his son thought Shelley was too strict about household chores, but they worked through it and even had family therapy sessions, which included Judy and her new husband, Joe Bratcher.

The actor added, “Given the histories involved, it was quite a strain at first, but our mutual commitment to the kids’ welfare got us over the bumps and helped us work our way, over time, into what has become a close, mutually supportive and loving extended family.”